ft101

He may or may not have done the things you claim, either solo or with a team contributing, but his behaviour means he often comes across as the town clown or village idiot. Until he sorts that out it's a reputation he's going to be stuck with.

Dr. HFH

What makes you think that that's what he really wants? My guess? He's just playing the OneWorld members to get something. I've said it before, but don't underestimate him.

T.A.Music

I second that. If I'm AAB, I'd prefer to discuss whatever feud QR and AA/QF have in private, not shouting it out in public (tantrum-throwing sometimes won't get us anywhere). I'm gonna be like, "Let's laid it down on the table, Parker, Joyce. I'm OK with not taking a stake in your company but let it be known that I have my own share at the [oneworld] table. If we want to be civil or at least act civil to one another, especially the fact that we're living under the oneworld charter, let's talk and seek the middle path."

I'm actually not, but people started to get tired. Here are one of the receipts.

#1son

this moniker for AAB was mentioned a few months earlier ;-)

Bravada04

anabolism

What specifically is your concern?

As has been repeatedly mentioned in this thread, if QR leaves OneWorld, it would likely take quite some time (easily a year), so odds are that your flights would happen when QR is still a member. Should QR leave OneWorld before your flights, you would still have a valid ticket and be able to fly it. You might not be able to credit the flights to earn frequent flyer points, miles, or status credits, depending on which program you wished to credit towards.

BobFF68

As the above poster already mentioned, nothing to do, just relax and think how to enjoy your next QR/OW trip, here it is just a threat and speculations that is going on since long, nothing happened yet and nobody knows whether it will ever happen and when.

T8191

i have nine months of nervousness still to go, as I will need the TPs from our QR booking!

Dr. HFH

No need to be nervous; QR's not leaving OW within the next nine months.

T8191

In which case I shall continue to anticipate the experience with pleasure.

If you are proven wrong, I would note we have friends and contacts in the USA!

IAN-UK

And you, Dr. HFH, are adding embellishment to your skills

Credit where credit is due: HE Akbar Al Bakar has undoubted management skills. But these skills were honed within the very rare environment of Qatar: I'm not sure how they would stand up in the wider world.

He has certainly done little single-handedly, nor would he be expected to do so. Cash provided him with an army of consultants, and the ability to employ teams of first-rate managers to implement his vision.

He operates within parameters set by the owners of the airline. While he is clearly trusted and valued in terms of the advice he gives his patrons, he is not in a position to make major decisions regarding the external policies of Qatar the state or Qatar the airline.

I have no idea at all of his emotional attachment to the ruling family, but he is quite evidently a trusted steward. His off the cuff comments have caused diplomatic embarrassment, but he has been quick to defuse these situations.

Dr. HFH

Oh, that's something I try to avoid; but it wouldn't be the first time!


I completely agree. He's definitely an autocrat; and that's how he runs the airline. He'd be hard pressed to operate like that in the western world, what with unions, employee rights, and the like.


Well, sure, though I'm less certain of how much he relies on outside consultants. But no question that he has teams of managers to implement his vision. My point, however, was that QR is indeed, the embodiment of his vision.


Of course he's not setting state policy. But look at the power he's been given. He runs the airline, airport and tourism authority. When the blockade was implemented, he was given fairly free reign to get people going to Qatar again, as well as develop and implement strategies to bring in all the goods which had previously come in overland from Saudi, and he pulled it off.


This is what I meant/was talking about.


As I've said before, I think that none of the potentially embarrassing comments was inadvertent. My impression is that he's very deliberate and planful.

IAN-UK

He's certainly secretary-general of the National Tourism Council; and he's group chief executive of Qatar Airways Group, which includes both the airline and the airport, so he's certainly done well.

But you might be over-egging it, and putting some sheikly noses out of joint in the process, by suggesting he was responsible for the mammoth logistical task of coordinating an emergency import strategy for everything from dairy products to building supplies. His airline was most certainly a conduit for many goods, but i think there was a little more behind the plan than arranging transport.

Again, I'm not belittling the man's very real achievements, just attempting to put them in perspective.


I'm not sure what his planful objective might have been in the toe-curling comments about the ability of women to run airlines.

And remember his swipe at American Airlines, conflating crap service with the carrier's grandmother cabin crew?

Dr. HFH

Agreed. But transportation was the link that was cut, and he cobbled a new solution back together.

Dn10

Any updates on this? Or another AAB empty threat.