Nepal Airlines Kathmandu–Narita–Kathmandu (RA-433/434) service has faced continuous disruptions for the past three days, leaving passengers stranded and frustrated. Citing aircraft maintenance, the national flag carrier has repeatedly rescheduled its Narita flights, with the latest notice issued on July 9 announcing revised departure times for flights scheduled on July 9 and 10.
According to Nepal Airlines, Flight RA-433 (Kathmandu–Narita), originally scheduled to depart at 10:30 PM on July 9, has been rescheduled to 1:00 AM (local time) on July 10. Likewise, Flight RA-434 (Narita–Kathmandu), originally scheduled for 10:30 AM on July 10, will now depart at 1:00 PM (local time). The airline stated that the delays are due to ongoing aircraft maintenance and apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
However, affected travelers say they have endured significant hardship over the past three days. Many claim they were repeatedly asked to report to Tribhuvan International Airport, only to return home after learning that their flights had been delayed again.
Passengers expressed anger over the repeated last-minute schedule changes, saying they suffered unnecessary travel expenses, wasted time, and considerable mental stress. Several also reported disruptions to hotel bookings, connecting flights, work commitments, and other travel arrangements.
Many passengers argued that if the aircraft was not ready to operate, Nepal Airlines should have informed travelers only after the technical issues had been fully resolved instead of repeatedly calling them to the airport and leaving them stranded.
Some travelers also voiced concerns over Nepal's limited international airline capacity, saying that passengers are forced to bear the consequences whenever technical issues arise. They called on the national carrier to improve maintenance planning, communication with passengers, and contingency arrangements to minimize disruptions in the future.
Nepal Airlines has advised passengers to check the latest flight status before traveling, noting that departure times may change further depending on the completion of maintenance work.
