French report is here: http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9744.html
Hello English readers
Welcome to the first flight report in the database with views after a TK crash-land on Nepal KTM runway.
It was approximately six weeks before the devastating earthquake.
Routing
1° CDG-DXB:A380 EK Y http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9694.html
2° DXB-KTM:B737-800 FZ Y http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9716.html
3° KTM-KTM:BHA ATR-42 :you are here
4° KTM-DXB:B737-800 FZ B737:http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9773.html
5° DXB-CDG:A380 EK Y:http://flight-report.com/fr/report-9806.html
On Wednesday,March 4 we need to start the journey with a look of a local airline.
Particular flight as it is a domestic overflight of Himalayan region very early on the morning.
Fortunately the weather is superb on Kathmandu valley.
The transfert to the airport took 15 mn with a local taxi.
The domestic terminal is under work for expansion but it seems to be long!
Chek-in hall with many passengers checking in for their flights with lots of baggage but we received our BP quickly at Bhudda Air counter
Going through the security check to the airside area to the sole departure gate is completed in just a few minutes.
There's a shop and a restaurant upstairs
an area for smokers.
Terminal is not very clean and modern.
FIDS with local destinations
Kathmandu airport closed due weather'I'm not sure?
We were invited to return to landside to refund our ticket or choose to be rebooked on the day following.
I choose second option.
I'm informed by taxi driver:international airport has been closed due to exit of runway of a TX A333 registration TC-JOC
details of the accident are here:http://avherald.com/h'article=482a5e9e
Domestic airport reopen by late afternoon as we walk around Stupa Boudhanath
Thursday march 5
we are back again very early in the morning to the domestic terminal.
boardind will be by bus on time and it's a good opportunity to spot TK crash from the tarmac
I do not have any difficulties with agents and the weather is sunny
our ATR
the flight is empty and I can choose seat in 1° row
Everyone has a window seat
the seat pitch is very decent
BP and safety card
Pushback is on time,taxi to runway with views of local aircraft and excellent views of TK in very bad position
Safety instructions by a beautiful PNC
Take off
After 20 minute flight over Kathmandu valley we see the mount Everest the roof of the world, known as Sagarmatha by the Nepalese and Chomolungma by the Tibetans.
right next the Lhotse
Just at this moment each passengers were invited to the cockpit and the captain indicate me the peaks
A life-time experience!
back to the green valley of Kathmandu
and we landed at Kathmandu Airport after our spectacular one hour flight
Last view of the cabin and our charming Nepalese PNC
Last look to the aircraft
Leaving the domestic terminal we are going to the international airport always closed:all flights are canceled.
So from that time we had to wait 3 days to obtain a rebooking!
Here are a few pictures of Kathmandu and Bakthapur but unfortunately these World Heritage sites, suffered extensive damage in earthquake.
PLEASE: DON'T FORGET THE PEOPLE OF NEPAL!
Thanks for reading
Wow, so you were there the day the TK crash landing happened. And then you obviously got some good shots of the plane when you came back the next day. Thanks so much for sharing that with us! How surreal it must have been. BTW, PNC in English is FA for Flight Attendant :-) It's a good thing you were only taking a sightseeing flight from KTM and didn't get stuck for days trying to get home like so many people. Very nice pics of the mountains and great bonus pics!
Thank you Kevin,I think next time for FA;)
I agree with you:I was lucky to see the TK crash lands on runway and to go back home before the earthquake,
even we waited 3 days for the reopening of KTM international airport.
Thank you for sharing such a special flight!
Great report and some breathtaking photos from Kathmandu and the mountains of course - awesome.
Thank you for translating this FR. What a fascinating experience, and not just the part about witnessing wreckage first-hand. This hard landing does not look as bad as some others, but for TK to call this an incident is an injustice the passengers aboard.
Terminal is not very clean and modern.
- LOL, that is an understatement. The airport looks in really bad condition and the fact they made you walk through that construction area with dirt ground is shocking. I would have expected Kathmandu to have a much more first-world airport. I find your cleanliness rating very generous for the airport.
I love how the destination for your flight is Mountain Buddha Air's hard product probably leaves a lot to be desired, but then again that's not why you were flying them. Not that it matters, but did they even do a drink service? Beautiful pictures of the Himalayas of Everest. That's really cool that they let you go into the cockpit in flight and the pilots pointed out the peaks for you. Once in a lifetime experience. A very beautiful part of the world. I had a friend from college from Nepal, always have had a standing offer to visit, but just have never found the time to go.
Thank you for your comment.