Banking News – The Consumer Court has ordered Qatar Airways to pay Rs. 2.62 crore (Rs. 26.19 million) in compensation to Preeti Thapa, who was injured after allegedly being served excessively hot coffee during a Qatar Airways flight.

A bench comprising Consumer Court Chairperson Diwakar Bhatt and members Gehendra Raj Regmi and Ananda Raj Pokharel ordered compensation of Rs. 2 crore 61 lakh 92 thousand 406 to Thapa.

Thapa had purchased a round-trip Qatar Airways ticket through authorized ticketing agent Proficient Travels Pvt. Ltd. on May 26, 2023. Under the ticket, she travelled from Tribhuvan International Airport to Edward L. Logan International Airport in the United States via Hamad International Airport, Qatar, on June 10, 2023.

During her return journey from Boston to Nepal on July 10, 2023, Thapa claimed that a crew member served her excessively hot coffee, which spilled onto her abdomen, thighs and other sensitive parts of her body, causing serious burns.

Thapa said she experienced severe pain after the coffee spill and requested medicine and necessary materials for immediate treatment of the burns on the aircraft. However, she was told that such materials were unavailable, according to her claim. She subsequently had to continue the flight for another three to four hours while suffering from the burns, she said.

Thapa filed a case at the Consumer Court seeking compensation for the physical and mental suffering caused by the incident. Following the hearing, the court ordered Qatar Airways to pay Rs. 2 crore 61 lakh 92 thousand 406 in compensation.

The court based its decision primarily on the Montreal Convention 1999 concerning international air transportation and Nepal’s Consumer Protection Act, 2075. Under Articles 17 and 21 of the Montreal Convention, the court ruled that an airline is responsible for physical injuries suffered by passengers while on board an aircraft or during the process of boarding or disembarking.