TIA Sees Surge in International Arrivals as Dashain Travel Picks Up

Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) is getting busier as Dashain travel gains momentum, with a marked rise in international arrivals compared to departures, airport officials said.

TIA spokesperson Rinji Sherpa reported that inbound international passenger numbers are climbing, prompting some foreign airlines to add extra and chartered flights. “International arrivals are increasing steadily, while domestic flights remain normal for now, though we expect domestic travel to pick up pace in the coming days,” Sherpa noted.

On Saturday, TIA handled 106 international flights—54 arrivals and 52 departures—bringing in 8,029 passengers. Domestic operations saw 222 flights, carrying 6,875 outbound and 4,065 inbound passengers. Sunday recorded 55 international arrival flights with about 8,500 incoming passengers and 6,800 departures. In the domestic sector, 229 flights carried 7,887 inbound passengers and 5,505 outbound passengers.

Currently, TIA handles more than 300 flights a day, including over 250 domestic and around 100 international flights. The airport operates from 6 am in the morning till late night at 1 am, served by 21 domestic carriers—including 12 helicopter companies—and 30 international airlines, three of them Nepali.

Dashain officially began on September 22 with Ghatasthapana, but public holidays start on September 29—Fulpati, the festival’s seventh day—when Kathmandu is expected to see a mass exodus as people head to their hometowns for Nepal’s biggest celebration. – With inputs from RSS