GUWAHATI: Nepal Airlines on Thursday, April 30, issued a public apology after a social media post featuring an inaccurate route map sparked backlash for depicting Jammu and Kashmir as part of Pakistan.
The controversy began on Wednesday when the airline shared a network map on its official social media handles, showing the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh within Pakistan’s territory. The post quickly went viral on X and Facebook, drawing sharp criticism from Indian users.
Amid mounting backlash, the airline deleted the post and issued a clarification, stating that the depiction was erroneous and did not reflect its official position or that of the Nepal government.
“We sincerely apologise for the error in the network map. The map contained significant cartographic inaccuracies regarding international boundaries,” the airline said in a statement.
The carrier added that it has ordered an internal review into the matter and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong ties with neighbouring countries. “We deeply value our strong relationships with our neighbours and friends in the region and regret any offence the post has caused,” it said.
The development comes at a time when Nepal Airlines is looking to expand its operations in India. In March, the airline had announced plans to increase the frequency of its Kathmandu–Delhi service. At present, it operates one daily flight on the route and aims to scale this up to 10 flights per week.