159 Passengers Safe After China Southern Flight Diverts to Lucknow Due to Kathmandu Weather

A China Southern Airlines flight from Guangzhou, China, to Kathmandu, Nepal, was diverted to Lucknow late Sunday after adverse weather conditions and poor visibility prevented a safe landing at Tribhuvan International Airport, officials said.

According to airport sources, China Southern Airlines flight CZ3067, operated by an Airbus A320neo, was diverted at 10:57 pm IST and landed safely at Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport in Lucknow at 11:18 pm. The aircraft was carrying 159 passengers.

The flight had departed from Guangzhou and was scheduled to land in Kathmandu, but deteriorating weather over the Nepalese capital forced air traffic controllers to direct the aircraft to an alternate airport. Reports said low visibility, rain and thunderstorms around Kathmandu made landing unsafe.

There were no reports of injuries or any onboard emergency, and the diversion was carried out as a standard aviation safety measure. Airport authorities confirmed that all passengers remained safe after the aircraft landed in Lucknow. Necessary arrangements were made while the airline awaited improved weather conditions and operational clearance for the onward journey to Kathmandu.

The incident came amid monsoon related weather disruptions affecting air traffic across the Himalayan region. Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport, surrounded by mountainous terrain, is particularly vulnerable to diversions during periods of heavy rain, thunderstorms and reduced visibility.

As of Monday, China Southern Airlines and Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority had not issued an official statement on when the flight resumed its journey, and there was no confirmation on the aircraft's departure from Lucknow.