Qatar Experience - I do not recommend flying with this airline

PLEASE DO NOT FLY WITH QATAR AIRWAYS. The staff completely lack lateral thinking and caused me a financial loss of over R70 000.00. Below is my experience and response from Qatar.

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding an extremely disappointing and frustrating experience with Qatar Airways ground staff at the Durban International Airport on 04/11/2024. My booking reference is ONSMB4 for a flight from Durban to Hanoi, via Doha, in Business Class. The incident led to my inability to board the flight, causing significant personal, professional, and financial losses. Background 1. On 4th November 2024, I was scheduled to attend the DASIL conference in Vietnam, where I was a key participant. I had secured my flight in Business Class with Qatar Airways and arrived at the airport 2 hours prior to departure, as is standard practice for me as a frequent flyer. 2. Upon check-in, I was informed by the Qatar Airways ground staff that I required a visa to Vietnam in order to board the flight. Despite being aware that a visa could be obtained within 15 minutes via an approved third-party service, I immediately used this service to obtain my visa and presented it to the Qatar Airways staff. 3. I had used the Govietnamvisa.com service, which is a legitimate and approved agency by the Vietnamese government. However, I was met with surprise from Qatar Airways staff, specifically Mr. Devendra, who expressed disbelief that I had obtained the visa so quickly. He appeared unaware of such services, and I was further delayed as the staff scrutinized my visa, even after I explained the legitimacy of the process. 4. After some time, the Menzies agent, acting on behalf of Qatar Airways, accepted my visa and issued boarding passes to Hanoi (enclosed). My baggage was processed, and I passed through customs and immigration without further issues. Unilateral Denial to Board 5. Just prior to boarding, I was approached by Ms. Sharmistha Maharaj, the Qatar Airways General Manager for the KZN region. She made a unilateral decision not to allow me to board, citing the following reasons: o She claimed that the visa was "*****ulent," despite assurances from the Vietnam-based agent that it would be uploaded into the system by the time I reached Hanoi. o She expressed surprise that the visa was issued in 15 minutes, insisting that it typically takes 3 days to obtain. This stance reflects a complete lack of understanding of the modern processes and the speed of the digital visa issuance system. o Ms. Maharaj seemed unaware of legitimate online visa services and their ability to issue visas quickly. Despite providing her with the necessary documentation and assurances, she dismissed my efforts and refused to allow me to board. o Furthermore, she treated me with undue suspicion, resulting in unnecessary embarrassment and distress. 6. At her insistence, my luggage was removed, and I was treated like a ********, despite having followed all procedures correctly. I was told that the visa had not yet appeared in the Vietnam government system, although the Vietnam agent assured us it would be processed and available by the time we arrived. 7. Mr. Devendra, who was involved in the initial interaction with me, demonstrated a troubling level of incompetence. When I explained that I had used an approved service to obtain the visa, his responses were dismissive, and he appeared to lack knowledge of how these services operate. His behavior suggested a level of unprofessionalism and failure to resolve the situation in a manner befitting Qatar Airways’ standards. 8. I found both Ms. Maharaj’s and Mr. Devendra’s responses to be not only inadequate but also highly disrespectful. As a frequent flyer, a doctor with over 34 years of experience, and someone accustomed to dealing with professionals in high-pressure situations, I expected a higher level of expertise and competence from Qatar Airways staff. 9. Furthermore, at one point, I even questioned Mr. Devendra's possible state of inebriation, as his mannerisms and attitude led me to suspect he was not in a fit state to handle the situation. I was prepared to request a Breathalyzer test to confirm this suspicion, but the situation was already deteriorating rapidly, and the police (SAPS) had to be called. 10. Ultimately, despite all the assurances from the visa agent that the visa would be uploaded in time, Ms. Maharaj and Mr. Devendra chose to disregard these facts, and refused to let us board. Their actions not only inconvenienced me personally but caused a public embarrassment at the airport. Financial and Professional Losses The actions of Ms. Maharaj and Mr. Devendra led to substantial financial and professional losses: 1. DASIL Conference Registration Fee: €475 (Euros) 2. Scar Conference Fee in Thailand: €255 (Euros) 3. Flight from Hanoi to Bangkok: $257 USD 4. Accommodation at Intercontinental Plaza Hanoi: $1,480 USD (for 8 nights) – they are refusing to refund this amount 5. Qatar Airways Cancellation Fee: (TBD) – for Flight QR 1376, Booking Reference ONSMB4 These losses, totaling over €2,400 (Euros) and $1,700 USD, are substantial. Additionally, the disruption caused to the conference, where my absence was noted, has had a direct impact on my professional standing. Staff Competency Concerns I am deeply concerned about the competency and professionalism of the staff handling my case, particularly Ms. Sharmistha Maharaj and Mr. Devendra: 1. Lack of Knowledge: Both individuals appeared to be unfami**** with the modern digital visa processes and the legitimate third-party services available. This led to a series of delays and a failure to address the situation logically and competently. 2. Unprofessional Conduct: The way I was treated was not only embarrassing but also demeaning. As a high-paying business class passenger with Qatar Airways, I expected to be treated with dignity and respect, but I was instead made to feel like a ********. Ms. Maharaj’s refusal to listen and her insistence on the *****ulence of the visa caused unnecessary distress. 3. Failure to Resolve the Situation: The situation was further exacerbated by Ms. Maharaj’s refusal to accept the validity of the visa, despite being assured by the visa agent that it would be recognized in the system. Rather than offering any resolution, her actions escalated the problem and resulted in my missing the flight. 4. Questionable Behavior: I also found Mr. Devendra's behavior questionable, leading me to suspect he may have been under the influence of alcohol. This only added to the frustration and confusion of the situation, and I request that this issue be investigated thoroughly. Request for Compensation and Resolution In light of the significant inconvenience, professional disruption, and financial losses I have suffered, I am requesting the following: 1. Full reimbur*****t of all costs incurred due to this situation, as outlined above, including the conference registration fees, flight, and accommodation. 2. A formal apology from Ms. Sharmistha Maharaj and Mr. Devendra for the way I was treated and for their unprofessional handling of the situation. 3. Immediate review of Qatar Airways staff training procedures, particularly in handling customer visa issues and providing customer service to business class passengers, to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. Further Action If this issue is not resolved satisfactorily within the timeframe specified (30-60 days per your website’s policy), I will be forced to take the following steps: 1. Publicly share this experience on social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, and other review sites, to ensure that other travelers are aware of the poor service and lack of professionalism exhibited by Qatar Airways staff. 2. Notify relevant consumer protection authorities in South Africa and internationally regarding this mistreatment and failure to provide the services promised. 3. Advocate against Qatar Airways in professional networks, including the upcoming DASIL conference in Cape Town (2025), where I will advise medical professionals to consider alternative airlines due to the failure to address this issue satisfactorily. Conclusion This experience has caused significant personal, professional, and financial distress. I have been a loyal customer of various airlines, including Qatar Airways, and expected a higher standard of service. The ignorance and incompetence displayed by your ground staff have not only disrupted my important professional obligations but also caused a significant financial burden. In conclusion I leave with the following quote by George Bernard Shaw. “One who knows and knows that they know, learn from them.” Obviously your manager, who admitted that this whole episode was due to the 15min visa, did not learn from an experienced traveller, who was a gold member with Emirates, SAA etc. “One who doesn’t know and knows that they not know teach them”. We tried educating your staff, but they refused to listen. “One who doesn’t know and think that they know, boot them”. Qatar should consider removing both these staff out. Mother Teresa once said, when she was feeding the children in Kolkata, “What I may be doing is a drop in the ocean, but without the drop, the ocean will be one drop less and many drops make an ocean. So while Qatar airways feels that they are the best in the world, remember no one should bite the hand that feeds them and it is your customers that feeds you all. As the mafia says, it is strictly business, nothing personal. This letter is a business letter and nothing personal Please note that I expect a response from Qatar Airways by the end of this year. If no resolution is forthcoming, I will proceed with the outlined actions. I trust that you will treat this matter with the urgency it requires.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Yours sincerely, Dr. Rajendrakumar Singh

