Qatar expresses 'regret' after women from 10 flights taken for medical examinations at Doha airport

Following on from my post on Monday

Australia’s foreign minister says 18 women, including 13 Australians, on Qatar Airways flight were subjected to compulsory intimate searches. The government of Qatar has said it “regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedom of any traveller” caused by a decision to conduct intimate medical examinations of women transiting through Doha international airport, in what it said was an “urgently-decided search” to find the mother of an abandoned baby. On Wednesday morning the Australian government confirmed that 18 women on a flight from Doha to Sydney were subjected to the compulsory medical examination, including 13 Australian citizens. Passengers from 10 flights leaving Doha on the evening of 2 October were affected.

Scott Morrison, the Australian prime minister, said the invasive treatment of the women was “unacceptable” and “appalling” and his government would “continue to take a very strident approach” in seeking answers and ensuring it would never be repeated. The Qatari government broke its silence on Wednesday, three days after the incident became global news. It said the search was triggered by the discovery of a baby in a trash can at Hamad international airport, “concealed in a plastic bag and buried under garbage”.

“The baby girl was rescued from what appeared to be a shocking and appalling attempt to kill her,” the statement said. “The infant is now safe under medical care in Doha.

“This was the first instance of an abandoned infant being discovered in such a condition at HIA – this egregious and life-threatening violation of the law triggered an immediate search for the parents, including on flights in the vicinity of where the newborn was found. While the aim of the urgently-decided search was to prevent the perpetrators of the horrible crime from escaping, the State of Qatar regrets any distress or infringement on the personal freedoms of any traveler caused by this action.
“His Excellency Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior of the State of Qatar has directed that a comprehensive, transparent investigation into the incident be conducted.  The results of the investigation will be shared with our international partners.  The State of Qatar remains committed to ensuring the safety, security and comfort of all travelers transiting through the country.”

Morrison told reporters in Canberra on Wednesday travellers were entitled to travel “free of those types of incidents” and Australia expected to see the results of the investigation very soon. “As a father of daughters, I could only shudder at the thought that any woman, Australian or otherwise, would be subjected to that,” the prime minister said. Morrison said he was determined to ensure there was no repeat of the incident, noting Qatar Airways was currently performing an important role in carrying about 15% of the Australians returning home after being stranded during the pandemic.

Asked whether Australia would seek an unqualified apology from the Qatari government, or compensation for the women, Morrison said the government would consider all options once it had the opportunity to review the investigation. “There is no doubt in the mind of whether it’s Qatari airlines or the government, about Australia’s strong objections and views about this and I think those views are shared, widely, so we will make a further response, not our first response, a further response, once we have the opportunity to see the results of that investigation.”

Eighteen women were on the Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Sydney which has been highlighted in media reports this week. The Australian foreign affairs minister, Marise Payne, would not name the other countries whose citizens were affected, but Agence France-Presse reported that one French woman was on the flight. Payne told a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday that 10 flights leaving Hamad international airport in Doha had been caught up in the search. Payne said the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade had not become aware of the number of other flights affected until Tuesday.

“The issues which have been discussed in relation to this matter are very concerning and very distressing and the Australian government has been quite clear about that,” Payne said. “There is a series of meetings occurring in Qatar as late as yesterday. Australia is not the only country affected.”
Those meetings involved the airport, Qatar Airways and the government of Qatar, Payne said.
The incident was reported to Australian authorities by women on the flight upon their arrival in Sydney on 3 October. Some passengers made a report to the Australian federal police at the airport, and one woman on the flight, a DFAT employee, emailed the department that night.

The woman were not travelling on official business. The incident was then immediately flagged with the Australian consulate in Doha. The first assistant secretary of the department, Dr Angela McDonald, then spoke to the Qatar ambassador on 6 October and was told a report on the women’s treatment would be produced. That report has not yet been produced. Payne said she had not spoken directly to anyone in the government of Qatar before calling in the ambassador this week. She said she had arranged to speak to the foreign minister of Qatar after the report was released, and the Australian ambassador to Qatar met the Qatari foreign minister overnight.

Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman, Penny Wong, asked why the minister had chosen not to speak directly to her Qatari counterpart, and why she did not speak to the ambassador in person until the incident was reported this week. “I understand the need to see the report … but surely we know enough to raise our deep concerns and express, at the most senior levels of government, the importance of the report being finalised publicly?” Wong said. Payne said there had been “extensive engagement through this process … right across the system”. The foreign affairs department secretary, Frances Adamson, said the Qatari government was also distressed by the incident.

“I should say also from the Qatari side there is a very strong determination to report as soon as possible,” Adamson said.
“Is there?” Wong asked.
“Yes, there is, senator,” said Payne.
Adamson said Qatar had “a reaction to this incident which I think matches our own in terms of level of distress, abhorrence and a deep questioning of how this can have happened”. She said the department was taking the incident seriously and she was “incredulous that it could have happened”. “This is not, by any standard, normal behaviour and Qatar recognise that, are appalled by it, do not want it to happen again and are working with other agencies,” Adamson said. Qatar’s record on women’s rights has in the past been criticised by human rights groups. Among points of discrimination highlighted by Human Rights Watch are a penal code that “does not criminalize domestic violence or marital rape” and a personal status law that says a “wife is responsible for looking after the household and obeying her husband”. Payne said she had not yet discussed the matter directly with the prime minister, but that his office had been advised on 5 October – the same day her office was advised. McDonald said no one from the department had been in direct contact with the women.




Full story written by
Calla Wahlquist and Daniel Hurst
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/28/women-10-flights-medical-examinations-doha-qatar-airways-australian-foreign-minister-says

Human foetus found in Doha airport bathroom - women stripped searched

QATAR A380-861 A7-APG  (CN 193)     File Photo

I saw this news story on the TV last and was absolutely outrage and shocked at what I was hearing. 
An international investigation has been launched into a disturbing incident at Doha airport which resulted in Australian female passengers being humiliated and searched - invasively. The Australian government has registered “serious concerns” with Qatari authorities after women on a flight from Doha to Sydney were ordered to disembark the plane and subjected to a strip search and a medical examination. Flight QR908 to Sydney was due to leave Hamad International airport at Doha at 8.30 on Friday 2nd October, but was delayed for four hours, apparently after a newborn infant was found dead in the airport. Among the 34 passengers on board was Dr Wolfgang Babeck, who was returning to Australia after spending a month in Germany with his ailing father. Babeck said after about three hours of waiting on board the plane, the airline requested that all the women on board disembark. They returned some time later, and “most of them were very upset”, he said. “At least one of them was crying, they were discussing what had happened and saying that it was unacceptable and disgusting.”  The plane was then allowed to take off. Babeck said he then spoke to some of the female passengers, who said they had been taken off the plane and led into a non-public area of the airport and subject to a medical examination. It’s alleged the 13 Australian women had their genitals invasively examined, without their consent.

“They were taken by security personnel into the cellar, not knowing what was going on,” he said. “And then they were presented to a female doctor and they were basically strip searched and had to take everything downwards off, all their clothes, even their underwear. “And then the doctor would try to feel in the uterus and stomach area or lower abdomen to see whether they may have given birth recently.  “Someone had been told that a baby had been found in the toilet and they were trying to find out who the mother was.”

Channel Seven, which first reported the story on Sunday, said the inspections involved 13 Australian women, and took place in an ambulance on the runway. A spokesperson for the Australian department of foreign affairs and trade told Guardian Australia earlier the department was “aware of concerning reports regarding the treatment, in Qatar, of passengers on a Qatar Airways flight to Sydney”.

“DFAT (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) is seeking further information from the Qatari authorities and Qatar Airways.” On Sunday night an updated statement from the department said the Australian government had “formally registered our serious concerns regarding the incident with Qatari authorities and have been assured that detailed and transparent information on the event will be provided soon”. Qatar Airways told Guardian Australia it had not been contacted by any of the passengers on the flight and said it could not comment.

“We appreciate the concerns and distress expressed to you by the Australian passengers who you have spoken to, and will be investigating these matters with the relevant authorities and officials,” a spokesperson said.

Main part of the story sourced from here

https://7news.com.au/news/world/australian-women-searched-and-humiliated-at-doha-airport-c-1454665#:~:text=The%20incident%20occurred%20at%20Hamad,matters%20into%20their%20own%20hands.

