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Qatar Airways

I purchased airfare from Qatar Airways Back in March 2016, for flights outbound April 24th, and return July 24th. I purchased the same itinerary for my wife, but with an earlier return date (May 24th).

With this purchase, an agreement was made. For the price paid, Qatar was obligated to transport me to my destination, and return within reasonable comfort, safely, without excessive inconvenience, or exposure to avoidable health risks.

Qatar Airways did *NOT* fulfill this agreement.

The first flight was a codeshare MH2527 Malaysia airlines to Kuala Lumpur late April 24th. We had no issues on that flight.

On April 25th, my wife and I boarded flight QR853 to Doha Qatar, with a connecting flight QR725 to Chicago. Qatar Airways had apparently made arrangements with the IOM (International Organization for Migration) to place more than 50 refugees from Myanmar (illegally entered Malaysia) on these flights to Chicago. They were seated randomly throughout the plane.

I have significant reason to suspect these refugees were not properly health screened prior to this “relocation” flight to the US. Many of them displayed signs of illness (flu, cold, etc). They were disruptive to the entire plane and its passengers, and we witnessed one lady abusing her child of <2yrs age during flight 853. This was very emotionally distressing to us. I plan to report this to the FAA, and the US department of health.

In less than 2 days of our arrival to Chicago, we both became serious ill with some kind of respiratory illness (flu/cold). As my parents are elderly (71 & 72), I did not want to expose them, so we were forced to pay to stay at a hotel for a week while we recovered. I believe Qatar Airways exposed us (and other passengers) to avoidable health risks.

My wife’s return flights were on May 24th, without any incidents. I stayed in Chicago longer.

I was scheduled to fly out of Chicago on July 24th. This begins a string of events that clearly violates the “agreement” made when I purchased the airfare.

On Sunday July 24th, I arrived at O’Hare airport with ample time to spare. I checked in my bags, and was told to “hurry” to the gate more than an hour before expected departure of 7:45pm. So, I cut short my goodbyes with my parents, and proceeded to the gate early. There was no plane at my gate! An hour later, still no plane! Then they began to announce delays because of the weather, which is understandable.

Two hours later, still no plane. After waiting over 3 hours, Qatar Airways suddenly announced the flight was cancelled for technical issues. All passengers were told to go back to the check in counters. After nearly an hour waiting at the check in area, a QA employee walked out to the back of the line and said “if you are from the Chicago area, please go downstairs and reclaim your bags and leave. Come back tomorrow by 3:30pm, we will have a flight for you”.

I had to wake my father at midnight, to have him come get me! Long story short with this, my father had such a difficult time fighting with the taxi’s to get into the airport that he pulled off the road briefly and cried.

I went back home for the night. Then I went back to the airport the next day only to find out this:

Overnight, Qatar airways rebooked me on flights with other airlines without notifying me. First it was:

UA0851 & CA0969 United airlines to Beijing, the China Air to Singapore… but no flight to my destination Kuching Malaysia. They were going to abandon me in a country that was not my destination!

Then they booked another itinerary: CX807 & HX715 Cathay pacific to Hong Kong and Hong Kong airlines to Kuching.

When I arrived by 3:30pm Monday July 25th, the flight to hong kong-kuching had left 2 hours earlier. I waited with the other displaced passengers, and when they looked up my itinerary, I was told to “go home and contact Qatar Airways by phone”. I went home AGAIN!

When I finally spoke with someone at QA by phone, eventually I was rebooked for Wednesday July 27th with my original flight plan (matching flights).

I arrived the 27th, early. There was a plane QR726, I did have a seat, which the QA Chicago station manager upgraded. The flight left late, but arrived in Doha Qatar on time.

That’s when things went bad again. My connecting flight to Singapore was delayed QR942. It ended up being delayed so long that there was no possibility of making my final connecting flight MH642 codeshare to Kuching.

The staff originally wanted to put me on the delayed Singapore flight, and let me sit at Singapore’s Changi airport for almost an entire day to wait for the next day flight MH642. Then, last moment, they pulled my bags off the Singapore flight. Now I was stuck in Doha!

A QA staff member took me to a ticketing station, and began looking for alternate flights for me. She eventually found one to Kuala Lumpur, then connect to a budget airline (Malindo air) to Kuching. This meant waiting in Doha longer, then *racing* to make the connection (short layover). I did finally make it to my destination by Friday July 29th!

I believe at this point, I had been inconvenienced enough. I filed several complaints with QA, received replies but no compensation. Then, the US office emailed me, and offered me a time limited voucher of only $250. I have no travel plans within the next year, nor do I have any desire to fly on Qatar airways again. I repeatedly requested a refund for the massive inconveniences and exposure to sick refugees. QA refused every time. I spent weeks emailing back and forth with QA.

Therefore, I am reporting the refugee situation the FAA, and USDOH.

I am also disputing half (50%) of the fare for my wife’s itinerary booking reference 26AYFC because she was sick nearly the entire time she was in Chicago, and a dispute (50%) of the fare on my itinerary booking reference 253BHR for unacceptable conditions flying to Chicago, and significant inconvenience and loss of time trying to return to Kuching Malaysia. I believe this is a fair settlement for their actions.

I will continue to attempt to contact QA executives until this is resolved.I will also share this story on every travel website I can find.

Qatar Airways is supposed to be a 5 star airline, but they treated me like I was nobody.
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