View Full Version : Possible Revolt at Qatar Airways
A300Man
30th May 2002, 07:06
News from the Gulf - there are rumours that a group of Cabin Crew at Qatar Airways are planning a mini-revolt on 4th June 2002, where all of them will report sick and leave the airline's schedules decimated.
The story goes that crew morale has reached an all time low due to the incredible interference of the infamous CEO, Akbar Al-Baker.
The little man's latest ludicrous crap is that the flight operations department (rostering) are not permitted to divulge home and personal telephone numbers of fellow-crew members, making necessary swap requests almost impossible, unless you go physically into the office.
Another very good South African girl has just been terminated because of a missing button on her jacket. No prior or written warnings - offloaded from a flight and sent home!
The airline's latest Cabin Crew Manager disappeared a few weeks ago without warning. This guy looked quite promising and heralded some basic and welcome changes within the company. Obviously, this did not suit the little man at the top, who has again wielded his famous axe across the company.
And the sad truth now is that the standard of service (previously excellent) is now going horribly bad, with almost every flight being outnumbered by new and inexperienced cabin crew. These boys and girls do their best, but frequently passengers are now noticing the difference and are voting with their feet and heading back to EK!
Pity, because QR did have good prospects. It would now appear to be the start of the demise of that image.
Feel sorry for you normally excellent QR cabin crew out there.
MTQatar
4th Jun 2002, 05:18
Thank god, nothing happened. So A300Man was what you said true, did you get that from a "reliable" source? A call to the airport showed that QR didn't cancel any flights today.
All the crew have a choice to be there.
If they dont like the way the company is run then they should leave, life is too short. If they are determined they will find another flying job very soon.
Emirates are massively recruiting. Its true that there is a no poaching rule between the two companies. First they must take the decision to leave and not look back.
Its true that Qatar Airways is being built and run on very strict principles, but this is what will make it a great company.
In every company there are things that don't seem fair, and unfortunately that is life.
If you are going to make such a massive move in your life, to live in a country like Qatar, then isant it worth researching it first, and knowing all the pros and cons.
People move to the middle east for very different reasons, and maybe these few individuals, have gone for the wrong reasons.
I truly believe that Qatar Airways is a winner and will be a great contender in the gulf.
If you are not passionate about the company that you work for, you should not work for them. As there are plenty of people who will.
A300Man
5th Jun 2002, 10:42
Dear MT Qatar,
My source frim within QR is solid. I now understand that the date has been deferred. I repeat - my source from within QR is solid. Solid.
MTQatar
5th Jun 2002, 12:11
A300Man,
I really find your "reliable" info funny. Why don't you ask that South African girl about the real reason for her being fired. Or why don't you ask your "solid" source to give you more insight on that Cabin Crew manager who dissapeared.
Let me assure you Mr. Al-Baker is not running a playhouse. He is running an airline based on teamwork, dedication and hard work and the actions of those two people are not acceptable as part of the QR framework. The airline is entering a period of massive growth and their is no room for errors.
"The story goes that crew morale has reached an all time low"
That is absolutely untrue, at least from what I saw behind the scene. I am sure "themaskofh" will give you more insight in morale of the crew than me.
MTQatar
13th Jun 2002, 10:16
A300Man you have said:
And the sad truth now is that the standard of service (previously excellent) is now going horribly bad, with almost every flight being outnumbered by new and inexperienced cabin crew.
I have found this in an online flight review website. I actually found that their were only two complaints and agains the Cabin Crew and they were made last year while this year's reviews(incl. 2 in 2001), some as recent as a few weeks ago were much better meaning the service is actually improving. In my personal experience my worst flight was Qatar Airways was in 1996 in the 747 and my best were in Dec 2001 and 1999.
"I was pleasantly surprised to find that a member of the cabin crew had covered me with a blanket while I slept"
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"I was impressed by the crew who were polite, professional and seemed to be enthusiastic about their job - top marks to them
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"I never had a good service from any other airline like Qatar Airways in my experience. All the flight staff approach the passengers with a very high hospitality."
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"I travelled out of Trivandrum to Doha and back, a pleasant experience both ways. Service was rendered with a smile, both on ground and in the air."
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"We flew business class and all the cabin crew were wonderful"
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"The service was amazing each time, and the cabin crew showed full respect to myself and other accompanying passengers ... The best thing about the airline are the warm, welcoming staff."
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"I find Qatar Airways a very convenient flight - well organised and the staff very helpful."
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"Their seats are comfortable by coach standards, and their staff service is also excellent, matching the likes of other gulf carriers (eg Emirates, Gulf Air)."
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Oh BTW I am still waiting for your email
A300Man
13th Jun 2002, 20:41
MT,
I know you are still waiting for my reply. I will get to you very soon. Incidentally, I just came from LHR on the new A330 and I was pleased to note that the service porvided by the cabin crew was truly excellent once again.
As an FFP, I am well known to the crews so I suppose that helps a little bit!
