Relief finally came for nearly 200 tourists from Karnataka stranded in Kathmandu when Nepal Airlines stepped in on September 11, arranging a special Airbus A-320 flight directly to Bengaluru free of cost for passengers who had spent nearly three tense days in the Nepalese capital.
The travellers, most of them from Bengaluru and surrounding parts of Karnataka, along with a few from Mumbai and Delhi, had been caught in limbo after operations at Tribhuvan International Airport were suspended earlier this week. With no direct flights available to Bengaluru, many were unsure when or how they would return. Travellers, however, said that Karnataka government’s support during the situation was “minimal.”
“Those who had booked tickets on Air India flights for Thursday were unable to reach the airport at all, as no cabs or public transport were running. We were in a complete information vacuum. The internet was patchy, officials weren’t saying any thing, and we had no idea when flights would restart. Many of us kept walking to the airport just to check if operations had begun,” a Bengaluru resident, who returned last evening but wished to remain anonymous, said.
Speaking to The Hindu, Rajani Masaki, another passenger from Bengaluru, recalled chaotic scenes inside Kathmandu airport as nearly 1,000 people crammed into the terminal, waiting for information. She added that for nearly last two days, more than 10 to 15 people shared rooms and any available space inside bars, lodges, and restaurants. “Shops, pharmacies and even cab services remained closed for over four days. Tourists scrambled for food, drinking water and medicines, with all taking refuge in shuttered restaurants and bars that offered spare rooms. Throughout these days, more than 10 people shared a single cramped room,” Ms. Masaki said.
While the Union government had arranged flights on September 10 and 11, between New Delhi and Kathmandu, the Karnataka government facilitated onward travel only for those who were flown first to the capital. Many of the tourists in Kathmandu, however, said State support and communication could have improved their situation. Travellers acknowledged Nepal Airlines’ decision to waive fares and arrange a direct service to Bengaluru as a “lifeline.”
Another batch of 27 passengers from Bengaluru, still in Kathmandu, are expected to be flown home on Saturday aboard a Nepal based flight.
Published – September 12, 2025 09:55 pm IST
