Ever dreamed of being cabin crew for Qatar Airways? Didn’t think so. 😉
Lately I’ve constantly seen Facebook ads for Qatar Airways. No, the ads weren’t trying to convince me to book tickets on them, but rather they’re for cabin crew recruitment. In the US.
They’ll be recruiting for cabin crew at the St. Regis Houston on March 14, 2015.
The requirements to apply are pretty straightforward:
To be part of this winning team, you need to meet the following requirements:
- Minimum age of 21 years
- Minimum arm reach of 212 cms on tip toes
- Minimum high school education with fluency in written and spoken English
But at the same time I’m quite puzzled as to why Qatar Airways even bothers recruiting in the US. I mean, I’ll let the Facebook comments on the advertisement speak for themselves:
Emirates has some cabin crew that are American, and Etihad has some as well (though I get the impression there are fewer than at Emirates).
But Qatar Airways?! This is the airline that gives their flight attendants a curfew when they’re at home. Which is truly mind-blowing, given that half of their flights leave in the middle of the night (God forbid anyone is jetlagged). Never mind the fact that they need permission to get married or pregnant, or that they get fired over the most minor things.
Anyway, I’m just kind of surprised that they even bother recruiting in the US, since most “first world” westerners wouldn’t tolerate the way they treat employees. I can count on one hand the number of Australian or British crew I’ve had on Qatar Airways, while every other cabin crew on Emirates or Etihad seems to be from there.
In my experience the single biggest source of crew recruitment for Qatar Airways are the former Emirates shower attendants. I’ve met a countless number of Qatar cabin crew that were former Emirates shower attendants (meaning they didn’t make the cut for Emirates cabin crew).
Am I off base? Do you envision any Americans wanting to fly for Qatar Airways?
My VP sent this email ...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/11479991/Qatar-Airways-chief-shames-drunk-flight-attendant-in-email.html
Some argue that if the crew did not have curfew and if she had the option to stay at her friend's place, she would not be seen in this state in public.
I say stop drinking. It is illegal in this country anyway. So, she was already breaking the law by drinking.
@Alpha Alpha Bravo I can't wait to join you guys. Forget the critics, Qatar Airways is the way to go!!!
I know people I used to work with from the UK who have gone to Qatar and haven't heard any horror stories. One girl I know has worked there for 6 years! Maybe they are made of stronger stuff than most but part of me thinks would you stay if it was really that bad? When you could easily come back to the UK? Not saying I would want to work there but maybe it isn't as bad as people make out?
Why do you bother flying Qatar Airways? I think their treatment of staff is so terrible and their CEO is such a liar that I will not fly them. I will fly on Emirates or Etihad.
@Alpha Alpha Bravo
Amazing!
Look, I see all you westerners are jealous of me and what I have done to make this company what it is today. Just like the westerners who run EK and EY, you are all jealous how an Indian from Ahmadabad can come to this country, and get the job done no matter what it takes. Just like Tony Montana in Scarface, everyone needs people like me to point their fingers at and say that's...
Look, I see all you westerners are jealous of me and what I have done to make this company what it is today. Just like the westerners who run EK and EY, you are all jealous how an Indian from Ahmadabad can come to this country, and get the job done no matter what it takes. Just like Tony Montana in Scarface, everyone needs people like me to point their fingers at and say that's the bad guy.
But everyone here agrees that I deserve all the perks I get, like flying my sports car free of charge in QR cargo to my vacation destination, or to volunteer the crew to host certain exclusive parties in desert tents and on islands just like Berlusconi. I don't see what the fuss is all about. He did it too, and so did that French IMF guy. These girls and guys signed up without any pressure to be part of my harem. Besides, Local women don't want all these thousands of single beautiful foreign girls to be loose on the town distracting their husbands. So we have to kindly ask them to be home and prove it by swiping their key cards in and out.
Anyway those who don't live here and don't know how things work in this neighborhood are jealous. Like I said before in one of my interviews about Londoners who have too much freedom of speech and freedom of expression and so talk bullshit about expanding Heathrow, you people too, have too much freedom of expression. I'm on the Heathrow board now and just like I told them, I tell you too, you should curb and control your freedom of expression. Now I own 10% of British Airways, so I tell you there's no need to be jealous anymore. I will make BA into a 5-star airline just like I made this company.
This post just sounds outright arrogant to me. And keep in mind a lot of people still need jobs.
Sorry, I used the example of agricultural workers to represent any low paying position in the US, particularly in the southern US. Although readers of this blog aren't likely to experience it (as I do not), the life of a low paid person in the US, including their working conditions, often would not make a job as a Qatar FA look too bad.
You would definitely be trading freedom in the US for economic...
Sorry, I used the example of agricultural workers to represent any low paying position in the US, particularly in the southern US. Although readers of this blog aren't likely to experience it (as I do not), the life of a low paid person in the US, including their working conditions, often would not make a job as a Qatar FA look too bad.
You would definitely be trading freedom in the US for economic opportunity with Qatar, but I would guess that there actually would be quite a lot of Americans for whom the scale would tilt in favor of Qatar.
You're such an entitled douche who whinges about the "inhumanity" but then pisses on them as you fly first class...absolutely hilarious./ And then you need to make a "click bait' post about it...lol. Douchuss--maximus
Oh, how I wish I could get down to Houston! I've been looking for a midlife career change and I've had a decades-long desire to be a flight attendant. I would be so very curious to hear what Qatar has to say and to offer.
Some commenters have brought up the issue of being Jewish. I can assure you that many, many Jews work in and visit the gulf states.
I also agree that the...
Oh, how I wish I could get down to Houston! I've been looking for a midlife career change and I've had a decades-long desire to be a flight attendant. I would be so very curious to hear what Qatar has to say and to offer.
Some commenters have brought up the issue of being Jewish. I can assure you that many, many Jews work in and visit the gulf states.
I also agree that the statement "HELL, I AM GAY TOO, sometimes" was priceless! It is such a wonderfully precise way of describing gay life in the gulf.
"HELL, I AM GAY TOO, sometimes."
This definitely wins comment of the day.
Perhaps they are recruiting among the agricultural workers of Texas, Arizona, California, etc, for whom qatar's working conditions would be quite a step up. Be careful of throwing stones, that might be a glass house you are living in.
@ Farnorthtrader -- Have you seen their crews? I can assure you they're not recruiting "agricultural workers."
Ben, (and I hope this does not sound condescending but..) I am proud of you. Ali Baker, his manipulative airline and Qatar itself thoroughly deserve absolute scorn from all quarters. There is no place in civilised society for any of them.
I hope those that help perpetuate this holy trinity and continue to purchase QR tickets are able to sleep at night given their blatant disregard for human rights, common sense, decency and competent customer service!
They've clearly done their homework. Even with imposing a personal curfew, it's probably a better way of life than dealing with the nastiness that is Houston. :)
@Josh G
Well, at least you're not going to get married in Qatar, so that's a start.
Beware this company!
It may be a multi-country phenomenon. I have seen similar ads in Indian newspapers couple of days back.
To be honest, before stating things in your post that give the impression they are true I would suggest you verify the truth first...and if you think they are mistreating their staff, why do you fly them then and hence support this behavior?
And know you all can start bashing away at my post....I simply am saying if you don't like their policies then don't fly them...but then again, if it get down to...
To be honest, before stating things in your post that give the impression they are true I would suggest you verify the truth first...and if you think they are mistreating their staff, why do you fly them then and hence support this behavior?
And know you all can start bashing away at my post....I simply am saying if you don't like their policies then don't fly them...but then again, if it get down to the money everybody doesn't seam to care anymore and simply looks at their own savings...
@ Tom -- They are true, per a countless number of Qatar cabin crew that I've spoken with...
STOP TELLING THESE BULLSHIT LIES ABOUT MY COMPANY AND MY COUNTRY. WE DON'T HAVE SLAVES IN MY COMPANY. WE HIRE PEOPLE ON CONTRACT, THEY ARE FREE TO SIGN IT OR NOT. WE DON'T FIRE ANYONE EITHER. WE JUST CANCEL THEIR RESIDENCY PERMIT AND FREEZE THEIR BANK ACCOUNT AND KEEP THEIR LAST PAY TO COVER THE COST OF THEIR INITIAL TRAINING. REMEMBER, AS I KEEP TELLING THE NEW RECRUITS, THEY ARE HERE TO WORK, NOT TO...
