2 Singapore Airlines flights cancelled after Kathmandu airport closes amid protests
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Flight SQ442 was initially scheduled to take off from Singapore at 6.50pm on Sept 9 and land in Kathmandu at 9.32pm (11.47pm, Singapore time).
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
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SINGAPORE – A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight slated to fly out of the Nepali capital Kathmandu was cancelled after violent protests led to the closure of the airport in the Himalayan nation.
Flight SQ441 was scheduled to take off from Kathmandu at 1.05am on Sept 10, Singapore time (10.50pm on Sept 9, Nepal time), but was grounded due to the demonstrations. It was expected to land in Singapore at 6.15am.
A flight meant to depart from Singapore for Kathmandu earlier on Sept 9 was also cancelled for the same reason, an SIA spokesman said.
Flight SQ442 was initially scheduled to take off from Singapore at 6.50pm and land in Kathmandu at 9.32pm, Nepal time (11.47pm, Singapore time). The Changi Airport flight information website now shows the flight status as “cancelled”.
SIA said customers affected by the flight cancellations will be accommodated on alternative flights or can seek a full refund of the unused portion of their tickets.
“As the situation remains fluid, other SIA flights between Singapore and Nepal may be affected,” the airline added.
SIA encouraged customers to update their contact details or subscribe to a mobile notification service to receive updates on their flight status, adding that all affected customers will be contacted about the flight cancellations.
More information can be found on the SIA website
The civil aviation authority of Nepal said earlier on Sept 9 that Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport has been closed due to the unrest.
Violent demonstrations have rocked Nepal over a social media ban
The government lifted the ban on Sept 9, but demonstrators defied an indefinite curfew and clashed with police. Protesters said they were also frustrated with what they perceived as the government’s failure to tackle corruption and boost economic opportunities.
The country’s prime minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned
The unrest is the worst in decades in the poor Himalayan country wedged between India and China. Nepal has struggled with political instability and economic uncertainty since protests led to the abolition of its monarchy in 2008.
