While we see changes in airline leadership all the time, this is something I didn’t see happening, and it has to be one of the most significant resignations we’ve seen in years…
Continue reading: WOW: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker Resigns
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
There have been rumors about AAB's health for a while. If so, I sincerely hope that everything is well and wish him nothing but the best for the future.
Love him or hate him, it is impossible to underestimate the impact he has had on world aviation. His shoes will be impossible to fill.
No matter what one thinks of Al Baker, he has been a force in the airline industry. He had led QR to be arguably the best airline in the world. A legend.
Something so sudden for a CEO without any prior rumors usually has an "Oh!" reveal.
Maybe some scandal or health related issue. Possibly politics, but those tend to have some background noise already going around. Especially from a very tenured executive.
A correction is needed, as Al Baker was removed as Chairman of Qatar Tourism on 22 October 2023 and replaced with Saad bin Ali bin Saad Al Kharji. Akbar has nothing to do with Qatar’s tourism as of yesterday — and as of 5 November 2023, he will no longer have any official role in the State of Qatar when he is done as Group CEO of QR.
Word is that the Qatari leadership grew tired of Akbar’s outdated old-school leadership style and, more so, of his shoot-from-the-hip public persona, which often brought shame on the State of Qatar through his controversial (if not offensive) commentary. The airline has also been vulnerable and exposed to unnecessary global criticism under Al Baker’s leadership due to his overly controlling and fear-instilling leadership style, especially with QR’s cabin crew who are subject to extremely restrictive policies impacting their quality of life (for example, a curfew where crew have to be in their company accommodation from 4-7am every night and will be terminated instantly if they break this policy…one of Akbar’s signature favourites).
Celebrate this man if you wish. But ask anyone on the inside of QR, and they are thrilled he’s leaving.
Source on Akbar being demoted from Tourism Minister role: https://www.diwan.gov.qa/briefing-room/news/general/lg/2023/october/22/lg01?sc_lang=en
I will miss how simultaneously hilarious and terrifying he was every time he opened his mouth.
What was his background prior to this role? How on earth do you become an airline CEO at the age of just 34?
He worked at the civil Aviation Directorate and was also a Qatari, that’s what they were looking for with the Job.
Well who knows what’s the reality is behind him leaving. Was it all planned for him to get the lifetime achievement award and then step down or he is asked to step down?
Another school of thought is that he is not keeping well and have some health issues.
No matter what the reason is he is done good for the country with the immense power and funds he had at disposal but sadly he has also lead a regime of terror due to his micromanagement, dictatorship and many other poor leadership style, amongst his staff and effected many.
Who knows that maybe he is asked to step down. After recently awarded lifetime achievement award and then suddenly asked to step down does indicate there is something not right.
Well he lead a regime of terror amongst his staff which effected mental health, and growth of staff at Qatar airways due to his micromanagement.
With the power and funds at disposal he should have done wonders but sadly it didn’t as he was too engrossed in keeping tab on others life in his organization and enforcing stupid rules to control freedom.
Al Baker become head of Qatar Tourism Authority and head of Hamad airport would become new QR CEO
The new CEO has to improve the plight of senior citizens opting for wheel chairs and ensure quicker availability wheel chairs during long international flights . Recently we had bad experience due to non availability of wheelchairs at Chennai and doha & moreal airports.
I also heard a few of the senior QR executives will be exited along with Akbar. Notably, Salam Al Shawa (Head of Corporate Communications), Saliya Karunanayake (Head of Cabin Crew), and Thabet Musleh (Head of Qatar Duty Free) All of them are lifetime Akbar groupies and have long perpetuated Al Baker’s fear culture and have a reputation of incompetence and questionable ethics across the industry.
I love Al Baker. I actually was able to meet him several times literally RIGHT as the pandemic started. We almost got stuck in Qatar as the world locked down. He walked amongst the people and talked to passengers and tourists at several events and places. He also grew OneWorld more than any other leader. I can't wait for OmanAir, RwandAir, MIAT Mongolian, and many others to come into the fold.
I believe those are termed for like 2 or 4 years, I think that's either coming up soon or just did. Maybe Qantas is the current head if I remember correctly?
During his tenure, Qatar's point currency became Avios. Finnair has followed. Perhaps more One World airlines will follow. Imagine if there was a single One World point currency that was transferable among all of the member airlines. And, it all started with him.
According to Reuters, the CEO of Hamad Airport Badr Al Meer has just been appointed the new CEO of Qatar Airways.
maybe it is part of the Airbus settlement but regardless of the reason QR's standing in the industry will improve.
a man who shaped QATAR AIRWAS with so much passion & dedication wont leave at such a short notice unless something went wrong internally
I have it on good authority that AAB is resigning due to his fears about not being able to compete with Delta's profitability, their ability to command premium revenue, and the fact that they own an oil refinery.
