Owning to its demanding geographical location and climatic variation, the domestic flights in Nepal are mostly prone to flight delays and cancellation. As the Tribhuwan International Airport in Nepal doesn’t have the technology of Instrumental Landing System, the adverse weather conditions like heavy rain, thick fog, strong winds, etc. may lead to flight delays and cancellation. Also, the topography of Nepal is difficult, therefore it is safe not to take off the flight in those adverse weather conditions.
As you can know from the best trekking season section in our website, autumn season (November- September) is the most preferred trekking season when the weather is dry, clear and stable. At this time of year, flight delays and cancellation is very rare. For other seasons, weather cannot be guaranteed. Monsoon season (June- August) is highly prone to flight delays and cancellation. The strong winds, rain and patchy clouds make the view unclear. Also, in winter season, flights may get cancelled due to thick fog.
Therefore, if you are travelling to Nepal, it is recommended to apportion one or two days for spare in case your flight gets cancelled and you are in short of scheduled time. In other cases, road transportation can be an option. However, in case of flight to Lukla, you may have to change your entire schedule if you are in short of time as there is no other option owning to its dramatic location.
(Note: Travel Insurance is highly recommended. In case of flight cancellation, if you are in short of time and are unable to catch your scheduled flight back in Kathmandu, NHT can charter a helicopter at your service. However, the cost should be borne by you which can later be claimed through insurance company.)
