Passengers have taken to Twitter to call for a boycott of Qatar Airways after accusing the state-backed carrier of monopolizing the local market and supporting unfair employment policies.
Online activists using the tag #BoycottQatAir blasted the airline for issues including serving alcohol on its flights and not offering discounts to local students.
The airline also came under fire for not offering a 60 percent pay rise to its Qatari employees, after the government promised the salary increase to nationals in the public sector.
The online campaign has attracted more than 1,000 followers with in excess of 300 users signing an online petition calling on Qatar Airways to address their concerns.
“The Qatar Airways management should care and sort this out otherwise its reputation will suffer, that should mean something for them,” said @marzoqi56.
@Alnauimi added: “This is the Qatari spring against Qatar Airways. The people demand employment for Qataris, the people demand a reduction in rates, and the abolishment of the monopoly of Qatar Airways.”
Another Twitter user attacked the airline’s recruitment policies.
Why are fresh graduates forced to work for the minimum salary with a five-year compulsory contract?” asked @BoMajid89.
A spokesperson for Qatar Airways was not immediately available to comment.
The state-backed airline was the subject of a similar online campaign last July, which saw Qataris complain of perceived preferential treatment for “foreigners” using the hashtag #qatarairwaysfail.
“Qatar Airways means you have to pay a high price for your ticket so that the foreigner next to you can drink the finest wines,” one user tweeted.
The complaints come a week after Dubai’s Emirates Airline was forced to pull its new year fares sale from the Qatar market following complaints from the emirate’s aviation authority.
The world’s biggest international airline had slashed fares to more than 100 cities by up to 25 percent for bookings up to Jan 9, but failed to clear the deal with Qatar’s civil aviation body.
Qatar media reported the Civil Aviation Authority could face legal action over its move to block the cut-price sales, it if could be proved the decision had hurt the interests of citizens.
“Qatar’s constitution guarantees the freedom to do business legally and based on social justice,” Yusuf Al Zaman Raya, a lawyer and former head of the Court of Appeal, told Al Raya.
Qatar Airways said in November it planned to roll out up to 15 new routes over the next year in a bid to increase its share of the lucrative long-haul market.
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