Avoid Qatar Airways, especially when traveling with vulnerable passengers!

<p>I have recently travelled with my elderly, handicapped mother return from Durban, South Africa to London via Doha. The journey with Qatar was terrible and despite me lodging a comment with them nearly 3 weeks ago (verified by their system) they have not bothered to respond. I have followed up with them and they still won’t bother to respond. Our main problems include:</p> <p> </p> <p>• 4 out of 5 flights being rescheduled<br />• An over 2-hour issue with check-in at Durban - staff were abrasive and uncaring. The manager actually 'hid' for 35 minutes (my family saw her leave me at the counter and stand behind the divider chatting to a colleague but hadn’t realised she was the manager at that stage or they would have intervened). <br />• We were promised a hotel accommodation for a few hours in Doha due to my mother being an elderly diabetic in a wheelchair. This was refused when we arrived in Doha. They offered us nothing, I eventually asked for a meal voucher. Only when we returned via Doha did we discover that at the very least they have quiet areas to rest – at no stage did anyone let us know that this was an option.<br />• We had specifically booked seats at the back near the toilet for ease of access for my mother. Both times our seats were changed and we were put in the bassinet row and had to deal with being the furthest away seats from the toilet AND deal with crying babies for the entire flight. One of the babies caused such upset that the fellow passengers actually clapped when we landed – only once passengers told cabin crew to assist did they go to the mother to offer help – at this stage the mother was starting to faint from stress. We had to assist the mother and child when they wouldn't help her.<br />My mother collapsed from a cramp when at the gate from Doha to London. We had to call the paramedics who confirmed this is related to sitting for so long. Once she was declared safe to fly, we had NO assistance at all from the cabin crew once we boarded the plan – despite all of this happening right at the gate to the plane.<br />• Due to flight delays we had a very stressful time trying to get to connected flights with very little time – try doing this with an assisted care passenger, it is not easy. Thank goodness for attentive airport staff in Doha and Johannesburg who were very helpful with the wheelchair etc. With the exception of one check-in lady in London, the rest of the time the staff were disinterested. <br /> </p> <p>A warning to all: Avoid Qatar Airways, especially if you are travelling with assisted care!!</p>