Solukhumbu, Oct 15: Flights to and from Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla have been suspended for two consecutive days due to adverse weather conditions, according to the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority. No aircraft has taken off from Lukla since Monday due to stormy weather.

ATC Officer Vivas Dahal reported that on Sunday alone, approximately 800 tourists arrived in Lukla through 90 flights. However, since then, weather disruptions have halted flights, leaving many tourists stranded in Lukla, as well as in Manthali (Ramechhap) and Kathmandu.

To manage the situation, some helicopters have begun landing at Surke, located slightly below Lukla. Tourists unable to fly out are using alternative routes via Solukhumbu’s headquarters in Salleri, traveling by road or helicopter.

Hiron Shah, Head of the Civil Aviation Authority Office in Manthali, said around 1,300 foreign tourists bound for Lukla have been stranded in Manthali for the past two days. Manthali Airport, which typically handles 55 to 60 flights daily during the peak trekking season, remains heavily impacted by the flight disruptions.

The autumn tourist season draws large numbers of visitors to the Everest region, with many flying from Kathmandu to Manthali and then onward to Lukla for trekking to Everest Base Camp.