Originally Posted by
Spounce
I haven't referred to the employees of the Gulf carriers as slave labour. I have pointed out that the Gulf carriers treat their staff in ways that would be illegal in any democracy. Qatar Airways FAs (especially those from the western world) often resign by "jumping ship" when they're on layovers in civilized countries. Trying to resign from Doha can be a big headache, and they can't even leave the country until their magnanimous employer decides to sign an exit permit for them.
The infrastructure under which the Gulf carriers operate, however, is likely to have been built with something akin to slave labour. Read up on the Indian and Nepalese nationals who have taken refuge in their own countries' embassies in Doha in order to escape, essentially, being imprisoned as slaves under prohibition of leaving Qatar. I'm not comfortable with our aviation policy being dictated by the people who run the Gulf states. Perhaps you are if it means a cheaper seat.
1. Ah, but you could say the same about many airlines in Asia, where the crew can't leave the company without giving up their career because the airlines have trained them and refuse to sign a no-objection certificate, without which they can't move to other carriers. Pretty sure that would be illegal in the west as well. Maybe we should cancel our bilaterals with those nations? Either which way, I'm surprised no western FA has sued the living daylights out of Qatar Airways in any western country in which it operates. What gives? Do they just jump ship and walk away and forget about it? That would be very odd, seeing as they would be sitting on a potential pay day.
2. You can say the same things about Chinese infrastructure. But you don't. Why? I mean, Chinese people can't even move around China without permission, let alone leave the country.
3. No one wants our aviation to be dictated by the rulers of the gulf states. We do, however, want it to be dictated by the market in Canada. Let Canadians decide who they want to fly on whichever day they want to fly. Too much to ask?