Happy Birthday Emirates

IATA ICAO Callsign EK UAE EMIRATES

AIRBUS A380-861 A6-EDN (CN 056)

The Emirates story starts back in 1985 when they launched operations with just two aircraft, an Airbus A300 B4 and a Boeing 737. The aircraft arrived in Dubai on the 20th October the previous year on a wet lease from Pakistan International Airlines. The Royal Family's Dubai Royal Air Wing also provided the airline with two used Boeing 727–200 Adv as a gift.
The airline was founded on the 25th March 1985 but commenced operations later that year on the 25th October 1985. On that day back in 1985 flight EK600 departed Dubai International for Karachi.
Emirates is based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The airline is a subsidiary of The Emirates Group, which is wholly owned by the government of Dubai's Investment Corporation of Dubai. It is the largest airline in the Middle East, operating over 3,600 flights per week from its hub at Dubai International Airport. Before Covid Emirates flew to more than 154 cities in 81 countries across six continents.
Emirates is the world’s fourth largest airline by scheduled revenue passenger-kilometers flown, the fourth-largest in terms of international passengers carried, and the second-largest in terms of freight tonne kilometers flown.

AIRBUS A380-861 A6-EEL (CN 133)

Early 2019 Emirates was named the 5th World’s Best Airline at Skytrax World Airline Awards. (The 2020 World Airline Awards were cancelled due to COVID-19, and will return in 2021 at the Paris Air Show.) In April 2019 Emirates continued its winning streak when it took top honours by sweeping five awards at the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2019. The airline took home the highly regarded industry accolades for Airline with the Best First Class, Airline with the Best Economy Class, Airline with the Best Frequent Flyer Program and Best Airport Lounge in the Middle East. Recognised for its operational excellence and exceptional products and services – the world’s largest international airline also took home the coveted award of Best Airline Worldwide.

On the 1st March 2016  Emirates launched what was then the worlds longest non-stop commercial flight from Dubai to Auckland using a 777.

BOEING 777-F1H A6-EFM (CN 42231)     CARGO

AIRBUS A38-861 A6-EDO (CN 057)

As of today Emirates fly the world’s biggest fleet of Airbus A380s and Boeing 777s with their current fleet being

• Airbus A319-100 x 1
• Airbus A380-800 x 115 (30 active - 85 parked)
• Boeing 777-200 x 10
• Boeing 777-300 x 131
• Boeing 777 Freighter x 11

Giving Emirates a total of 268 aircraft; below are a some of the different liveries we have seen on their aircraft.

BOEING 777-31H A6-ECF (CN 35574)

RUGBY WORLD CUP ON A6-EEK (CN 132)

ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP ON A6-EEK

UNITED FOR WILDLIFE ON A6-EEQ (CN 141)

2014 FIFA WORLD CUP BRAZIL A6-EEQ

AC MILAN ON A6-EET (CN 142)

One of world's longest flights is set to return -

One of world's longest flights - from New York to Singapore set to return - and will be even longer

SINGAPORE AIRLINES A350-941 9V-SHL (CN 371)    File Photo 

A Singapore Airlines flight will connect New York to Southeast Asia, one of the world's longest nonstop flights, starting next month, a hopeful sign for Americans anxious for global travel who aren't deterred by the coronavirus pandemic. Singapore Airlines announced a few days ago it is starting a nonstop flight between New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport, flying three times a week starting November 9 using their latest Airbus A350-900 aircraft. Flights from Singapore to JFK will take 18 hours and 5 minutes, while JFK to Singapore will take 18 hours and 40 minutes, due to the headwind. On that route, passengers will also arrive two days after they departed, thanks to the 10.30pm start and 6.10am arrival time. At a scheduled 18 hours, 40 minutes, the flight is few minutes shy of the airline's longest from the US, also serving the New York area. That flight, from Newark, New Jersey, to Singapore route, remains suspended. But airline officials say the time is right to add an East Coast ultra long counterpart to non-stops it has continued to operate between Los Angeles and Singapore, scheduled at a little less than 18 hours in the air. Only Singapore citizens or those with long-term passes, however, have been allowed into the country. Though Singapore shut its borders months ago, the Southeast Asian trading centre has been gradually easing restrictions to allow foreigners to transit to other countries through its airport, Bloomberg News reported. Aside from travel restrictions, there's also the issue of safety aboard on an ultra long flight when fears still abound about the chances of being infected by the virus. 