Feel the same way.
He got replaced at Qatar Tourism something like the day before this Qatar Airways news hit. His replacement at QR is to be the COO of DOH airport.
Maybe he threw a fit at being replaced at Qatar Tourism by his junior? I hope it’s not a health or some kind of ethical or legal issue that hit, but his energy level at his age does give me concerns that it may be his health and a cardiac or vascular emergency.
I am certain, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker is stepping down from the Qatari National Airline Qatar Airways, for what ever reason i believe to be one we can respect, and we only wish him well in his future endeavor's.
In my opinion, i believe firmly that a Qatari should be in control of the Nations Airline, after all looking back when the Airline started in 1993, we had His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani, the CEO of the Nations Carrier.
The airline has been successfully moving forward, so in my opinion keep it Qatari.
On the whole, not great news. The only possible silver lining would be if the new guy likes the A380 more than AAB and wants to keep it going, that would make me VERY happy but other than that possibility, don't see much upside here.
My best wishes to Mr. Baker. He truly is one of a kind and I will miss his commentary. Nonetheless, he created a truly extraordinary and world-class airline.
I remember seeing a picture of him a few weeks ago, and I thought to myself that he looked noticeably weaker and more frail (more than one should look so suddenly at his age). I hope he is well and wish him all the best!
You'd expect QR will move to install premium economy class after this.
Al Bakr has upgraded Business class to the point First has become irrelevant. Doing so he has created a gap in QR's offering which other airlines are happy to fill. So much so that QR Suites can't be rolled out in all markets.
That and the Airbus feud have been massive strategic errors that place the airline at a disadvantage moving forward, especially with Etihad on the come back and massive investment in Saudi Arabia. The toxic work culture probably did not help as those competitors llok to grow their workforce.
One can only speculate on the reasons that led to the trigger being at this specific time but it's clear QR needed new management.
I am sensing that AAB will be joining RiyadhAir.. announcement to come out shortly
If it was health/personal issues, he'd have gotten a glowing sendoff.
He probably got fired because of the disastrous QSuites product. Nobody likes QSuites.
"Prolific" doesn't mean what you think it means, unless you meant to imply that Al Baker had a lot of children, or that he founded a lot of airlines (using the word more metaphorically).
But David Neeleman, who is Mormon and has 10 children, and who founded at least 3 airlines, probably wins that prize!
A lot of Apple employees hated the late Steve Jobs.
I hardly think any Apple customers hate Steve Jobs.
Celebrate this man if you wish.
You need to file a complain to Jetway Jesus.
With all the miracle requests from India, he probably ran out of available wheelchairs.
Or maybe it's time to go ask Jetway Vishnu or Shiva instead so Jetway Jesus can go back to heal people in Florida and Las Vegas.
It's been announced that his new job will be as advisor to H.E. Scheikh Mohammed A Thani the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.
Sounds like as an advisor he'll be barely visible.
Per Turning Left for Less:
“…it has now been announced that Al Baker has been appointed advisor to H.E the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.”
I've also heard similar things about the Head of Commercial, non other than the infamous Thierry Antinori. This Frenchmen has a reputation for shopping around for other women as much as he is constantly searching for other airlines. Can anyone say Mauritius...looks like his next target.
What suddenly changed?
Pure speculation - there's one major world event happening right now, with significant Qatari involvement. He might have supported the wrong side.
What suddenly changed?
Pure speculation - there's one major world event happening right now, with significant Qatari involvement. He might have supported the wrong side.
Hmm. I worked on the project to establish a single oneworld currency first time around back in the 90s. It didnt fly then and it won't now. AA are the big gorilla and would rightly nevef give up Aadvantage.
Ah so he 'decided to resign' did he? Justl like I did when they fired me for no given reason back in the day.
During these years of flying QR, enjoying the various upgrades to the DOH facilities, making personal friends with so many of the workers at Al Mourjan and on board, i have felt the presence of AAB, alpha 1 as he is internally known. thank you for all these years of very good flying between the three continents
Almost any time a CEO leaves this abruptly, something bad has happened. The fact that Al Baker has been among the best-known and most notable executives of a major global airline for so many years makes it all the more interesting.
Tim has a point. When you get fired as a customer by one supplier in a duopoly because you're an enormous pain in the ass, it's bad for business. Now you have only one supplier, who will charge you accordingly!
There are lots of A350s flown by a bunch of airlines, and only Qatar thought the paint issues were a safety problem. Al Baker played his cards poorly in his spat with Airbus, and damaged Qatar's standing in the industry. It's not good to be known as an unreasonable belligerent asshole!
