Qatar CEO disses 'granny' flight attendants on 'crap' US airlines

Americans are up in arms about the airline boss's rude remarks

30 July 2017 - 00:00 By Elizabeth Sleith

Qatar Airways experienced a bit more than the usual turbulence this month, after its CEO made some bizarre comments - widely denounced as both sexist and ageist - at a gala event in Dublin.
As the gathering celebrated the launch of a new route by the airline between the Irish capital and Doha, its CEO Akbar Al Baker told the crowd there was now "No need for you to travel on these crap American carriers from Ireland".
Talking of the pros of flying with Qatar, he mentioned the "excellent service" from their international cabin crew, whose average age, he boasted, was 26.
"You know you will always be served by grandmothers on American airlines," he added.
Though a YouTube clip of the speech shows the crowd cheering and applauding his comments, the world at large was less than impressed.
WATCH Akbar Al Baker making the speech that's caused a stir on social media..

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