What category does Kathmandu airport belong to?
 

What category does Kathmandu airport belong to?

I know that the airport category may depend on different countries or airline but I am wondering, is there an international standard to determine what category does airports falls to? A lot people are say that it belongs to CAT C but is there any standard to follow?
Also, is Kathmandu overall considered difficult operate?

Thank you very much!

Your Company decides that. Also the rules how to comply. Difficult? What is difficult?

VNKT is limited by topography and the resultant inability to site an instrument landing system. But, the runway is long (10,000 feet) and quite sufficient for most operations that use the airport.

The primary approaches are two VOR/DME approaches, which do not permit Category D circling to Runway 20. This is a topographical limitation, not an airport limitation per se.

The RNP AR approach for Runway 02 is a lot better than the VOR approaches, but it does not permit circling to Runway 20 (an ICAO design limitation for this type of approach). There is probably not sufficient distance from the terrain to the north, east, and west, to permit an RNP AR approach to Runway 20.

Also, although RNP AR approaches are good, many operators do not have the required avionics to use them, and they are not low-visibility procedures.

Both the RNP AR Runway 02 approach and the VOR/DME Runway 2 approach have Category D straight-in minimums.

Instrument departures are authorized for both Runway 02 and 20.

All in all, not a bad airport, but limited by topography.

It's C in my airline. I can't believe any operator would categorise it lower.