Likewise, I doubt Alaska would give up its points currency either. The US credit card partnership market is far too lucrative to move to a joint points currency. US carriers want control over their own points, and don't want to risk dilution by moving to a common currency. Plus Alaska has a bunch of useful non-Oneworld partners.
This advisor without portfolio thing as a face-saving move up and out and/or perhaps the Qatari emir is out to do him a favor for services rendered already? Or is it that the country is in need of a new PR machine and this is part of that? I assume it’s more likely the former or an attempt to glad-hand him, perhaps after there was a tantrum of sorts?
For oligopolistic sellers, selling is all about the money. They would still sell to Qatar — even if not liking the man — because better for the seller to keep/gain market share and its toe hold in a big, well-funded buyer than to let it be up in the air for rivals to have a feast.
Sky high diabetes rates and cardiovascular problems among the group of retirement age Indians who can afford to travel internationally.
And when the tickets are booked by travel agents in India, the travel agents would often put in for wheelchair requests when told the passengers are “elderly”.
Expat executives using their privileged positions abroad as game to chase skirts around the world? Dominique Strauss, anyone? Just short of that, there is a lot of this that goes on at large MNCs and multilateral institutions.
Hot take: Akbar Al Baker as mediator would resolve this global conflict within less than 1h if you'd lock the decision makers on both sides together with him into a room.
Ah, Admiral Akbar finally gets blown out an air-vent, as well he should. Well deserved for such a smarmy arsehole.
Good riddance - don't let the cabin door hit ya, where the good lord split ya...BYEEEEEEEEEEEE
I doubt Qataris would be in good terms with Saudis.
Besides Tony Douglas is more than capable of running RX.
Al Bakr was a dictator and ruthless.
It's time fir ĥim to leave and I think qatar Airways will keep growing for tge best .
It's the system that prevails not tge people.
Am sure under tge new management of ceo badr the company will thrive and move forward.
Good luck Mr Meer with your endeavour.
Qatar airport transfer process leaves a lot to be desired these days regardless of class. You say this man managed the airport?? Just hope the airline continues to lead and not follow. Morale needs to be kept up.
What if he comes over to run Delta? Maybe…delta will actually become a premium airline!
Have you seen what the air in Indian cities can do to the nostrils? It’s even worse with the lungs over time.
Between bad air quality, sedentary lifestyles for a variety of reasons, a massive population of retirement age people who do travel abroad, and sky high rates of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases with the large population, this is what should be expected.
A healthy environment and a healthy lifestyle are priceless. And if not paying the price for health, this is where things end up — a lot more wheelchair use than would otherwise be the case.
They've been trying to get rid of him for years. They finally managed to make it stick. Good riddance.
What is your source and why will they get rid of him when he lived and breathed Qatar(Airways)? Makes no sense to me
It’s not a surprise, this has been planned for some time, and his successor appointed a while ago - just not made public. HE Mr Al Baker will take up a government position as an advisor to the Prime Minister.
The decision wasn’t abrupt, only the announcement. Both were carefully planned.
You couldn’t be more wrong. Mr Al Baker is taking up a government advisory role with the PM
As always in these parts, nothing but praise for Qatar, a country that supports and funds terrorism, where there are no human rights if you’re not a citizen, where slavery is prevalent.
I was hoping to see more criticism now that the whole world knows they host Hamas leadership in luxury and send suitcases of cash to Gaza. But no, nothing would ever be enough to have you criticize them, those Qsuites are too good
Do you also criticize the US/UK/other European country governments for their support of Israel and their prominent role in killing of innocent civilians across Palestine for several years, or is it only one sided?
I can assure you this man has spent more time in hotel rooms with various women than in his airport office.
The airport was basically run by the VP Operations.
And it's an awfully toxic working environment, reflecting perfectly the one of Qatar Airways in general.
Signed : and ex employee (6+ years).
Cheers
Glad you had such a nice experience as a customer.
Employees, on the other hand, suffer from a dictatorial-style of so called "leadership". The work culture is a perfect "not-to-do" example, with simply everything wrong you can possibly imagine. I can dare anyone to list any 20 things they would use as example of "bad management", 19 of them at least you would find in QR group.
Mr Al Baker won't be missed but by the lick-arses that dug their hole in the many stratus of the company and do everything in their power to stay there, which usually include not absolutely fuck-all apart from blaming others for not doing anything. Engineer Badr Al Meer, as he likes being called - forgetting "His Excellency" title - will do no different.
But I'm certain the passenger experience won't bulge much, since it's achieved at the cost of disposable, obey-or-leave, workforce.
Cheers
Since QR was built by transferring money from the government pockets (themselves from the Ministry of Oil pockets) to the airline, of course the CEO will remain a Qatari.
This whole airline was designed as an ambassador of the country, to build fame and influence. It will forever remain in the hands of Qataris.