These airline companies have not opened Global Distribution System (GDS) to all the travel agencies in Nepal, preventing these agencies from booking air tickets for their customers, SOTTO Nepal, a group of 150 travel and tour operators, said. The organization said these airline companies have failed to open the GDS despite government instruction around one and a half years ago. “Many customers are not approaching small travel agencies to book air tickets of these airlines because of this provision,” Sweta Acharya Dhakal, the president of SOTTO Nepal, said.
The organization has also demanded end to the practice of thrusting the liability of transporting people, who have been deported by immigration departments abroad, on travel agencies. According to Dhakal, travel agencies currently have to bear the airfare of Nepalis (without return ticket), who have been deported back to the country. “Due to this, many travel agencies are forced to bear financial burden for mistakes not committed by them,” she told journalists at a press meet organized in Kathmandu on Sunday.
The organization has also demanded end to airline companies´ biased attitude of providing different commission amounts to members of non-members of International Air Transport Association (IATA). “IATA members, for instance, are given seven percent commission whereas non-IATA members are given only six percent,” said Bodh Raj Bhandari, the general secretary of SOTTO Nepal.
Other demands include, timely implementation of the provision introduced by the government that allows Nepali travel agencies to purchase air tickets in local currency, and booking of tickets using exchange order.
“If these demands are not met immediately, we will launch series of protests beginning July 6,” Bhandari said. Their protest programs include, motorcycle rally and sit-in at the offices of airline companies.
Related story
Even local representatives not spared of caste-based discrimina...
-1200x560-1776240217.webp)
