Broken promises

Back in May, 2020, Qatar Airways ran a widely advertised and international promotion for 2 free complimentary tickets for 100 000 frontline healthcare workers. This was a very generous offer and I was one of the fortunate winners of two tickets.

A friend and I booked a trip to Turkey for March 2021. Then my country was banned entry into Turkey and Qatar cancelled the tickets – which I fully understand.

However, part of their terms and conditions were that: “Tickets will be fully flexible, with an unlimited number of destination or date changes allowed without any fees.” Here is one of the numerous links where this information can be found: https://onemileatatime.com/qatar-airways-healthcare-workers/

For weeks I have been trying to change the destination of the tickets without success. Then today, the call centre attendant informed me that part of the terms and conditions are that the terms and conditions can be changed and the new terms and conditons do not allow for destination changes anymore.

So without any alternate destinations available anywhere in the world and with the promotion ending at the end of March that means that we have essentially lost our tickets.

Now I understand from a legal perspective Qatar has the right to change their terms and conditions. However, it is ********* to advertise the tickets as fully flexible and then suddenly change the terms and conditions without informing the frontline healthcare workers that have won the tickets of the changes.

At the very least Qatar should have informed the frontline healthcare workers that their tickets are no longer fully flexible. My friend and I have both put in leave for March with the understanding that these are fully flexible tickets.

Perhaps it would have been better for Qatar to give fewer complimentary tickets away but instead have honoured their original commitment of ensuring that they are fully flexible.

In fact, for me and my friend, it would have been better for Qatar to have given away no complimentary tickets and for us not to have to “waste” our leave as well as all the planning and excitement just to be dropped by Qatar’s unannounced new terms and conditions.