Perth Voice Interactive

AIRLINES are allegedly demanding $5000 to transport two tonnes of donated blankets, clothes and medicines to Nepal.

The WA Nepali Association is aghast by the attitude of airlines such as Singapore, Malaysian, Qatar and AirAsia, which he says all refused to transport the goods for free.

“They told me it couldn’t be done,” says Bhairab Dhakal, who is also an Inglewood restaurant owner.

“Time is of the essence and we need to get the materials out there as quickly as possible—people are dying every day.

“The price quoted for cargo shipping is $5000, that’s $5000 in donations that could be used to help those in need.

“If anyone wants to offer us free freight for our donated good please contact me on 6161 4475,” he says.

Singapore Airlines PR manager Bryony Duncan Smith says the association’s request is “under consideration”.

“A separate, short-notice request from an association member to carry an estimated tonne of excess baggage was declined owing to operational constraints,” he says.

“Our teams are doing their best to support global relief efforts to Nepal and this includes the facilitation of requests for cargo shipments from humanitarian agencies as well as charitable donations across our global network through our teams in Singapore and Nepal.

“Payload restrictions and ground congestion in Kathmandu are the key factors at play.”

Maylands Labor MP Lisa Baker, who lived and worked in Nepal for several years, says it’s “scandalous that any airline should ask for a large fee to send emergency goods to a country in crisis”.

“It is impossible to describe the impact of this devastation of fragile people living the most meagre existences,” she says.

“All of us, including airlines, should be offering help.”

Mr Dhakal—originally from Kathmandu—says the association has raised $55,000 in WA and $400,000 nationwide.

He and Ms Baker are co-hosting a fundraiser at his Himalaya Restaurant on May 18.

The magnitude-7.8 quake in April killed more than 8150 people. Around 6000 Nepalese live in WA.

The Voice contacted Malaysian, Qatar and AirAsia airlines but they didn’t get back to us.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK