Nepal Airlines A330 Grounded at Narita, Leaving 226 Passengers Facing Flight Disruption
TOKYO — Nepal Airlines is facing another major operational setback after its only currently operational widebody aircraft was grounded at Tokyo Narita International Airport following an engine problem, leaving 226 passengers affected and putting additional international flights at risk.
The Airbus A330 was scheduled to operate the return service from Narita to Kathmandu on Monday, September 14, after arriving in Japan from Kathmandu the previous night. However, engineers discovered damage to one of the 26 blades inside the aircraft’s No. 2 engine, preventing the aircraft from being cleared for its scheduled return flight.
The aircraft had been due to depart Narita at around 10:30 a.m. local time and arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu at approximately 3 p.m. Instead, the aircraft remained on the ground while Nepal Airlines worked to determine how quickly the damaged component could be replaced.
The technical problem directly affected 226 passengers booked on the Narita-Kathmandu service, leaving their travel plans uncertain.
Nepal Airlines said its technical team is working to source a replacement engine blade. The airline is reportedly exploring whether the required component can be obtained locally in Japan, including through Thai Airways, or alternatively transported from Nepal.
The aircraft will only be allowed to return to service once the damaged blade has been replaced and the necessary inspections confirm that the aircraft is airworthy.
Wider impact on Nepal Airlines’ international network
The Narita grounding is particularly serious because the A330 is currently Nepal Airlines’ only operational widebody aircraft available for its international network.
The airline’s second A330 is undergoing maintenance in Italy and has remained there longer than originally expected. This leaves Nepal Airlines with very limited widebody capacity to cover its long-haul routes.
The disruption could therefore extend beyond Japan. Nepal Airlines warned that its Kathmandu-Doha service, carrying 269 passengers, and the corresponding Doha-Kathmandu flight scheduled for the following morning could also be affected.
The airline has already experienced repeated schedule disruptions linked to aircraft technical issues and maintenance requirements, making the Narita incident another significant challenge for the state-owned carrier.
Nepal Airlines has now rescheduled its Narita services. According to the airline’s official notice, RA433 from Kathmandu to Narita, originally scheduled for September 15, has been moved to September 17, while RA434 from Narita to Kathmandu, originally scheduled for September 16, has been moved to September 18.
For passengers travelling with Nepal Airlines, the latest developments highlight how quickly technical problems can have a knock-on effect across an airline’s international network when spare aircraft are limited.
The airline says it is working to resolve the technical issue and return the A330 to service as soon as possible.
For Flytechnews, the incident is another reminder of the importance of fleet reliability and adequate backup capacity, particularly for airlines operating long-haul routes with a small number of widebody aircraft.