SINGAPORE A350-941 9V-SHJ (CN 328)     File Photo

The airline hopes passengers will be reassured by its enhanced cleaning schedules, the air filtration systems it uses aboard the Airbus A350-900 jetliners it uses for the ultra long flights and face mask requirements. "There are some early signs of optimism about a recovery in air travel," Lee Lik Hsin, an executive vice president for Singapore Airlines, said in a statement. "Our customers say that they are increasingly confident about air travel, given the robust health and safety measures that are in place, as well as testing regimes to protect them and our staff." The return of the ultra long flight underscores that consumers are anxious to get back in the air, said Henry Harteveldt, industry analyst for the Atmosphere Research Group in San Francisco. "People want to travel and our research shows in Europe, the US and Asia, the desire to travel remains strong," Harteveldt said. He pointed to a survey that his firm conducted in July in which 84 per cent of those participating in the US agreed with the statement, "I can't wait to travel again." He said there were similar strong responses in eight other countries, ranging from 77 per cent in Germany to 90 per cent in China.

Story sourced from here
https://www.traveller.com.au/singapore-airlines-one-of-worlds-longest-flights-from-new-york-to-singapore-set-to-return--and-will-be-even-longer-h1rjxs

Old airport control tower for sale in New Zealand

An old airport control tower is now available as a house for sale in New Zealand

Live in the most unique home in the area. Picture: TommysRealEstate

Many Australians haven’t had many chances to go anywhere near an airport since our borders were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, a unique opportunity has hit the market in New Zealand that is offering everything a keen traveller could want in a property. It is situated close to an airport, has great views of the the harbour and a long interesting history. There’s just one minor drawback. Instead of a house, the property is the former Wellington air traffic control tower.
Flights in and out of Wellington have controlled from the building for nearly 60 years, when it first opened in 1959, until it was decommissioned in 2018.
It is believed to be the only air traffic control tower in the world with a residential address and its own letterbox, according to Stuff.

Not far from the water. Picture: TommysRealEstate

The block of land could actually be any surfer’s dream spot, with the site located only a 10-minute walk to the local Lyall Bay Surf Beach.

New home office with a view? Picture: TommysRealEstate

The Grand Old Lady of Wellington’ as she is commonly known is positioned among the houses in the hills on the western side of the airport. According to the marketing material, the site offers a ‘blank canvas opportunity’ sitting on 940 sqm, spilt over two titles., with it ‘positioned for unbelievable sun from morning till evening’. 

There is hope that the old tower could be given new life as an out-of-the box abode by a thoughtful creative architect, but that may not be the case.

Airways Chief Financial Officer James Young told stuff.co.nz the most likely scenario was that it would be bought by a developer and cleared to build new homes.

Tommy’s Real Estate agents Billy Bell and Jess Platt said it was the most unique property they had ever listed. “We’ve had unusual looking houses, but never anything quite like this so it’s exciting to be involved.”

Picture: TommysRealEstate

Australia's busiest routes

 Australia's busiest flight route no longer includes Sydney or Melbourne

You'll no longer find Sydney or Melbourne on Australia's busiest air route, thanks to COVID-19 border closures.  Regional and intra-state routes now dominate the list of top domestic flying destinations with Australian airlines preparing to boost capital city flights as state borders slowly re-open. The Tasmanian government announced on Monday it will open the state to NSW on November 2, provided NSW avoids a spike in COVID-19 cases. Travellers from Queensland, South Australia and the ACT can visit the Apple Isle from next Monday with both Qantas and Virgin keen to ramp up their network capacity.

Qantas data shows the airline's most popular domestic route in the September-October school holidays was Brisbane to Cairns, up from the 14th most popular route this time last year. In second place was Perth-Broome and third was Brisbane-Townsville. South Australia's decision to allow quarantine-free travel from NSW saw Sydney-Adelaide land fourth on the list, with Canberra-Brisbane rounding out the top five. In second place was Perth-Broome and third was Brisbane-Townsville. South Australia's decision to allow quarantine-free travel from NSW saw Sydney-Adelaide land fourth on the list, with Canberra-Brisbane rounding out the top five.

