Flights Resume Amid Chaos as Thousands Flee Kathmandu

KATHMANDU, Nepal — As the Kathmandu international airport resumed operations on Thursday evening, a flood of people, including migrant workers and tourists, rushed to board flights in the wake of ongoing violence in the country.

The chaos began when flights were grounded for two days due to unrest. On Thursday evening, many had been waiting on the streets, desperate to escape the turmoil. “We lived on the streets waiting for flights to resume,” said Namrat Basnet, a 36-year-old migrant worker from Saudi Arabia.

By 7 p.m., the Nepalese army enforced curfew measures across the city. Streets that were alive with activity became deserted as shops closed and travel restrictions took hold. Only vehicles headed for the Tribhuvan International Airport and ambulances were allowed to move, as thousands waited anxiously near the airport entrance.

Hope arose as at least nine flights were scheduled to take off later that evening, heading to destinations like Doha, Bangkok, and Dubai. The last Air India flight carried many Indian nationals back to New Delhi before the airport closed.

“The social media ban hit us hard,” Basnet added. “Many of us rely on apps to communicate with our families and send money home. I’m relieved to be returning as the situation improves.”

Among those waiting were couples saying goodbye at the airport, a familiar scene as many Nepalis leave for jobs abroad. “This is a harsh reality,” noted an airline operator working at the airport.

Vijay Kumar Mandal, 25, had come to the airport with 12 friends from his village. They were initially set to depart on September 9, but unrest delayed their flight. “We had to sleep outside and worry about our livelihoods,” he explained. “Now we face uncertainty, but we have to go back to support our families.”

As curfew restrictions impacted everyday life, personnel from the Nepalese army maintained order, assuring the public that the situation was being monitored closely. “We expect things to get better soon,” said an army official.

The sentiment among those at the airport was one of anxiety but also hope as they braced for their departures amid ongoing unrest.