Flights to UAE from Nepal Gradually Resume as Airlines Cautiously Return to Skies

Despite the persistent risk of conflict between the US and Iran, Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) and Himalaya Airlines are preparing to resume flights to select destinations in West Asia.

While the threat of attacks on critical infrastructure in nations including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait has not been completely eliminated, Nepal Airlines has announced it will operate Kathmandu-Dubai flights on Wednesday and Thursday. According to the national flag carrier, the flights are intended for passengers who had booked tickets between February 28 and March 9 but were unable to travel. These passengers have been asked to revalidate their tickets.

In a notice issued on Tuesday, NAC stated that the Kathmandu-Dubai flights would operate at their scheduled times. The flight is set to depart Kathmandu for Dubai at 11:15 PM on Wednesday, with a return flight scheduled for Thursday at 4:10 PM.

However, the airline has warned that flights could be cancelled at any moment due to the volatile security situation in the Middle East. "If travel is disrupted due to the adverse situation, the Corporation informs you that it will be unable to bear any further financial or other liability," the notice read.

The recent conflict has led NAC and other international carriers to suspend flights to the region. The current disruption to international flights in the area has now entered its twelfth day, though some airlines have been operating sporadic services.

Private sector carrier Himalaya Airlines has also resumed its Kathmandu-Dubai flights. The airline operated a Kathmandu-Dubai flight on Sunday, March 8, followed by a Dubai-Kathmandu flight on Monday. However, like NAC, it has not been able to operate a full schedule to the region.

Flights to the Gulf are a critical revenue source for Nepali airlines. Archana Khadka, the spokesperson for NAC, noted that the region accounts for one-third of the flag carrier’s international flights. The suspension of these services has led to a significant drop in income.

According to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) office, 13 flights to the Middle East were cancelled on Tuesday alone. Affected airlines included Jazeera Airways, Kuwait Airways, Air Arabia, Flydubai, Nepal Airlines (Kathmandu-Doha route), Qatar Airways, and Himalaya Airlines.

Despite the overall disruption, flights to major UAE cities are beginning to show signs of normalisation. Santosh Kumar Basnet, a spokesperson for TIA, confirmed that various airlines have resumed operations to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. He stated that Air Arabia is set to operate three regular flights starting Wednesday, while Flydubai is already conducting two daily flights on the Kathmandu-Abu Dhabi route.