Nepal government is already on the way of investigation to find out the facts of the list of companies indulged in helicopter scam for long years. And Ministry of Culture and Civil Aviation has launched an investigation team to look after the activities of more than 500 trekking agencies in Nepal.
Many companies have been included in the list of suspicions on the accusation of corruption and fraudulent activities of heli rescue over insurance companies. The investigation campaign were begun against trekking agencies in august 2017 when travelers assist – in a joint venture with an Australian based insurer sent Forest Williams who is an operation manager to judge the level of care and treatment being provided in hospitals and rescue to trace why 2017 spring climbing season became so expensive on record of medical claims particularly for heli evacuation.
Forest Williams said, “We learned a lot from the 2017 high-season [Oct-Nov]. It was the busiest year on record since the 2015 Nepal earthquake. This gave us the opportunity to try-and-test different methods to facilitate and improve rescue and evacuation missions”.
According to the source, last 3 months in 2017, Travel Assist provided 250 medical assistance for over 250 travelers from UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and US; among them 37 travelers involved helicopter evacuation. After investigation, it was found 30% of evacuation were unnecessary and fraudulent.
Source: https://www.aviationnepal.com/ministry-investigating-on-helicopter-evacuations-and-rescues-in-nepal/
Fraudulent Activities in Helicopter Evacuation in Nepal
- Unnecessary evacuation someone who is minor injured and would recover.
- Overcharging the helicopter evacuation and medical claims.
- To short unsuitable itineraries without including necessary acclimatization periods.
- Trekkers and Climbers looking to come back to Kathmandu after reaching at Mt. Everest as fast as possible.
- Deliberate rescue scheduling to save the time of trekkers.
How to protect yourself from heli evacuation scams in Nepal ?
Helicopter evacuation scams do not only defraud the insurance companies, but also ruin your time and money. So, you have to protect yourself from these scams, and it is also your responsibility to be loyal with those insurance companies who have been giving service to millions of travelers all over the world.
So, just think about the price quote that any trekking agencies offering you. If you find a trekking agency offering ebc trek as low as $1000 USD that includes meals, accommodation, guide and porter, then you have to think 2 times how it is possible. Because if you calculate all the expenses of everest trek, it can not be offered in $1000 USD. Even a price of a domestic flight is about $160 – $172 USD per person. If you book for two ways (KTM – LUKLA – KTM flight), it is charged $340 USD per person. It means there is only $660 left out of $1000. And how could it be possible to get some profit after providing guide, porter, meals and accommodation in such amount in the Himalaya? So, there might be high chance of helicopter evacuation scam.
In fact, I have no right to say that travelers select cheap package, that is why they are being scammed. But it is bitter truth that many companies offer package in lowest price. In that much price, trip even can not be operated. Indeed, they operate their trip by thinking of covering through heli evacuation.
At last, I just want to request you guys to be aware of such scams and just choose right agency for your trip to Nepal.