Nepal bans 2 FlyDubai managers from entering TIA for spreading bird-hit rumour

Nepal's civil aviation authority on Tuesday banned two managers of the FlyDubai airline from entering the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) "for spreading rumours of a bird-hit" involving an aircraft of the Gulf-based airline. The FlyDubai aircraft, which took off from Kathmandu airport on Monday with 168 people on board and developed a problem in one of its engines, landed safely in Dubai on Tuesday morning.

The Kathmandu-Dubai flight of FlyDubai encountered a problem while taking off at 9.20 PM on Monday. The aircraft made a round in the sky of Kathmandu and reached the sky in Dhading district located in the West of Kathmandu.

The pilot later informed the air traffic controllers at the Kathmandu airport that the problem had been resolved, and the aircraft headed towards its destination, Dubai.


The aircraft had a problem with one of its engines and part of the aircraft caught fire. After checking all the indicators the pilot found no further problem with the engine, it flew towards the destination, where it landed safely.

Despite an engine problem, the aircraft flew towards its destination. But the official page of FlyDubai claimed that the aircraft was hit by a bird.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) rejected the claim, saying the aircraft didn't encounter a bird hit during the incident. CAAN has taken action against two of the managers of FlyDubai.

"As the two managers of the FlyDubai spread rumour that there was a bird hit involving the Kathmandu-Dubai flight, action has been taken against the country manager and airport manager of the FlyDubai," the CAAN said in a statement.

According to CAAN, the two managers of the FlyDubai have been banned from entering the airport and their airport passes have also been deactivated.