Passengers forced to pay thousands after flights cancelled during off-grid trek

Passengers booked to alert retired of Kathmandu connected Qatar Airways person spent thousands of pounds connected alternate tickets aft the hose cancelled their flights from the Nepali capital.

In communal with different airlines, Qatar Airways has been deed by the short-notice closure of Kathmandu airdrome astatine nighttime for betterment work. As The Independent has reported, carriers were ordered to trim their operations for respective months.

Many airlines that cancel flights volition automatically rebook passengers connected alternate dates oregon different carriers. But Qatar Airways alternatively sent retired emails telling travellers: “You tin take to person a refund oregon inquire america astir alternate formation alteration options.”

Trekkers who were off-grid successful the Himalayas erstwhile the cancellation emails were sent discovered they were stranded lone erstwhile they reached a determination with net access.

Two specified British travellers were Laura Murphy, 40, and Ry Webb, 39. The mates had been trekking for a period crossed the mountains of eastbound Nepal connected portion of the Great Himalayan Trail.

Read more: Air rider compensation – what are your rights erstwhile a formation goes wrong?

When they reached the municipality of Tumlingtar and got backmost online connected 11 November, they tried to cheque successful for their Kathmandu-Doha-London Heathrow formation the pursuing day.

But they were told: “Your formation has been cancelled.”

A consequent “live chat” with the hose revealed nary imaginable of a spot connected a Qatar Airways level from Kathmandu for astatine slightest a week.

“I said ‘Are determination nary different options?’ and it came backmost saying ‘Laura, determination are nary different flights available’.”

Ms Murphy spoke to The Independent as the mates were seeking alternate flights retired of Nepal.

“We request to find much accommodation successful Kathmandu portion we’re trying to find flights out,” she said.

“It seems similar getting retired of Kathmandu is the hard portion truthful we’re struggling. We’ve tried looking via India, China, Bangkok…

“Prices of flights are going up incredibly accelerated truthful present it’s looking similar £2,000 to £3,000 each to get backmost to London.”

The mates adjacent considered travelling overland to India successful bid to find an disposable formation from a antithetic airport, but recovered that an Indian e-visa requires a minimum of 5 days betwixt exertion and entry.

The mates yet spent $1,300 (£1,026) each connected a four-hour formation to Kuala Lumpur successful Malaysia, followed by a 13-hour formation backmost to Heathrow. They besides had to wage for a edifice country and meals portion they waited.

Ms Murphy said she was “shocked” astatine the deficiency of support. She said: “We decided to wage much for Qatar Airways to beryllium much secure. I believed they were rather a substantial, reputable airline, truthful if thing similar this happened, we would get a bully magnitude of enactment and communication.

“I wouldn’t truly privation to usage them again astatine this constituent successful time.”

Another rider says helium was told helium could beryllium waiting for weeks for a Qatar Airways formation retired of Kathmandu.

Professor George Rodway, president of the International Society of Mountain Medicine, arrived backmost successful Kathmandu aft a trek crossed the Lumba Sumba walk successful eastbound Nepal. He was booked to alert from Kathmandu to Doha and onwards to Seattle connected 14 November.

But erstwhile checking successful online helium discovered the formation was cancelled. He said: “They would not rebook maine to location until aft 2 December. So I’ve had to wage retired of pouch for a Turkish Airlines formation connected 17 November. And nary connection to wage for accommodation.

He rebooked connected Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, and yet arrived location successful Oregon 5 days late.

“I had to wage $210 for my edifice successful Kathmandu and $1,800 for the caller flight, minus the $750 refund I’ll get from Qatar.” In total, Professor Rodway was $1,260 – astir £1,000 – retired of pocket.

There is nary proposition that Qatar Airways has contravened immoderate rules. European aerial passengers’ rights authorities does not use to non-EU and UK airlines connected flights opening extracurricular Europe. There is nary automatic close to attraction oregon compensation if a formation is cancelled.

A spokesperson for the hose said: “Due to operational reasons, Qatar Airways has reduced its fig of regular flights to Kathmandu, Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM).

“To accommodate affected passengers we started impermanent regular one-stop flights from Doha to Kathmandu via Gautam Buddha Airport (BWA) successful Nepal.

“The instrumentality formation from KTM to DOH is nonstop. Impacted customers are being notified straight and tin interaction our lawsuit attraction squad via telephone oregon chat astatine qatarairways.com/help to marque alternate arrangements.

“We convey customers for their patience and knowing and we sincerely apologise for the inconvenience.”