Bangkok just declared a flood disaster in all 50 districts, here’s what it means if you’re flying through to Nepal

Bangkok Metropolitan Administration declared all 50 of the city’s districts disaster zones on 26 September 2026, after nearly 300mm of rain fell in 48 hours and pushed floodwater into streets, canals and at least 13 roads. Both of the city’s airports, Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang, remain open and flights are operating — Thailand’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAT) says the risk is delays as road access floods, not closures, and five airlines have started waiving change fees for anyone whose travel falls in the affected window, including Thai Airways, the carrier that flies the Bangkok–Kathmandu route.

What is actually happening in Bangkok right now

Bangkok has taken almost 300mm of rain in 48 hours, enough for the city to declare every one of its 50 districts a disaster zone on 26 September — a step that unlocks emergency powers and resources for district offices rather than a measure of how bad conditions are everywhere. The rain has been falling since Thursday afternoon and is forecast to continue into Sunday across much of the country. Around 980 people are staying in temporary shelters and 36 bed-ridden residents have been moved to hospital as a precaution, and Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul cut short a trip to London to oversee the response. One long-time vendor told AFP the flooding already feels worse to her than Bangkok’s severe 2011 flood.

Are the airports actually still open

Yes — Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang are both operating, with delays rather than closures. CAAT confirmed flight operations at both continued as of 26 September, with some flights accumulating delays but no significant build-up of stranded passengers reported at either terminal. The real risk is road access, not the runways: heavy rain has slowed the drive to both airports, so CAAT is telling passengers to leave far earlier than usual and to check their airline’s app before setting out rather than trusting an estimated travel time.

Which airlines are waiving change fees, and until when

Four Thai carriers plus Thai Airways itself are letting affected passengers rebook free of charge, each with a slightly different window and mechanism.

None of these require your flight itself to have been cancelled — they are being offered because the flooding is disrupting the journey to and from the airport, so ask for the waiver even if your flight status still shows on time.

What this means if you are flying to Nepal through Bangkok

The Bangkok–Kathmandu route itself is unaffected so far — the problem is reaching Suvarnabhumi through flooded streets, not the flight once you are on it. Thai Airways alone runs 14 direct flights a week on the route and carries roughly 94% of its traffic, with Nepal Airlines adding three more, and THAI is one of the five carriers now offering a free date change. If you have a same-day connection through Bangkok this week, build in a real buffer: leave for the airport earlier than a map app suggests, and if your itinerary is tight, ask about the fee waiver before you assume you have to eat a change fee to shift by a day.

Common questions about flying through Bangkok this week

Is it safe to be in Bangkok right now?

The flooding is serious for residents of low-lying districts, but the disaster declaration is an administrative step that unlocks emergency resources — it does not mean the whole city is impassable. Tourist areas and the airport corridor are functioning with delays, not closures, as of 26 September.

Will this affect my Nepal trek start date?

Only if your itinerary has a same-day Bangkok connection with little buffer. The Bangkok–Kathmandu flights themselves are operating; the risk is missing your own connection because the road to the airport took longer than planned.

Should I get travel insurance for a transit delay like this?

A policy with trip-delay cover can reimburse a missed connection or an extra hotel night that an airline’s own fee waiver does not stretch to — worth checking before you fly, not after you are already stuck.

If Bangkok is your usual stopover on the way to the mountains, our Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Base Camp itineraries both build in a buffer night in Kathmandu for exactly this kind of transit disruption.

Cover photo: NASA/METI/AIST/Japan Space Systems, and U.S./Japan ASTER Science Team via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Section photos: Hussain Naushad via Pexels (Pexels licence); Long Bà Mùi via Pexels (Pexels licence); Hoài Nam via Pexels (Pexels licence); Braeson Holland via Pexels (Pexels licence); Roman Saienko via Pexels (Pexels licence).