Qatar CEO calls Delta ‘wicked’ for ruined Doha-Atlanta trip

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker branded Delta “wicked” over what he said was the US carrier’s part in ruining the Middle Eastern company’s first flight from Doha to Atlanta. Qatar’s Airbus A380 super-jumbo jet wasn’t allocated a gate when it arrived at the world’s busiest airport this week, forcing passengers to disembark via mobile stairs and shuttle buses, Al Baker said. A much smaller A320 was parked at the hub’s only A380-ready gate when the Doha flight arrived. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport said the airline failed to provide adequate notice it would use the bigger jet. “This is an absolute violation of the air-services agreement,” Al Baker said Friday. “Old and frail people had to walk up very large steps to get into the terminal. We had check-in issues, we had obstruction in loading handicapped passengers.” Suppliers also failed to cooperate with Qatar Airways, Al Baker said, forcing the airline to get help from another company to obtain ground handling equipment. His comments are part of a continued trans-Atlantic clash. Delta and other U. airlines have accused Qatar Airways and other Persian Gulf carriers of competing unfairly by receiving billions in government subsidies to seize huge shares of the global market. The Middle Eastern carriers have denied getting such subsidies and said their US rivals benefited from government handouts through bankruptcy protection. “Delta in no way acted to obstruct Qatar’s ability to park its aircraft,” said a spokeswoman. “Despite Qatar’s request being submitted to the airport long after the gates had been assigned through the normal application processes, Delta offered solutions to allow Qatar to use the gates while ensuring our own schedule remained accommodated during a heavy traffic period at the international terminal.” <br/>
Bloomberg
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-06-03/qatar-ceo-blasts-wicked-delta-actions-that-ruined-atlanta-trip?cmpid=yhoo.headline
6/4/16