KATHMANDU: An Airbus A320 aircraft of Nepal Airlines has been grounded following a technical glitch. The 9N-AKW aircraft witnessed a problem in its left windshield heating system three weeks ago.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) allowed the aircraft to operate under Minimum Equipment List (MEL) procedure for 10 days. The MEL operations period, which was later extended by 10 more days, expired on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, a scheduled flight to Delhi with 155 passengers and a Mumbai flight with 139 passengers could not commence owing to the grounding of the Airbus.

According to sources at Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), sheer negligence of NAC management has magnified the problem. Such minor issue should have been resolved within three weeks, added the source.

The same aircraft had previously been grounded at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi last December after the Exhaust Gas Temperature of the engine rose above its normal limit.

The national flag carrier currently operates international flights via two Airbus and a Boeing aircraft.