Flights in a Foggy Sky

January 6, 2025.

My flight from Bhairahawa to Kathmandu was delayed for over 5 hours that day.

The reason? Thick fog and low visibility in the air.

Air travel is often considered one of the most reliable modes of transportation because it is fast, efficient and convenient.

Yet in Nepal, every winter hundreds of flights are delayed or cancelled across the country because of thick fog that lingers over the valleys.

The dense thick fog lowers the visibility and disrupts the flight schedules for days at a time. This thick fog is not just because of the weather.

It is often intensified by air pollution trapped in the valleys, thickening the winter air until the sky itself becomes unreadable.

In a country like Nepal where air travel is supposed to overcome distance and terrain, the air becomes the obstacle to transportation. Every winter, hundreds, if not thousands, of passengers are stranded mid-journey, their plans cancelled and sometimes even important international flights slipping away because of domestic delays.

And, this is not just inconvenience lasting a few days, it's the repetition of the same seasonal disruption year after year. On days like this, the air pollution isn’t just an AQI number reflected on our phone screen.

It becomes a visible barrier that disrupts travel and reminds the passengers that the consequences of polluted air extend far beyond our lungs.