Tour operator accuses Maldivian of stealing cargo payment

The Inner Maldives travel agency has accused Maldivian (Q2, Malé) of theft after the flag carrier allegedly double charged it for cargo carried on a charter flight to and from Kuala Lumpur Int’l, the Maldives Times has reported. The tour operator’s managing director, Mohamed Firaq, said he chartered an aircraft from Maldivian to carry students to Kuala Lumpur on August 21. The flight was due to carry 50 passengers and cargo. However, prior to the flight, Maldivian reportedly charged the agent arranging the charter again for the uplift of the freight. The flag carrier has denied any wrongdoing. “The charter flight to Kuala Lumpur was operated in an agreement with the travel company to carry only passengers and baggage. From the first conversation, permission for cargo was not allowed to the contracting company. And no additional charges for cargo have been taken from the contracting company,” the airline said. Firaq published screenshots of his conversation with an agent confirming that the additional payment was made prior to loading the aircraft, as well as an invoice for MVR77,155 rufiyaas (USD5,000) purportedly covering the additional “freight charges”. The flight from Malé to Kuala Lumpur on August 21, 2020, was operated by Maldivian’s only A321-200, 8Q-IAI (msn 2599), according to Flightradar24 ADS-B data. Maldivian currently operates scheduled flights only domestically, but also flies regular international charters to Dhaka and select other destinations.