Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet issue travel advisory amid Kathmandu airport closure over protests in Nepal

INdian airlines issued move around advisories on tues amid partial cloture of the capital of nepal airdrome of Nepal after deadly protests there against the government and its now-withdrawn order to ban several social media portals.The Kathmandu airport was partially shut on Tuesday as smoke from fires set by protesters reduced visibility. Air India and IndiGo airlines suspended all flights to Kathmandu.Follow for live updates on Nepal protest.In a statement, Air India said that, "In view of the current situation prevailing in Kathmandu, the following flights AI2231/2232, AI2219/2220, AI217/218 and AI211/212 operating on the Delhi-Kathmandu-Delhi route have been cancelled today.” The airline also said that they are closely monitoring the situation.In a similar advisory, IndiGo posted on X account, “All flights to and from Kathmandu stand suspended as of now.” Citing the closure of Kathmandu airport, it said that those passengers whose travel was impacted can opt for an alternative flight or claim a refund from the official IndiGo website.Also read: Kathmandu in turmoil: Why Nepal’s Gen-Z has taken to the streetsIt also stated that the situation is being closely monitored, and the airline is coordinating with local authorities to resume operations as soon as possible. “Customers are advised to keep checking our official channels for the latest advisories and updates,” it said further.Meanwhile, two IndiGo flights bound for Kathmandu (6E1153 from Delhi and 6E1157 from Mumbai) en route to Tribhuvan International Airport on Tuesday did not receive clearance to land, forcing a diversion to Lucknow.SpiceJet airline also released a travel advisory stating the cancellation of flights to and from Kathmandu. “The information will be communicated to all the passengers via SMS/Email on their registered contact details,” the airlines added. It also provided helpline numbers for customers to reach out in case of queries.Planes arriving from the south side of Kathmandu airport were stopped earlier due to the poor visibility following smoke from a protest, Reuters quoted aviation authority official Gyanendra Bhul.Thousands of people have hit the streets in Nepal to protest over corruption and the government’s ban on social media platforms, including Facebook and X. Meanwhile, the Nepal Prime Minister KP Oli also resigned on Tuesday amid calls for his departure and protesters setting a fire his office.