Bad weather affects domestic flights

KATHMANDU, Jan 20: Domestic flights have been affected due to bad wing to bad weather witnessed since Thursday morning. 

A total of eight airports --- three in terai and five others in the Himalayan region --- have remained shut owing to poor visibility due to the foggy sky as well as snowfall. 

According to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) administration, airports in Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Bhairahawa have suspended their services. They are yet to resume their services as of Thursday noon. 

TIA spokesperson, Tek Nath Sitaula told Ratopati that Simara Airport in Bara resumed its services following improvement in the weather. 

Similarly, flights to and from the airports in Lukla, Faplu, Simikot, Dolpa and Rara have also been hit hard by the worsening weather conditions. 

With visibility below 1000 meters, the flights from and to the airports are not taking place, according to TIA officials. A regular flight required visibility of 1600 to 2000 meters. 

Spokesperson Sitaula added that visibility in Kathmandu, Janakpur, Nepalgunj Chandragadhi, Surkhet, Pokhara and Tumlingtar is normal. 

He shared that as many as two dozen domestic flights have so far been affected due to poor weather conditions. 

International flights, however, have remained unaffected according to Sitaula.