MTQatar
14th Jun 2002, 04:54
Hello A300Man,
Nice to see you enjoyed your trip
Number 5
11th Jul 2002, 09:35
As a relatively long term servant to QR until I was "asked to leave" ( after five and a half years) last year, I'd just like to follow up MT's comments.
Qatar was the first Gulf country I visited in 1983, just before I began my flying career. My brother was working there and my other brother working in Kuwait.
I loved the place and enjoyed the tranquility as well as the wonderful expat social life. So much so that I visited several more times, even after my brother moved on.
Having worked in DXB with EK and Jeddah (VIP), Qatar was the next obvious choice, and I was delighted to come out and work for QR. The CEO at the time was a true gentleman and you did not feel under any pressure and there were no false sense of security. The service was cheap and cheerful and the crew happy.
The Poisoned Dwarf came in and shook things up, claiming to have "an open door policy" and yes there were several improvements along the way.
However, his unpredictable sadistic mentality would soon prove to be the downfall of the company as well, taking many loyal crew along the way!
The "official" reason offered to me for my leaving QR was "you verbally stated that you wanted to see the Foreign Minister"...
This accusation initially came from the wonderful "welfare department" and another crew member who ran upstairs telling tales. I would think the FM would have more important things to do than listen to cabin crew at QR, even if this accusation were true.
In fact the Baker ranted and raved at me for ten minutes and I had no idea what on earth he was talking about.
The rest, is history...
But what really annoys me is the fact that I love Qatar as a country and it is now relatively impossible that I can go back there. I have so many of my belongings still there in storage awaiting a friend to send it on, I was given no chance to sort out my bank loan plus my landlord is still owed some rent. The "clearance form" was not completed and QR were still contacting me until 6 months after I was dismissed.
The fact that Mini Me is allowed to get away with this is shocking and a wonderful country could have a much better airline if they saw sense and sacked HIM!! He hasindeed ruined many people's lives..." you will never work in aviation again" is a favourite phrase...well, I am and I am enjoying it, direct entry CSD with a company that detect experience and actually have faith in ability and character and who don't listen to idle gossip...
I am, however, sad that I am not in one of the most charming places in the world...
MT, it is not just A300 man complaining...I know as do many others what Akbar the Snack bar is like...why defend him...yopu are in the minority
:mad:
TightSlot
12th Jul 2002, 10:29
Oh for Chrissakes...
If you choose to work in the Gulf, you can expect to be messed about in a variety of ways: That's why the pay/tax regime is attractive - it has to be! If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. The ultimate aim of all national carriers will always be to have most, if not all, of their Cabin Crew as nationals of that country - therefore expat Cabin Crew are ultimately doomed to extinction: The question is one of "When" and not "If"
22 years I've been flying and living in the UK, and paying the taxes to prove it. The upside to the taxes is that I have a small degree of protection under industrial law.
I'm sorry, but expat Cabin Crew whingeing about local terms and conditions etc. is immensely tedious to many others. When Qatar Airways is a major player on the global transport stage, then they'll have earned the right to bore - until then, give us all a break whydoncha?
Number 5
12th Jul 2002, 10:40
Hardly whingeing!
In fact, under another name, I have assisted many crew (FD and CC) with info about QR and the country AND they have been greatful.
I have worked in and out of the Gulf for many years and have no complaints with my other employers...I am merely supporting A300 man, who works for QR and stating some facts which may indeed help and protect others.
QR are fine to work for...there is only one problem...The CEO
You choose the UK, I choose elsewhere and have no regrets.
Oh, and expat life is hardly boring!
MTQatar
12th Jul 2002, 13:24
Number 5, A300Man does not work for Qatar Airways. And some of the things in his thread starter are far from being facts. Especially in the case of the Cabin Crew Manager and that South African girl. I am not in the business of embarassing ex-employees of Qatar Airways but please Number 5 do a little investigation into the cases of these two people and then tell me if what A300Man has states about these to people is a fact.
Qatar Airways has been unfortunate in having many bad apples, there were employees who embezzeled, gave away secrets to competitors and so on and so forth. When one is fired they go into a crusade with an aim of destroying Qatar Airways' name because of there frustrations.
Mr. Albaker's management style was known from his time at the CAA to be a man of his word, dedicated to his job, doesn't fool around and gets the job done. That is why he was selected to be the CEO of QR after the restructuring.
He runs a tight ship, makes sure that all employees do there job to there fullest attention. He pays attention to every detail and keeps a close eye on all aspects of the company. This way he eleminated staff who were unproductive and undedicated to achieving QR's aims. And so has managed to make QR very efficient on staff capitalization in comparision with other airlines such as Gulf Air. Of course by making his staff more efficient, he lowers overheads and keeps the company heading in the right direction.
In saying that I have to say that Al-Baker has made mistakes, and can be very strict. A small number of employees could've been fired unfairly but this happens in other places. QR is also very young and the management is still learning from there mistakes. Hopefully in a few years time everything would be better.
Working in QR demands a lot of hard work and effort to achieve the high standards that the company requires and if some people can't handle it then they quit.
But working in QR isn't the hell that many people describe it to be. If it was then you will never see QR last this long and you will never see that amount of employees who were with the company for a number of years and are still very happy with there jobs.