STOP TELLING THESE BULLSHIT LIES ABOUT MY COMPANY AND MY COUNTRY. WE DON'T HAVE SLAVES IN MY COMPANY. WE HIRE PEOPLE ON CONTRACT, THEY ARE FREE TO SIGN IT OR NOT. WE DON'T FIRE ANYONE EITHER. WE JUST CANCEL THEIR RESIDENCY PERMIT AND FREEZE THEIR BANK ACCOUNT AND KEEP THEIR LAST PAY TO COVER THE COST OF THEIR INITIAL TRAINING. REMEMBER, AS I KEEP TELLING THE NEW RECRUITS, THEY ARE HERE TO WORK, NOT TO F@&%.
YOU ARE JUST JEALOUS OF MY COMPANY BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE UNIONS HERE AND AS A PRIVATE COMPANY OUR BOOKS ARE NOT OPEN AND THE OWNER KEEPS INFUSING CASH INTO THE COMPANY. THAT'S WHY YOU ARE ALL JEALOUS AND WANT TO KNOW HOW I AM SO SUCCESSFUL BUT I'M NOT TELLING YOU MY COMPANY SECRETS.
WE HIRE MANY GAYS IN MY COMPANY. HELL, I AM GAY TOO, sometimes. WE JUST DON'T TALK ABOUT IT HERE BUT EVERYTHING GOES. EVEN OUR UNSPOKEN MOTO IS JUST DO IT. hmmm, no, wait.
OUR FA ARE FREE TO SPEND THEIR FREE TIME TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY IN BARS AND CLUBS, SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE HOME AND HAVE HAD ENOUGH REST BEFORE THEIR FLIGHTS.
ANYWAY, STOP SAYING HATEFUL BULLSHIT ABOUT MY COMPANY BECAUSE YOU ARE ALL JEALOUS OF HOW FABULOUS I AM. I AM ALPHA-ALPHA-BRAVO FOR A REASON!
Along the lines of Josh G. above, I would be fascinated to know what they would do if an American-Israeli applied and made the cut, only for them to learn of his/her background afterwards. Seems impossible they would keep him/her, but since its US based there would be anti discrimination laws.
@ Alex -- The crew would be based in Doha, so US laws wouldn't apply.
Wouldn't be another reason not to be in the middle east the tax treatment on income for us and permanent residents?
How many Americans you see working on a cruise ship? Not many. And this will be no different.
If his highness & drama queen aker al baker read your comments about the emirates shower attendants, he may ban you fm future qatar airways flights. better clean up that line :-)
As a Houston resident, I am also confused why they'd try to recruit here. Perhaps because we have a very diverse, multi-cultural population?
Forget about flying FOR QR, I won't even fly ON QR.
Will they hire a gay male American-Israeli Jew?
@ Josh G -- They'll certainly hire (temporarily closeted) gay males, not sure about the Jew part though...
Sounds like a great airline! For passengers anyway.
I didn't know that about the EK shower attendants! I know Houston is big in the oil industry but it's not a oneworld hub. I'd imagine QR would have a recruiting event in Dallas or in Chicago or in New York City.
Speaking of which --- are you free on March 14th, Lucky? Perhaps take one for the team and go to Houston St. Regis and see firsthand what the QR recruiting process is like (and see which kinds of Americans are applying.) For real! :)
@ Joey -- OMG I TOTALLY SHOULD!!
When one's alternative for getting out of Moldova is being trafficked by a pimp, Qatar Airways looks like a decent option. But recruiting in the U.S. of A? America's really screwed up right now, but not screwed up enough for one to contemplate entry into chattel slavery as a means of escape.
Ironically, those Moldovan women who are trafficked are all working hotel bars in Doha and Dubai. I have never seen more hookers in my life than in Gulf hotels.
Ben, can you let us know the URL to their FB page for the comments?
I can't seem to find it.
@ TravelinWilly -- Can't seem to find it anymore either, since I didn't save the URL and the ad pops up randomly. If I see it again I'll be sure to post it.
"Didn't think so". Hilarious!
Ben - perhaps you can reach out to His Majesty - he might have a witty response to this exercise also, I am damn sure! May be you can have your next quiz on possible thought processes behind Qatar recruiting Americans.
On the flip side, they should do it, and Americans should go work for them and get ill-treated ... and then SUE this company Qatar Airways! That would be some drama!
The world is surely turning more interesting with this one...
They have to recruit local flight attendants because as part of the agreement they need employ residents of the country (USA) they fly into and promote local economy.
don't they have a lot of cabin crew from EU? i don't know, but i always thought they did, no?
@ Lantean -- They have a good number from Eastern Europe, though they don't have nearly as many from Western Europe as Emirates or Etihad.