Hundreds of travellers were stuck in a hotel in Auckland for three nights this week after Qatar Airways failed to depart on its Sunday flight to Doha.

The passengers said that the airline had not provided any information as to why their flight had been delayed.

It was also said that the flight was cancelled after check-in and following two delayed announcements.

The travellers recalled that a Qatar staff member instructed them to make their way to the check-in desk where they were asked to complete the arrivals process and to go through customs despite having not travelled.

Passengers complained about the three-day delay of their flight, with many saying that the airline did not provide any explanation for why the flight got cancelled. Credit: Richard Wainwright/AAP.​

The passengers also shared how the staff took them to a hotel after collecting their baggage, advising them to await further instructions.

Many of the stranded travellers took to social media to air their frustrations and complaints about the mishap.

One person posted: "@qrsupport your customer service is atrocious [sic]. #qr915 cancelled over 24 hours ago in Auckland. No direct communication from #qatar. The hotel has told us we have another 2 nights booked so we assume no flight planned tomorrow either. Please can somebody tell us when we are flying!"

"Still no word from the airline. I mean literally no word. Nothing,” said another frustrated passenger, emphasising that the unexplained delay was causing distress to him.

“This episode has well and truly entered the realms of the surreal. I mean, maybe Qatar airways doesn’t actually exist.”

Passengers eventually departed on Wednesday evening.

A Qatar Airways representative said that the airline experienced "extraordinary circumstances", prompting the flight to get delayed.

However, a number of staff members believe that the delay was related to COVID-19 restrictions, while other insiders claimed that the plane had a major engineering mishap, making it unsafe for flight.

The string of complaints followed after Australian air travellers became wary of airline operations due to a grievance that went viral on social media, where one frustrated passenger pointed out the use of paper plates in the Sydney Business Lounge of Qantas airline.

The traveller took to Facebook to air her frustration, writing: “In the Business Lounge in Sydney Domestic terminal. I know this makes me a snob, but paper plates? Really?”

Despite paying an annual fee of $699 for a business class membership, one frustrated passenger pointed out how Qantas used paper plates in the airline’s Business Lounge. Credit: Facebook.​

One user defended the airline, saying that the use of paper plates was due to “a major fault with the dishwasher” which was “awaiting repairs."

Another user, however, said that the situation was "not good enough".

The user said: “I flew to Brisbane on the 1st of May and that’s the excuse they gave me then. It’s simply not good enough … and no, I don’t have to be happy about it.”

However, not everyone sympathised with the passenger — despite the fact that Qantas Business Lounge members pay up to $699 per year for the privilege — with one person saying: “At Hungry Jacks downstairs I have my burger in a piece of paper or in a paper box, seriously get a grip people.”

Apparently, the paper plates are only a temporary measure while major repairs to the lounge's dishwasher take place as confirmed by a Qantas representative.

But given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, one has to wonder if the paper plates are also a way to save on staff costs. After all, less staff are needed to hand out paper plates than to wash dishes.

It should be noted that staff absenteeism rates are increasing by up to 20 per cent after Covid cases are spiking as winter sets in.

What are your thoughts on this? Should we be wary of new airline protocols or should we adjust to the "new normal"?

 

[cat55]

Paper plates and cups have been the norm for a lot of places due to Covid. Also I for one would rather wait 3 days than fly in an unsafe plane, whatever the reason. So wake up people!

 

[Ricci]

I have no gripe with paper plates and cups, however, I would be looking for some sort of compensation if my flight was delayed by so long, after all I would have paid for a service that I wasn't getting. Silence from the airline is not a good look, someone should have bit the bullet and told them what was going on, they might not have liked it but would have appreciated being kept in the loop.

 

[Attenyl]

Stranded for days: Travellers air string of complaints about “new normal” airline protocols​

Hundreds of travellers were stuck in a hotel in Auckland for three nights this week after Qatar Airways failed to depart on its Sunday flight to Doha.

The passengers said that the airline had not provided any information as to why their flight had been delayed.

It was also said that the flight was cancelled after check-in and following two delayed announcements.

The travellers recalled that a Qatar staff member instructed them to make their way to the check-in desk where they were asked to complete the arrivals process and to go through customs despite having not travelled.

Passengers complained about the three-day delay of their flight, with many saying that the airline did not provide any explanation for why the flight got cancelled. Credit: Richard Wainwright/AAP.​

The passengers also shared how the staff took them to a hotel after collecting their baggage, advising them to await further instructions.

Many of the stranded travellers took to social media to air their frustrations and complaints about the mishap.

One person posted: "@qrsupport your customer service is atrocious [sic]. #qr915 cancelled over 24 hours ago in Auckland. No direct communication from #qatar. The hotel has told us we have another 2 nights booked so we assume no flight planned tomorrow either. Please can somebody tell us when we are flying!"

"Still no word from the airline. I mean literally no word. Nothing,” said another frustrated passenger, emphasising that the unexplained delay was causing distress to him.

“This episode has well and truly entered the realms of the surreal. I mean, maybe Qatar airways doesn’t actually exist.”

Passengers eventually departed on Wednesday evening.

A Qatar Airways representative said that the airline experienced "extraordinary circumstances", prompting the flight to get delayed.

However, a number of staff members believe that the delay was related to COVID-19 restrictions, while other insiders claimed that the plane had a major engineering mishap, making it unsafe for flight.

The string of complaints followed after Australian air travellers became wary of airline operations due to a grievance that went viral on social media, where one frustrated passenger pointed out the use of paper plates in the Sydney Business Lounge of Qantas airline.

The traveller took to Facebook to air her frustration, writing: “In the Business Lounge in Sydney Domestic terminal. I know this makes me a snob, but paper plates? Really?”

Despite paying an annual fee of $699 for a business class membership, one frustrated passenger pointed out how Qantas used paper plates in the airline’s Business Lounge. Credit: Facebook.​

One user defended the airline, saying that the use of paper plates was due to “a major fault with the dishwasher” which was “awaiting repairs."

Another user, however, said that the situation was "not good enough".

The user said: “I flew to Brisbane on the 1st of May and that’s the excuse they gave me then. It’s simply not good enough … and no, I don’t have to be happy about it.”

However, not everyone sympathised with the passenger — despite the fact that Qantas Business Lounge members pay up to $699 per year for the privilege — with one person saying: “At Hungry Jacks downstairs I have my burger in a piece of paper or in a paper box, seriously get a grip people.”

Apparently, the paper plates are only a temporary measure while major repairs to the lounge's dishwasher take place as confirmed by a Qantas representative.

But given the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, one has to wonder if the paper plates are also a way to save on staff costs. After all, less staff are needed to hand out paper plates than to wash dishes.

It should be noted that staff absenteeism rates are increasing by up to 20 per cent after Covid cases are spiking as winter sets in.

What are your thoughts on this? Should we be wary of new airline protocols or should we adjust to the "new normal"?

My husband had a similar experience with Qatar about five years ago. He was left stranded in Montreal on a return flight. The passengers were all given hotel vouchers for one night, but when they returned to the airport there were no Qatar staff available and no messages on their phones. Luckily his ticket had been booked by a travel agent in Montreal who was able to get him on a flight with Air Canada to London and then Emirates back to Perth. He will never fly with Qatar again because of the poor customer service.