Dubai-Kathmandu flight makes emergency landing in India
flydubai’s aircraft hovered above Nepal airspace before squawking 7700 and diverting
DUBAI: A flydubai flight from Dubai to Kathmandu made an emergency landing at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA), Lucknow yesterday, after circling Nepal airspace awaiting clearance to land.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, carrying 151 passengers and six crew members, had been holding for an extended time above the skies near Nijgadh, some 50 kilometres south of Kathmandu, before eventually squawking 7700 – a global emergency code used to communicate distress with air traffic control.
The aircraft had made at least five orbits before diverting to Lucknow, landing at approximately 9:40AM. According to a report in TimesofIndia, it was not immediately clear why the delay over Nepal occurred, though adverse weather conditions were later confirmed by the airline as the reason for holding.
Indian media initially reported the aircraft’s low fuel status as the cause of the emergency landing, prompting further clarity from the airline.
Flydubai responds
A flydubai spokesperson told Khaleej Times: “flydubai flight FZ 1133 from Dubai International (DXB) to Kathmandu International Airport (KTM) on 15 April diverted to Lucknow International Airport (LKO), due to the adverse weather conditions in Kathmandu. Passengers were provided with refreshments and continued their journey to Kathmandu at 10.15 local time.”
The aircraft, after being refuelled, departed from Lucknow at 10:17AM and reached its destination, Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, by 11:14AM. The airline also issued an apology to affected passengers for the inconvenience caused to their travel plans.