Himal Press 
BUTWAL: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) operated a special charter flight from Bhairahawa to Kathmandu on Monday using its narrow-body Airbus A320 to ferry passengers stranded due to travel disruptions.
The aircraft took off from Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa at 5:30 pm carrying 157 passengers.
According to Pratap Babu Tiwari, general manager of Gautam Buddha International Airport, 76 passengers had flown from Kathmandu to Bhairahawa on the same aircraft earlier in the day.
Many travelers had been stranded in Bhairahawa after being unable to secure tickets on regular commercial flights. With roads blocked due to heavy rainfall, there was a surge in demand for air tickets to Kathmandu.
“The government and NAC jointly arranged this emergency flight service considering the difficulties faced by passengers,” Tiwari said.
Many people had gathered at the airport on Sunday after news broke out that the NAC was operating a special charter flight to Kathmandu from Bhairahawa. However, they returned disappointed as the flight was postponed to Monday.
Some 20 flights are operated between Bhairahawa and Kathmandu on a normal day. However, the demand for air tickets in the sector saw a massive surge as many people returning to Kathmandu after Dashain celebrations were stranded. Although Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines and Shree Airlines added extra flights, passengers struggled to find tickets.
