According to the Aerodrome Safety Report 2025 released by Pokhara International Airport, bird and wildlife activities are seen as a major challenge to the airport's flight safety. According to the annual safety report released on Monday, a total of 4,667 incidents were recorded in 2025, including bird strikes during takeoff or landing, birds and wildlife entering the runway. Of these, 12 incidents involved bird strikes on the aircraft, the airport said.

There were only 890 such incidents last year. According to the report, bird activity has been significantly observed in the aircraft's movement area, approach (landing route), landing and flight path. The highest number of bird strikes occurred in November 2025, with 3 incidents registered.

The report also showed an increase in the number of incidents where pilots had to make go-arounds when a flock of birds was seen around the runway during landing. According to an official involved in the preparation of the report, there are 75 incidents of aircraft having to go around during landing due to birds and other reasons in a year. Similarly, 89 incidents of aircraft preparing for flight having to suspend flights due to the presence of wildlife or birds on the runway have been registered.

According to the monthly details, bird and wildlife activity at the airport is highest in Kartik and Mangsir. The report states that pilots and flight attendants report at least 100 to a maximum of 890 bird-related activities every month. According to the airport's airside management branch, the activities of birds such as crows, eagles, vultures and sometimes ducks have been recorded. According to the report, a total of 4,919 hazard and incident reports were registered at the airport in 2025, which is much more than the 909 reports in 2024.

Incidents at the airport have been classified into 18 major categories. These include aerodrome-related incidents, abnormal runway contact, ATM/CNS service problems, communication, navigation and surveillance service-related incidents, bird strikes, cabin safety incidents, fire or smoke (without collision), fuel-related problems, navigation errors, ground handling incidents, runway incursions, system or equipment malfunctions (other than engine), system or equipment malfunctions (engine-related), in-flight turbulence, storms or wind-shear-related incidents, etc. According to the

report, a total of 16,113 domestic and international flights were operated from Pokhara International Airport in 2025. Of these, 100 international flights were recorded, which is an increase compared to the previous year. The airport office has stated that international activity has increased due to the operation of regular and charter flights. On the domestic side, more than 16,000 flight movements were recorded that year, which is slightly less than the previous year, the report states. According to the monthly details, the highest number of flights were operated in October and the lowest in July.