Qatar Airways, one of the world's leading airlines, has taken a drastic measure against a German travel vlogger who posted a negative review of his flight on Instagram. The vlogger, who goes by the name of Josh Cahill, claimed that he was "bullied" and denied service onboard by Qatar Airways' cabin crew after he criticized the airline's food, entertainment, and customer service.
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Cahill uploaded a video on his YouTube channel on December 15, 2023, titled "I HATED MY FLIGHT WITH QATAR AIRWAYS". In the video, he showed clips of his unpleasant experience on board a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Frankfurt. He said that he was offered only water and bread for breakfast, that the in-flight entertainment system was outdated and glitchy, that the seats were uncomfortable and cramped, and that the cabin crew was rude and unprofessional.
He also accused Qatar Airways of violating his rights as a passenger and demanded an apology from the airline. He said that he felt humiliated and unsafe during his flight and that he would never fly with Qatar Airways again. The video quickly went viral and received thousands of views and comments from viewers who expressed their sympathy for Cahill or their agreement with his complaints. Some viewers also suggested alternative airlines to fly with instead of Qatar Airways. However, not everyone was happy with Cahill's video. Some viewers defended Qatar Airways and pointed out that Cahill's review was biased and unfair. They argued that Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines in the world and that it offers excellent service and quality to its customers. They also claimed that Cahill's video was staged or exaggerated for views and money. One of these viewers was a user named u/FlightAttendant_2023 on Reddit, who said: "Is Qatar Airways really that bad? I am an incoming male Cabin Crew trainee for Qatar Airways in June and I'm currently watching and doing my research regarding their experiences in the airline. Most of the testimonials so far are quite negative."
The user also shared some positive aspects of working for Qatar Airways as a cabin crew member. He said that they get to save money on accommodation, food, and transportation, that they are extremely well trained in medical and safety procedures, that they get to visit some cool places around the world, and that they have access to generous benefits such as free flights, hotel stays, medical insurance, etc. The user also warned other potential cabin crew members about some of the challenges they might face working for Qatar Airways. He said that it is a very controlling company with strict rules and regulations, that people can get reported or fired easily for minor mistakes or complaints, that there is no time for family or personal life due to long working hours or frequent transfers between different bases or countries, etc. The user concluded by saying: "I think there are pros and cons to all airlines but I personally prefer EK/EY over QR because I feel more comfortable working there." Cahill did not respond to any of these comments or criticisms from other viewers. However, he did post another video on December 17, 2023, titled "Qatar Airways BANS ME FROM FLYING WITH THEM". In this video, he showed footage of him being confronted by two men in suits at Doha airport before boarding his flight. He claimed that these men were representatives of Qatar Airways who told him to delete his negative review video from YouTube or face legal action. He also said that these men threatened him with violence if he refused to comply with their demands. He said that he felt scared and intimidated by them but he managed to escape from them after calling security. He ended his video by saying: "This is unacceptable behavior from an airline company. They have no right to censor me or harass me for expressing my honest opinion about their service. I will not delete my video or apologize for speaking my mind." Cahill's latest video has received mixed reactions from viewers who are divided over whether he should be banned from flying with Qatar Airways or not. Some viewers supported him and praised him for standing up against bullying or censorship. They said that he has every right to share his experience as a consumer or traveler regardless of what others think or say about him. Other viewers criticized him for being unprofessional or irresponsible by making false accusations against an airline company without any evidence or proof. They said that he should respect their reputation or business even if he does not like their service or product. Some viewers also suggested alternative ways to deal with such situations such as contacting customer service representatives directly instead of posting videos online, seeking legal advice before taking any action, reporting any incidents involving harassment or discrimination³, etc. Qatar Airways has not issued any official statement regarding Cahill's videos yet but they will likely take legal action against him.