CAAN Suspends Thai AirAsia Flights to Nepal Amid Flight Permit Expiration

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has announced the immediate suspension of all Thai AirAsia flights to Nepal, effective as of today. Despite this decision, a Thai AirAsia flight from Thailand was permitted to land at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) after being held in a holding pattern for about an hour.

According to CAAN spokesperson Gyanendra Bhul, the flight permit for Thai AirAsia was set to expire on October 26, and today’s flight was allowed to operate as a one-time “special chartered” flight to ensure passenger safety. “We allowed today’s flight to land considering the passengers’ safety and on humanitarian grounds,” said Bhul, while stressing that other flights for the airline have been suspended immediately.

The move to suspend Thai AirAsia’s flights coincides with TIA’s implementation of its new winter flight schedule, effective from October 27, 2024, to March 31, 2025. The airline’s General Sales Agent (GSA) has also been revoked.

The suspended flight, now cleared to depart, will fly back to Bangkok later today, as confirmed by TIA officials.