THE RESPONSE FROM QATAR WAS AS FOLLOWS: Dear Mr. Singh,

We regret to learn that you remain disappointed with the outcome of your complaint and would like to take this opportunity to reiterate our sincere apologies for any inconvenience which may have been caused.

Allow us to share that Qatar Airways, like other airlines, undertakes to examine the travel documents of its passengers principally to protect its own interests as inevitably it stands to be penalized, financially, if its passengers do not comply with the travel requirements of the country they are visiting or transiting to as well as the further inconvenience that the passenger may experience as a result of non-compliance to requirements. It is, for this reason, our ground staff undertakes to verify all the travel documents and seek authorization from the relevant authorities.

Our reply is based on the report we received, and we would like to reconfirm that the acceptance of our valued customers depends entirely on the guidelines we received and or local authorities who have to provide the authorization.

Please refer to Article 14 of the Conditions of Carriage:

https://www.qatarairways.com/en-qa/legal/conditions-of-carriage.html

In addition, your feedback regarding our staff has been forwarded to Ground Services Department, assuring you that this will be dealt with seriously and all necessary steps will be taken to further enhance our services.

Regrettably, we are unable to oblige your claim.

We appreciate the opportunity to respond and thank you for your attention.

Respectfully Yours, Honey Lou Borges Corporate Customer Care