108912

I'm not sure that argument holds water in a worldwide service industry DR. Qatar isn't just a local company trying to attract local customers. It is advertising around the world in an attempt to lure foreigners. I would say at a guess that non-Qatari's would make up 80% of the QR market?

QR suffered enough 'bad press' with newspaper articles online about some of their policies towards staff that made many outside Qatar think hmmmmm.

So if you were a manager of a 'five star worldwide airline' and realised your brand was being tarnished would you then go on to publish a photo of an employee? Did this 'manager' really believe such an image an email would stay 'internal'.

Once again, QR have shot themselves in the foot.

It's no wonder that EK and EY staff literally are 'worldwide' airlines in terms of their staff with colleagues hailing from all corners of the world whilst QR can only attract from developing countries.

Qatar, the country and the carrier, want a place on the world stage. Their profile has heightened since the winning of the world cup, and so has the eyes on how employees are treated there. The treatment of indian workers on the world cup stadium got a lot of airtime in the west - so much that changes were made to their pay and working conditions along with an acknowledgement from a senior Qatari minister that Qatar does have 'issues' with employment rights and that these would be addressed.

I'm sorry, but I just do not agree that for a carrier who's primary focus is attracting high yielding wealthy passengers from the west to be defended by a 'well thats how it's done here' mentality.

A nations cultural or religious requirements should be taken into consideration. But how could taking a CCTV image of an employee and circulating it fall into either of these camps? All it is, is nasty, unprofessional and designed to strike fear into an already submissive workforce.

Saltire74

Here here bananahead. But for the rest of this discussion I shall stick to my signature for fear of offending

Safe & Happy Travels

S

108912

Lol. I just find it ironic that some people defend this kind of 'management' as reflecting the local culture where it absolutely does not. What is worth noting is that the email is signed by Rossen Dimitriov - the Senior VP Customer Experience - whom took the decision to post the CCTV picture and is obviously not Qatari and probably does not reflect the culture of the Qatari's.

There is no 'cultural' or 'religious' debate here. This is a bullying style form of (mis)management determined to make a humiliating example of an employee whom has made a mistake. The employee concerned should have absolutely been taken to task - that is providing she was 'intoxicated' and not just 'exhausted' after perhaps a long haul flight coupled with jetlag and a few drinks.

I wouldn't have this issue if it was say, Saudi Arabian Airlines. Saudi Arabian airlines does not hide behind an image of catering towards an international (predominantly western) audience. It's passengers are predominantly Saudi or people visiting friends and relatives in Saudi. It caters to it's market. It is what it is. No blitzing advertising campaigns around the world with pictures of smiling Saudi staff saying to westerners 'Come! Come fly with us on our amazing airline'.

Qatar/Etihad/Emirates are not here to predominantly cater to their 'local' markets. They do their very best to make themselves appear 'international' and Etihad and Emirates do a relatively good job at this.

What is particularly galling and hypocritical of this manager is the email he sent to colleagues less than a week after sharing the picture of this woman to all and sundry. This after he just completed 'emotional intelligence training' within QR:

“We also recognise the importance of emotions and want to create an organisation that is emotionally intelligent because that brings about numerous positive changes, including training effectiveness and customer service excellence, as well as an improvement in employee performance,” he said in a company press release.

“Our staff are one of our most valuable assets.”

http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/...-10115500.html

I think Qatar generally has a great inflight hard product as well as lounges. I do fly them occasionally because sometimes the fares in J are just so low compared to other carriers you'd have to be crazy not too. One thing I always notice though is their crew (whilst hard working) always have an aura of not wanting to be there. Reading the 'rules and regulations' they must adhere to whilst in their own free time, it's no wonder really.

moeser

+1 ^

Unfortunately I have seen the same in the KSA where the consequences are
even harsher.

Only difference is that so called '' friends '' had taken the pictures to post them on facebook.

Employer or friends.Dignity should be respected !

Dr. HFH

Oh, how perfect!!Perhaps you meant "Hear, Hear!!" instead of "Here Here"?


But ....Or, put slightly differently, you have your principles but are willing to compromise them if there's enough cash involved.


And you read minds, no auras, too!! But even if you're right, so what? Qatar Airways is hardly the only place where people don't like their jobs.


I recognize what everyone is saying here, and personally wouldn't even think of doing that to one of my employees. I run my foreign business the same way I run my U.S. business with the result that my Thai employees are in a significantly better position with regard to employment conditions and benefits than their friends in similar jobs working for Thai employers. However, it would never occur to me to criticize Thai businesses for the way that they treat their employees. I am a guest in this country. It's not my place to try to change its customs. If I don't like them and it's sufficiently important to me, I don't have to stay.

NYTA

Good marketing - this makes me want to fly them more, knowing that the FAs are up for a good party when off duty ;-)

108912

Yes, busted. I'm a hypocrite. Despite the fact that I think their industrial relations are appalling and I cannot stand their CEO who makes exclamations full of self importance I will fly them if I can enjoy one of their J seats and nice lounges for the price of Premium Economy on a competitor.

But saying that, I also wear Nike shoes made in Vietnam, own an iPhone made in China and even occasionally drink non-fair trade coffee!

My point was, when the world is already becoming aware of their poor industrial relations and OTT rules for staff WHY oh WHY would you give yourself more bad press? If what this crew member did was so seriously bad why not just sack her instead of going down the public humiliation route? Again, it seems borne out of a desire to elicit control, fear and is just total mis-management.

1010101

Worryingly I think QR management probably think this sort of behaviour (the taking and sharing of the photograph) looks good on them. Perhaps it does in Qatar, but unfortunately it makes them look terrible everywhere else, and that everywhere else is where most of their customers come from. Much like their CEO, they need to learn when to keep their profile low. I already know people who won't fly them because of the airline's staff policies and the country's human rights record, they hardly need to be adding to the list.

impeymac

I agree with comments that this shouldn't have been published. This smacks of a Manager using the mistakes of employees to try & impress QR Executives & further his career, a particular hatred of mine.

Playing Devil's advocate, I can't help feeling this situation could have been avoided if the subject of the photo had simply exercised some self control (assuming no outside interference with their drinks of course).

zat_dude

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...rrier-grows-up

carrotjuice

What good is the picture... when you can't see the face?