Technical Glitch Cancels Kathmandu-Dhaka Flight

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Kathmandu to Dhaka was cancelled after a technical fault was detected shortly before takeoff, forcing the aircraft to return to the terminal at Tribhuvan International Airport. The passengers were subsequently asked to disembark and wait inside the terminal, causing inconvenience to more than a hundred travellers.

The BG372 flight was scheduled to depart Kathmandu for Dhaka at 4:00pm on Sunday (August 16). The aircraft left the terminal area with passengers on board as scheduled, but a technical problem was detected shortly before it reached the runway. The aircraft was then brought back to the terminal.

According to the Biman Bangladesh Airlines boarding pass, the flight number was BG372 and the destination was Dhaka. Boarding was scheduled for 3:00pm.

Passenger S M Nuruzzaman said the aircraft left the terminal on time, but passengers were informed of the technical problem shortly before reaching the runway. The aircraft subsequently returned to the terminal and passengers were asked to disembark.

He said passengers had been waiting at the terminal for around two hours without initially receiving clear information about when the flight would operate, whether lounge facilities would be available or whether they would be transferred to an alternative flight. The uncertainty caused particular concern for elderly passengers, children and sick travellers.

Babul Akter, Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ country manager in Kathmandu, said passengers were disembarked because of the technical fault. However, he said it was not possible to specify how long repairs would take at that point.

He said business-class passengers had been given access to the lounge, while other passengers were also being provided with necessary facilities in accordance with Biman’s rules.

Akter further said Biman operates two flights from Kathmandu to Dhaka each day. The first flight had around 127 passengers. Preparations were underway to bring a larger aircraft to Kathmandu so that all passengers from the affected flight could be flown to Dhaka together.

//DBTech/JNO/MIS//