Regards,
MTQatar
manty
12th Jul 2002, 14:22
may i know who is the lil' midget that you are mentioning abt??? is it Akbar Al Baker???
gulf-crew
12th Jul 2002, 18:32
Sorry MT Qatar
Is the little midget paying you to spout all that BULL because quite frankly you do not seem to have a clue as to why some people were fired from qatar.
1. How about the scottish girl fired for not wearing her hat properly
2. The csd demoted for his epps being on the wrong way round
3. 31 crew resignations in the month of may from western crew
4. most flight going out with min crew
5. days off being rostered down route in my company if they want you to take days of down route they must ask you first.??
Sorry but isn't everything from plates to sleeper suits for Qatar Airways made by snack bar enterprises, so who is lineing whos' pockets then.
Qatar would be a great company without him lets just say he had the right team and well they all left and most have started up with Astraeus and look how well thats going??
MTQatar
13th Jul 2002, 06:54
Gulf Crew,
As I said some people were fired un-fairly but also I tried to say that there is quite a lot of untrue stories such as those of the two ex-employees that were mentioned by A300Man. What I'm doing is the sheperd and the wolf theory. If everytime you here untrue stories won't you naturally assume the next story is not true.
MTQatar
13th Jul 2002, 07:25
Is the little midget paying you to spout all that BULL because quite frankly you do not seem to have a clue as to why some people were fired from qatar.
Please stop with the allegations that I am somehow connected with QR. And again I was not "spouting bull" I didn't mention those people people because frankly I don't devote my life counting who was fired and who resigned. I just happened to know about the cases of the two people A300Man mentioned.
Sorry but isn't everything from plates to sleeper suits for Qatar Airways made by snack bar enterprises, so who is lineing whos' pockets then.
Again this is untrue, at least in the years which I have followed Qatar Airways. The linen used on board was imported from an Irish company whose name I forgot. I recieved the press release which stated that Qatar Airways signed the contract with them and not Al-Baker, who in turn allegedly sold it to QR. The same with the plates, which were from Hutschenreuth. A lot of the work has also been contracted to Qatar Foundation's Family Development Center which trains under-privilidged Qataris and foreigners in Basic skills and offers them job placements with certain companies. Again if you want a complete list I am prepared to get hold of it.
MT
Gulf Crew is supplying you with facts about Evil Kneivel's terrorising and how he treated the crew.
How about a CSD who was sacked but told to go on her 9 day Jakarta trip anyway. When she got back again she was once more told she was sacked. The intervention of the GMFO at the time helped reverse this decision and she was reinstated. (oh, she was told that her Fiancee would have to go as well..." I know he hasn't done anything wrong" )
The reason that she was "sacked"...A jordanian FA was upset by being corrected because she was late for pick up in LHR, so she ran straight to the Pitbull Terrier...imagine he had the audacity and total unprofessionalism to burst into the CSD's briefing...
Hasn't he got better things to do? Why doesn't the management get a chance to do their job?
As for your comments about not working hard, No 5 had an unblemished record and had been selected for Amiri...but, like so many of other loyal slaves was moved on because it was Akbar's time of the month!
Don't get me wrong, I find your comments interesting...A300 man led me to believe he worked for QR...well I don't like people pretending. Trust me, Gulf Crew, No 5 and myself are not slating QR and certainly not the country ( I'd come back tomorrow and sell newspapers at the Ramada traffic lights!!), but one person in particular !!
I am sad that these things go on constantly...perhaps if you were there MT you would be more understanding...I was too upset over other things to get upset over my "contract ending", but whilst I am sad about leaving, I am glad to be out of Dr Evil's clutches and in an airline where I can call the CEO by his first name and have my suggestions listened to and my efforts appreciated!
Apart from that, I have a life!! Nobody spying on you...
Taba
A300Man
13th Jul 2002, 11:44
Dear All, Taba and Gulf Crew,
For the record, I do not work for Qatar Airways. I am not employed by them. Rather, I am an industry observer who has followed the development of Qatar Airways (amongst other airlines) closely in recent years.
Hope this clarifies.
TightSlot
14th Jul 2002, 22:59
QED my previous comments... snore
Tightslot, so why do you bother reading all this...???
A300man, you tried to contact me before...send me an email pse!
Oh, and for the record No 5, Gulf Crew and myself ARE ex QR and we are still in contact regulary with QR employees...
The day Mini Me is sacked or loses a tyre from his Ducatti on the corniche will be a joyous day for all!
Did you see the ad in Flight for Amiri? How tacky does it look?
An ex HOCC for QR came on my A300 flight to BKK MNL a few years ago and said"How's the crew?" "Superb" was my reply..."Right, let's do it Bcal style"
So, off we went and after the service put a couple of trollies across the back galley and set up a proper bar!!! The pax loved it...
The good old days, when the two faced tampon had just joined and kept a relatively low profile....
Never mind....
Does He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named have a Ducatti? I thought he only has a thing for light blue BMW's!:D I'm also ex-QR by the way...
indeed doll!
send me an email!