In 2019 the top routes were the "golden triangle" between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, as well as Melbourne-Perth and Melbourne-Adelaide. Victoria's importance to the Australian aviation network is highlighted by Melbourne's presence in four of the top five routes from this time last year. Before the coronavirus pandemic the Sydney-Melbourne route consistently ranked among the busiest flight paths in the world. Qantas launched a daily Sydney-Ballina flight in July and by September had increased services to four per day. A Qantas spokeswoman said flight capacity has equaled or exceeded pre-COVID levels on several domestic and regional routes including Perth-Broome, Brisbane-Longreach, and Adelaide-Alice Springs. The Brisbane-Hamilton Island route has three times as many seats available compared to the same time last year.

CAPA Centre for Aviation chairman and veteran analyst Peter Harbison said the data was a stark reminder of how the second wave of COVID-19 had hobbled the travel industry's recovery. "We anticipated as the first wave subsided, the domestic tourism market would quickly take off," Mr Harbison said. "That wasn't to be, but what we've seen on the intra-state and few other routes that are open is a substantial keenness to fly. That's really encouraging for holidaymakers and domestic tourism operators because, barring any major new flare-up, most interstate routes should open up and the Christmas period will be boomtime for leisure travel.

"But – and it's a big but – we can't be certain that health and politics will allow that. Probably a safer bet is that we'll be at about 50 to 60 per cent of 2019 domestic levels by year-end." Qantas domestic chief executive Andrew David said state and international border closures meant people were adapting their travelling habits.
"The spike in bookings over the school holidays is a positive sign for the whole tourism industry and helped get more of our people back to work," he said. The Qantas data excludes Jetstar flights as well as mining routes such as Brisbane to Mackay and Perth to Karratha, Port Hedland and Newman.
A Virgin spokesman said the airline plans to increase services between Tasmania and the mainland in coming weeks.

"We remain hopeful that other states will follow Tasmania to safely re-open their borders so that we can reboot the tourism and aviation industries which rely on a connected nation."

Qantas' top five busiest routes during COVID-19

1. Brisbane-Cairns (14th last year)
2. Perth-Broome (20th)
3. Brisbane-Townsville (11th)
4. Sydney-Adelaide (8th)
5. Canberra-Brisbane (17th)

Last year's top five

1. Melbourne-Sydney (2nd busiest in the world)
2. Brisbane-Sydney
3. Brisbane-Melbourne
4. Adelaide-Melbourne
5. Melbourne-Perth

Malaysia Airlines could close if restructure talks fail

MALAYSIA A380-841 9M-MNB (CN 81)       File Photo

Malaysia Airlines is prepared to shut down completely if ongoing talks with leasing companies about a restructuring plan fail, The Edge Malaysia cited the national carrier’s chief executive officer as saying. A “sizable” number of creditors support the company’s restructuring plan, some are against it and others are still undecided, airline CEO Izham Ismail told the business weekly in an interview Saturday. The company needs “to get the 50:50 (undecided) ones with those who have agreed,” Izham was cited as saying in the publication. Once creditors make their decision, Malaysia Airlines will choose whether to proceed with the restructuring plan or execute “Plan B,” which may involve the passing of its air operator’s certificate to a new carrier under a different name, he added. The company is working hard to get the cooperation of those involved so it can “move on to the next phase in making the business sustainable,” Malaysia Airlines said in a emailed statement Sunday. “The restructuring involves several stages and we will not be able to share more information at this point in time,” it said. 

MALAYSIA A330-223 9M-MTX (CN 911)     File  Photo 

Malaysia Aviation Group, the holding company for the Malaysia Airlines, is pleased with the level of support it has received from lessors and is “confident that there are appropriate legal mechanisms available should that support not be universal,” it said in a statement Saturday. Reuters reported on Friday that a group of leasing companies rejected the restructuring plan put forward by Malaysia Airlines, citing people familiar with the matter and a letter from a London law firm. The airline, wholly owned by Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional since 2014, announced earlier this month that it had embarked on an “urgent” restructuring exercise that involves renegotiating with lessors, as it sees little sign of the pandemic easing. The company has cut salaries for management and pilots, offered unpaid leave to employees, and has sought payment deferrals and contract renegotiation since March. It is now reviewing its network and fleet plans.