A senior Qatar Airways executive assured that a harrowing incident at Doha’s International Airport, where female passengers endured invasive gynecological examinations, would never be repeated.
Qatar Airways Under Fire
A senior executive from Qatar Airways revealed shocking details during an Australian Senate inquiry, shedding light on a profoundly distressing incident that took place at Doha’s international airport.
The Troubling Incident
In 2020, 13 Australian women experienced invasive gynecological examinations on a Qatar Airways flight bound for Sydney.
This incident is now gaining public attention and scrutiny.
Australian Transport Minister’s Deep Concerns
Australian Transport Minister Catherine King displayed her concerns about this incident and how it influenced her decision to deny Qatar Airways any further flights into Australia.
A Pledge to Change
During the inquiry, Matt Raos, Qatar Airways’ Senior Vice President for Global Sales, made a strong commitment, vowing that the airline would never allow such a distressing incident to occur again and claiming it was “a one-off incident, a very extreme incident.”
Reassuring Women Travelers
Amidst growing concerns from female passengers, a government representative sought assurances from Qatar Airways that passengers would never be subjected to such invasive examinations in the future, “We’ve had nothing like it previously in our history, and we’re completely committed to ensuring nothing like this ever happens again,” said Raos.
Five Women Take Qatar Airways to Court
In the wake of the traumatic incident, five Australian women have filed a lawsuit against Qatar Airways in the Australian Federal Court, seeking accountability and justice.
Brave Women Stopped and Searched
The five women claim they were stopped and searched at gunpoint without consent before enduring distressing gynecological exams.
The Silence Speaks Volumes
To the astonishment of many, Qatar Airways did not respond or apologize for the distressing event, leaving the affected women seeking answers and accountability.
Women’s Plea for Action
The aggrieved women passionately urged the Australian Transport Minister to consider the ordeal they went through, having a large say in the decision to ban additional Qatar Airways flights to Australian cities.
Qatar Airways Not Fit For Transporting Women
The women wrote, “It is our strong belief that Qatar Airways is not fit to carry passengers around the globe, let alone to major Australian airports,” before urging, “When you are considering Qatar Airways’ bid for extra landing rights, we beg you to consider its insensitive and irresponsible treatment of us and its failure to ensure the safety and dignity of its passengers.”
Qatar Airways Expresses Disbelief
Qatar Airways was taken aback by Australia’s swift and unexplained rejection of their application for more flights to major Australian cities. Raos said they were “surprised and shocked.”
Weighing the Benefits and Costs
Qatar Airways had anticipated significant economic benefits from the additional flights, claiming that Australia would also have received an extra $1.9 billion (US) from the deal.
The Ongoing Inquiry
The Australian Senate inquiry delves into various bilateral air service agreements, evaluating how decisions are made regarding flight services and operations and how these incidents can be prevented in the future.
Government Actions Under Scrutiny
Australia’s response to the incident is under scrutiny, with experts and authorities evaluating if the government’s actions sufficiently addressed the disturbing event and its aftermath.
The post Women Forced Into Invasive Gynecological Exams at Gunpoint on Qatar Airways first appeared on Pulse of Pride
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