[rudrajoy]

My wife and daughter (She is 8 years old) were traveling from Kuwait to Kolkata (QR 135 / 294) on 26th June 2012. I had checked them in online and yet reported to the counter at Kuwait airport before 2:00 PM (Flight was at 4:15 PM - Kuwait time). They were given boarding passes at the counter for both flights and they departed for Doha.

At Doha, they were at the gate at 6:45 PM (Flight was at 7:45 PM - Doha Time) and denied boarding without any cause. The staff at the counter were extremely rude and impolite and told my wife to go to the Transfer Desk and arrange alternatives. They would not budge, even when my wife presented her Boarding passes. People in the line after her were allowed to board.

At the Transfer Desk, the ladies were busy chatting with each other and my wife had to raise her voice and literally scream to get their attention. One lady came out from the room behind the counter to pacify my wife and, without checking any details, she informed my wife that the flight was overbooked and she had been bumped off. The fact that my wife was traveling with my small daughter was no consequence to this pathetic airline.

This Transfer Desk Lady took so much time under the guise of finding a solution, that she ensured that my family missed their flight. And the horror began. The next step taken by her was to try and convince my wife to take the next day's flight to Kolkata, leaving after 24 hours. My wife had to literally scream again to make her point that this was not acceptable. At that point, rather grudgingly, she agreed to put my wife to the flight to Delhi leaving at 1:20 AM reaching Delhi at 8:00 AM (India time) and a domestic connection to Kolkata by Jet Airways with an ETD of 9:40 AM. So having spending 5 hours at the pathetic Doha airport, my wife finally boarded the flight. This flight was full too, but since my wife had created such a ruckus, they were given business class seats.


Now due to the short transit time in Delhi (For those who do not know, Delhi International and Domestic terminals are far apart), the Transfer Desk Lady assured my wife that she would instruct Qatar Airways personnel in Delhi to be at the airline door to aid my family to clear immigration and check in to Jet Airways. This, they realized, after reaching Delhi was simply a ruse, to get rid of my family from Qatar Station's area of responsibility. As expected, there were none of Qatar Airways ground staff at the gate and to add insult to injury, my wife's luggage was the last pieces on the conveyor belt. It was only due to the Delhi Airport Authority Staff, who took pity on my wife, after seeing her with a small child, that they took personal charge and escorted my wife and daughter to the Jet Airways flight - a simple act of customer service which seems to be beyond Qatar Airways.

I am literally amazed and shocked at this airline's horrendous service. I made the mistake of believing in their empty boast of being a "5 Star Airline" and flew with them for the first time, after having flown with Emirates all these years. Sadly, I am also booked on the same flight to join my family in Kolkata on 19th July and I will be traveling with fear in my heart.

I also forgot to mention that when my wife informed Sabin, that we need to be compensated as per airline rules, Sabin informed her, "Ma'am There is no compensation applicable since we are putting you on an alternate flight". Those were her exact words. She ensured that a complete mockery was made of their Customer Service Commitment, posted on the company website, which states "If you have been denied boarding then you will be entitled to compensation and transportation on an alternate flight". Since my wife and daughter were at the mercy of the airline and needed to reach Kolakat, we had no choice.

I am not expecting to hear from them and even if they do revert, I am sure, they will do so with some pathetic excuse which will be untrue and find some way to weasel out of any compensation which they should should pay for the inconvenience and the mental torture of my family.

For those interested, you can even check the Qatar Airways website, which has no qualms about declaring their affinity for "overbooking" seats and bumping you off without having to declare any valid reasoning.

I really do wonder how could they have the gall to advertise "5 Star service".... I have informed them of this experience yesterday and it has been 24 hours and no sign of even an acknowledgment from them.

So, to all reading this post, please think twice before flying Qatar Airways.

[ksarat9]

This country (Qatar) must be full of complete idiots. The WORST part of our trip was getting separated from our 5 year old boys. The jackass security officer ordered us to go through the metal detectors without the kids. They wanted us to walk all the way down to where we would have been out of eyesight for them. Then they yell at us when we refuse. WHO DOES THAT?

To top it off service was average at best and quality of food was mediocre. The airport is a disorganized mess with random people shouting orders as you get off the plane. The pre-transit security check process is mayhem.

Horrible airline, airport and probably country. I took the airline even though it was a bit more expensive because they claim "5-star" service and top reviews. COMPLETE GARBAGE!! It's all a facade - made to look pretty but disgusting on the inside.