Qatar Airways Dodges Legal Battle in Australia Over Invasive Examinations
Five Australian women who were subjected to strip-searches and invasive examinations at Doha airport in 2020 have faced a setback in their legal battle against Qatar Airways. The incident occurred after a newborn baby was found abandoned in an airport bin, prompting authorities to order female passengers off a flight to undergo checks to determine if they had recently given birth.
Despite the women’s claims of “unlawful physical contact” and false imprisonment causing mental health issues, an Australian court ruled that Qatar Airways, as a state-owned airline, was immune from foreign prosecution under the Montreal Convention, a multilateral treaty governing airline liability in cases of passenger injury or death. Additionally, the court found that the airline’s staff could not be held responsible for the actions of Qatari authorities who conducted the searches.
However, the court did allow the women to proceed with their claim against Matar, a subsidiary of Qatar Airways responsible for operating Hamad International Airport. They allege that Matar employees failed to prevent the invasive searches and breached their duty of care.
The women, who expressed feeling violated and traumatized by the experience, had hoped for accountability from Qatar and changes in airport procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Despite Qatar’s acknowledgment of the mistreatment and subsequent legal actions against airport officials, the women felt compelled to seek justice and ensure that such treatment is never repeated.
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