as Nepal's government put the country on lockdown on 24th March to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Over the next week the Australian Embassy evacuated travellers from remote areas of Nepal and brought them to the capital Kathmandu. for a “single commercial service” to Australia.
The Nepal Airlines flight landed in Brisbane on 2 April with 257 passengers on board.
The Australian to book their flight through a travel agency in the capital called Bon Travels.
Australians and New Zealanders on board a Nepali Airlines flight from Kathmandu Source: Australian Embassy Nepal Facebook
With airfares for the evacuation flight costing approximately $2,900 AUD for economy and $3,700 for business class, media reports say Bon Travels was due to receive 5 per cent or up to $40,000 AUD in commission for its involvement.
However, the travel agency was soon mired in controversy after local media raised questions about its role in the evacuation process.
that Nepal Airlines had incurred a loss by not handling the ticketing process and using Bon Travels was a sign of financial irregularity.
On 6 April, Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Yogesh Bhattarai, directed Nepal Airlines to halt Bon Travel's payment.
Speaking to SBS Nepali, spokesperson for the ministry, Suresh Acharya, said the main question was over the involvement of the travel agency.
“When it was the Australian Embassy that chartered the flight, why was the agent involved? The documents indicate that the charter party was the Australian Embassy,” he said.
“In that case, the commercial agreement should have been with the Australian Embassy, but NA signed an agreement with Bon Travels instead. That raised the question of financial irregularity and a question over the motive of inserting Bon Travels. When these questions were raised by the media. the minister ordered an investigation."
Nepal Airlines has denied the accusations.
A special Nepal Air flight, repatriating Australian and New Zealanders from overseas, arrives in Brisbane, Thursday, April 2, 2020. Source: AAP
After questions from SBS, the airline's Managing Director, Ganesh Chand, called it a “normal business transaction” and blamed the media for “creating the controversy.”
"We received a letter from the Australian Embassy recommending that we do the ticketing through Bon Travels, so we did an agreement with Bon Travels,” says Mr Chand.
“After many questions arose in the media, the Minister for Tourism has halted their payment. But, since they have already performed their duties, we cannot withdraw their payment," he says.
Regarding its role in the selection of the travel agent, a spokesperson for the Australian embassy in Nepal told SBS that the embassy worked with its standard travel operator, Bon Travel, to enable ticketing while the country was in lockdown.
“The aircraft was routed via Brisbane in consultation with Australian Government agencies in order to help alleviate the quarantine burden being faced by Sydney,” it said in the statement after the evacuation flight initially planned for Sydney was changed to Brisbane prior to its departure.
The Australian Embassy has already made the payment to Nepal Airlines for the flight, and Nepal Airlines says Bon Travels' payment will be released after an investigation about requisite documents and procedures done for ticketing.
Returning passengers from a special Nepal Air flight repatriating Australian and New Zealanders from overseas, arrive at Brisbane airport, April 2, 2020. Source: AAP
Despite several attempts, Bon Travels has not responded to messages and phone calls from SBS Nepali.
In a social media post, Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne thanked her Nepali counterpart Pradeep Gyawali for “his strong support in helping Australians and New Zealanders return home from Kathmandu.”
