Qatar Airways Gets Called Out by Human Rights Group – Demands Boycott

[Capetonian]

As Qatar Airways continues its expansion into North America, adding the cities of Boston, Atlanta and Los Angeles in 2016 alone, a U.S. based human rights NGO has stepped up its campaign calling for a boycott of the airline.

The Alliance for Workers Against Repression Everywhere (AWARE), based in Washington has long fought against what it calls the exploitation of workers in Qatar: “Exploitation of labour remains rampant at one of the world’s largest building projects located in Doha, Qatar”.

AWARE cites a number of human rights abuses levied against the tiny Middle East nation including:

Worker deaths at the controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup site could be as high as 4,000 by completion.
1.4 million workers must get the permission from their employer to leave the country under the kafala labour system.

The organisation also points to wider discrimination in the State of Qatar including the fact that marital rape is not illegal and homosexuality can be punished by imprisonment and even whipping.

Qatar recently announced that the kafala employment system would soon be abolished in favour of contract based law. However, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported James Lynch from Amnesty International as saying: “This new law may get rid of the word ‘sponsorship’ but it leaves the same basic system intact”.

Mike Lux, a political consultant, who sits on the board of AWARE now wants to draw the attention of travellers to alleged abuses happening within Qatar Airways. He said: “We want folks to understand that there are severe human rights violations in Qatar and part of the human rights violations are done by the airline itself and more of them are done by the country that owns the airlines and controls it”.

Lux claims that the discrimination of female employees at Qatar Airways is an ongoing concern and has alleged that the airline dismisses women who get married, become pregnant or are overweight.

Qatar Airways said in August 2015 that it would ‘ease’ it’s policy against female employees from getting married or starting a family. Rossen Dimitrov, senior vice president at Qatar Airways confirmed the changes: “As the airline matures, the workforce matures,” he said. “You can’t turn to someone who is 35 years old and say ‘No, you can’t have a family, wait.’ We want to retain people”.

As the battle between Human Rights groups and Qatar Airways heats up, Dimitrov, who is in charge of Cabin Crew at the airline was quoted as saying in June 2016: “I will resign if even one case is proven to be true where a woman lost her job over pregnancy or for being ‘overweight’ during my tenure of managing cabin crew.”

[Sisemen]

"the airline dismisses women who get married, become pregnant or are overweight.”

They say that like it’s a bad thing.

[limeygal]

Back in the 80s GF had the same policy. If you married, you were out. Don't know if it is still the same.

[Ex-Ascot]

Flew Qatar last year. Not impressed.

In the '70s if you were not married your promotion chances were slim. Your wife's performance at flower arranging in the OM were included in your annual report. Unbelievable.

[500N]

Cape

Why did you single out this cause to highlight ?


Very little on their pages about who funds them, although I'd guess the NYT would do a fair bit.
I bet Sorros chips in as well.

(The US objects to Russia playing with US democracy but has no problem with a US Citizen, encouraged by the US Gov't
in doing the same behind the iron curtain by funding dissident groups)

[Capetonian]

I highlighted it simply as it came to my attention, and as you have no doubt observed, I do have an axe, which I frequently grind, about the dominance and the unfair practices of the ME3 carriers (Emirates, or Scummy Rats as I prefer to call them) in particular. I understand that Qatar (the country) is guilty of some pretty despicable labour practices, as indeed are most in that part of the world.

I am happy to highlight any cause which guns for these evil bastards.

I haven't flown QR, but did some work for them a few years ago (not at their base) and was rather impressed by the calibre of those with whom I came into contact, and I'm told they're a good airline.

[500N]

Thanks

You answered the question as to why.


I have no problem with your goal, just don't like promoting the group who push this.

[Capetonian]

I agree, I also dislike these groups of dogooding wuckfits, but in this case, I dislike those whom they are targeting even more.

[500N]

I agree, I also dislike these groups of dogooding wuckfits, but in this case, I dislike those whom they are targeting even more.

I might pinch that. It is gold.


If FIFA had any balls or ethics, they could have demanded a lot but of course they didn't.
I see a story on that groups web site re the building of buildings.

[BackToAllNightLights]

Assuming the BA FAs are on a legal strike, how on earth is it legal for BA to import enmass, a foreign carrier strikebreaker?

[Flame Lily FX]

Qatar Airways is part of One World alliance and also shareholder in IAG. Qatar has no unions. If they say no these people lose their jobs.

BA has the right to continue operating its business if they can provided they do it legally! They have been given approval by the CAA to do this! What is your problem?

I bet this pissed the Saudis off!

[Capetonian]

Qatar Airways is part of One World alliance and also shareholder in IAG.

So are :
Air Berlin
American Airlines
Cathay Pacific
Finnair
Iberia
JAL
LATAM airlines
Malaysian
Qantas
Royal Jordanian
S7/Sibir
Air Lanka

There are obvious reasons why some of the above might not be suitable for leasing in this case, and I'm not sure if all are IAG shareholders, but they are all OW members, but it sounds as if QR was used purely because they have a/c and crews sitting around and this would have been a nice cheap (well done again, Sr. Cruz!) solution.

Even Iberia would have been a better option than QR. Still, as BA spirals down to rock bottom, it's not going to make a lot difference.

[Flame Lily FX]

There's a difference between wet leasing from carriers that are obliged to follow European employment laws, and wet leasing from QR.

At the moment Qatar has a flying embargo to other Middle East countries so plenty of short haul planes doing nothing.

So it's punch a Qatar pilot in the head week!!!!

[Woody]

Any comments from our NK correspondent

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/new ... 24801.html