[Ash24]

I had booked Qatar Airways for the only reason that they were offering and marketing on their website the offer of free visa services and transit services to Doha and thus chose to incorporate that as my December 2018 holiday destination. I booked on 14 December and applied for my transit visa on 17 December as I was scheduled to leave Joburg on 25 December.

Prior to my departure I tracked my application which showed that the visa was "processed" but could not see the result thereof. I thus took the first leg of my journey as scheduled and upon arrival in KL on 26 December was dismayed to learn that my visa was not approved by MOI. I was scheduled to fly from KL to Doha on 2 January with a return onward flight to JHB on 6 January 2019.

I have tried endlessly with Qatar Airways as well as a visit to the Qatar embassy in KL to assist with the matter and after failing those avenues, I took it upon myself to even send an email to MOI in Qatar who unsrurprisingly have not responded. I have tried to make them understand that I had no intentions other than to visit Doha with my wife who is a South African citizen and gets a visa on arrival. The only document that was asked of me for a transit visa application was a passport copy, so on that basis the rejection was merely on racial grounds it seems as the MOI have not given reasons for rejection and Qatar Airways explicitly stated that they are not at liberty to disclose that.

Qatar Airways simply told me that the situation was outside their control and that I had to rebook my flights for alternate dates. I am now curently in Singapore and the only flight that they can book me back on is the 8th January.

I am thus not only late for work beyond the planned leave schedule but also incurring additional costs for my overstay. I think their services are totally poor to say the least and would not recommend anyone to book their visa services or flights through them. There are many alternate hotels that provide that service ( I only learnt of that now but too short a time to apply for visa) and way better flight options to Doha including flydubai and Emirates which are far more superior in the customer care department.

Qatar Airways are just after the "buck" with no concern for customers or passengers who are stranded in a foreign country due to their phony advertising tactics. Given that I have travelled to KL and Singapore due no visa to Doha, it makes no sense to have travelled QA. I would have rather chosen to fly Singapore Air direct from Johannesburg, but again QA were only interested in making a sale.

MOI also do not care for other nationalities of African heritage. Go their list of countries that are eligible for a visa on arrival and you will see what I mean. There are far better places to visit on this planet than racist and baised nations such as Qatar who just market to attract their "niche"and everyone else do not matter. what a shame !!!!!