Questions and Answers

i live in adelaide – and am from the UK/Denmark – so travel back once a year or more – living in adelaide the only ‘direct’ flight is currently Emirates – but with the news of Qatar starting flights from May next year there is a new opening – i have read your article re the conditions for staff etc and their rights re working – which is looking more positive now – but the question i have as a gay traveller how you are treated?
I have had no issue at all with Emirates (as my husband and i always travel together) and have never thought about having issues in dubai – but what about Qatar and Doha – before i commit to flying with them (which i have to say is rather exciting breaking away from Emirates) i would like to know it is safe to do so – any comments gratefully received

I’m gay and flew Qatar with my partner with no issues at all. I mean we weren’t pashing publicly on the lie-flat bed, but didn’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest. Doha airport/lounge was very similar, no issues at all.

I’m flying them again in two months and have an actual stopover in Doha (i.e. leaving the airport), so that will be more interesting I reckon

To be very blunt, based on what I’ve observed:
[LIST]
[*]No one actually cares about your orientation as long as you are discreet. I wouldn’t make out with my husband anywhere in public in the middle east, and neither should you.
[*]The vast majority of crew on the ME3 are from elsewhere. They [I]really[/I] won’t care about your orientation. Just don’t do anything that would get [I]them[/I] in trouble.
[*]Male privilege is a thing, particularly in that region, particularly if you speak English, particularly if you are white. It sounds horrible to American ears, but you will realistically have more “issues” as a straight Asian-looking man than as a gay European-looking one. But I wouldn’t expect to have problems either way, as long as you’re being a responsible traveler.
[/LIST]

[QUOTE=”Tiffany, post: 8483, member: 7″]To be very blunt, based on what I’ve observed:
[LIST]
[*]No one actually cares about your orientation as long as you are discreet. I wouldn’t make out with my husband anywhere in public in the middle east, and neither should you.
[*]The vast majority of crew on the ME3 are from elsewhere. They [I]really[/I] won’t care about your orientation. Just don’t do anything that would get [I]them[/I] in trouble.
[*]Male privilege is a thing, particularly in that region, particularly if you speak English, particularly if you are white. It sounds horrible to American ears, but you will realistically have more “issues” as a straight Asian-looking man than as a gay European-looking one. But I wouldn’t expect to have problems either way, as long as you’re being a responsible traveler.
[/LIST]
[/QUOTE]
thanks for that – assumed as much but wanted to get some advise before trying their service

Hello! Do you know if these flights are already bookable with AAdvantage. I could not find any availability on both DOH-Adelaide / Adelaide-DOH flights with BA search tool.

[USER=635]@thomasmeier[/USER] if the schedule is loaded and space is available they should be bookable through AAdvantage. Qatar can be stingy with space so I would double check using the Qantas tool but there may not be any space available.

FWIW, when I transited DOH in November 2015, I saw not one, but two gay male couples in QR’s biz lounge holding hands. One even had his head resting on his bf’s/husband’s shoulder.

QR will gladly take your money — gay, straight, whatever.

Also, that point about white male privilege is sad but very true.

Some of the bars and clubs in Doha are pretty much gay bars, they just don’t advertise it.