After a three-day hiatus, flights to the Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla resumed on Saturday, coinciding with the Dashain festival. A total of 32 flights successfully operated on the day as the weather conditions improved, bringing in over 650 foreign tourists to the Khumbu region.

The first flight took off at 6 am, with Tara Air operating 10 flights, Summit Air 13 flights, and Sita Air 9 flights, according to Lukla airport chief Umesh Panthi. Additionally, 61 helicopter flights were conducted, mainly carrying foreign tourists. However, after 12:30 pm, flights were disrupted again due to worsening weather, and only helicopters continued to operate.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Dwarika Prasad Ghimire of Solukhumbu confirmed that more than 650 foreign tourists arrived in the Khumbu region today, despite weather challenges. Autumn is typically a peak season for trekking and sightseeing, with an average of 150 flights operating daily, but the past three days of bad weather had grounded all flights.

Lukla typically receives around 90% of its flights from Manthali in Ramechhap, while the remaining 10% fly directly from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. On Saturday, 110 Nepali tourists also arrived by air to explore the Khumbu region.

Tourism operators in Namche expressed relief and optimism after today’s resumed flights. Chhimikalden Sherpa, a tourism entrepreneur, shared that the influx of tourists brought renewed hope after days of grounded planes had caused concern during this busy travel season. With the monsoon over, business owners are hopeful that the weather will clear up from Sunday, allowing for smoother operations.