Be aware of the lack of ethics of Qatar and its customer care!

My wife and I (both +65 years) booked a flight (1372) on Qatar from Cape Town to Brussels. Arriving at the airport on the night of 13 August 2023 we learned that our flight has been delayed with more than three hours. This imp**** we would miss our connection flight in Doha. At the Qatar desk we learned that our connecting flight have been "radically" rebooked. Instead of two and a half hours we would now have to stay over in Doha for nearly 17 hours. We expressed our dismay. The Qatar agent then said we do not have to worry. Qatar gives us a choice of $250 cash compensation or vouchers/upgrades to the value of $350. We will also be put up in a hotel in Doha while we wait for flight departing 01h55 on15 August. It was indeed inconvenient, since we would arrive a day later in Brussels and forfeit what we had paid for our loggings in Belgium. We accepted the cash offer. The agent wrote it down and said we had to collect the cash in Doha or Brussels. In Dohan we were indeed put in a hotel (not so great one), but the Qatar agent at the airport said we had to collect the cash in Brussel. In Brussel we could not find any Qatar desk and went to their departure desk. The Qatar agent there said they could not help us. We have to contact customer service and fill out the needed forms. At this stage, not one of the Qatar agents raised an eyebrow about our claim. When I wrote to customer service, I got a very long letter that in the end says: "Regretfully, we will be unable to consider your request for compensation." I was very angry, since no reason was given. I wrote to then again and explain that I am not asking compensation, they offered it to me. They did not even acknowledge reception of this email. I gave them five working days, and then wrote to them again. This time I asked them to explain to me why their agents had made me an offer, which I accepted, and then they at customer service declined to honor it? Did their agent lie? Or, did they not know the regulation of Qatar? I gave them two working days to respond. They again did not even acknowledge reception of my letter. I did warn them that I will take the matter further. This is why I am writing this review. This is not a about the compensation anymore. It is just unacceptable that business treats customers like this and get away with it.

My reference number at customer care was: CAS-***-Y3G9D6 CRM:*** The email address that I used to contact them was: Qatar Airways Customer Care <***>