Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker calls US airline company crap carriers

qatarair
qatarair
Avatar of Linda Hohnholz
Written by Linda Hohnholz

The National President of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA), Bob Ross, responds to Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker’s sexist and ageist remarks.

“As if we didn’t need an incentive already to speak out against Qatar Airways, the latest statement by its CEO Akbar Al Baker should do the trick. Speaking at a Dublin event launching service for his airline in Ireland, he called his US competitors ‘crap airlines’ and noted that his flight attendants’ average age was 26. He then announced that on US carriers you would be served by ‘grandmothers.’ Calling his remarks reprehensible and sexist would be an understatement.

“Each day our passengers board our aircraft with confidence, knowing that they are in the care of well-seasoned and highly-trained professionals. Would Mr. Al Baker question the age of the flight attendants who thwarted Richard Reid, the ‘shoe bomber,’ or those who evacuated the aircraft that landed on the Hudson River? We are proud of our members who are not revered for their youth, but for their roles as safety professionals and first responders.

“Maybe it is time to reconsider Qatar’s membership in the One World Alliance since he views US airlines as ‘crap carriers.’ Mr. Al Baker’s crude remarks underscores why we are continuing to fight the Gulf carriers and their illegal government subsidies.”

APFA is an independent union comprised of 26,000 flight attendants of American Airlines.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

1 Comment
Newest
Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Share to...