Latest news with #QCAA
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- The Advertiser
Women greenlit to sue Qatar Airways over strip searches
Several Australian women allegedly forced to submit to invasive strip searches at Doha's Hamad airport have been given the go ahead to sue Qatar Airways after a "long and stressful struggle". The five women, who cannot be legally named, were among hundreds of women alleged to have been forcibly removed from aircraft at Doha on October 2, 2020 as officials searched for the mother of a newborn found in a bathroom at the terminal. Taken off planes by armed guards, many allege they were forced to conduct non-consensual gynaecological or intimate physical examinations. One passenger was forced to undergo a strip search holding her five-month old son, the lawsuit claims. Another, who is elderly and legally blind, was directed out of the aircraft but was not subject to a search. The women, three of whom were allegedly subjected to invasive searches, launched legal action against Qatar Airways, the airport operator and the government-owned Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. After an initial ruling barred them from pursuing the airline and the QCAA, the Federal Court ruled on Thursday that the suit against Qatar Airways and the airport operator could continue. The women's lawyer Damian Sturzaker said his clients were relieved with their win after "a very long and stressful struggle to bring this to court". "Unfortunately the case against the state of Qatar was unsuccessful, however this has always been an issue against the airline," he said outside court. "We've now got an opportunity to have a full hearing with all of (the women's) evidence coming out and, in those circumstances, we're very very pleased with the outcome today." The women are seeking compensation for mental stress, for alleged assault and for the alleged false imprisonment during the airport incident nearly five years ago. They claim the airline and the airport operator were negligent and breached their duty of care to passengers who were forced off the plane and subjected to searches. A judge previously dismissed the women's claims against Qatar Airways as having no prospect of success because the searches didn't occur when disembarking or embarking the plane. However, the Full Court determined on Thursday there was "no sufficiently high degree of certainty" that was the case and ruled it is an issue that should be decided at trial. Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Justice Angus Stewart, Justice Stephen Stellios upheld the primary ruling that the women could not sue the QCAA because it has immunity as an entity of a foreign state. Qatar Airways was ordered to pay the legal bill accrued by the women during the appeal. The court battle between the two parties is not expected to be heard this year. Outside court, Mr Sturzaker said he was confident in his steadfast clients' case against the airline and the airport operator. "They always would have liked to see a resolution to the matter but if that can't be achieved then of course the matter will go to hearing," he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Several Australian women allegedly forced to submit to invasive strip searches at Doha's Hamad airport have been given the go ahead to sue Qatar Airways after a "long and stressful struggle". The five women, who cannot be legally named, were among hundreds of women alleged to have been forcibly removed from aircraft at Doha on October 2, 2020 as officials searched for the mother of a newborn found in a bathroom at the terminal. Taken off planes by armed guards, many allege they were forced to conduct non-consensual gynaecological or intimate physical examinations. One passenger was forced to undergo a strip search holding her five-month old son, the lawsuit claims. Another, who is elderly and legally blind, was directed out of the aircraft but was not subject to a search. The women, three of whom were allegedly subjected to invasive searches, launched legal action against Qatar Airways, the airport operator and the government-owned Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. After an initial ruling barred them from pursuing the airline and the QCAA, the Federal Court ruled on Thursday that the suit against Qatar Airways and the airport operator could continue. The women's lawyer Damian Sturzaker said his clients were relieved with their win after "a very long and stressful struggle to bring this to court". "Unfortunately the case against the state of Qatar was unsuccessful, however this has always been an issue against the airline," he said outside court. "We've now got an opportunity to have a full hearing with all of (the women's) evidence coming out and, in those circumstances, we're very very pleased with the outcome today." The women are seeking compensation for mental stress, for alleged assault and for the alleged false imprisonment during the airport incident nearly five years ago. They claim the airline and the airport operator were negligent and breached their duty of care to passengers who were forced off the plane and subjected to searches. A judge previously dismissed the women's claims against Qatar Airways as having no prospect of success because the searches didn't occur when disembarking or embarking the plane. However, the Full Court determined on Thursday there was "no sufficiently high degree of certainty" that was the case and ruled it is an issue that should be decided at trial. Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Justice Angus Stewart, Justice Stephen Stellios upheld the primary ruling that the women could not sue the QCAA because it has immunity as an entity of a foreign state. Qatar Airways was ordered to pay the legal bill accrued by the women during the appeal. The court battle between the two parties is not expected to be heard this year. Outside court, Mr Sturzaker said he was confident in his steadfast clients' case against the airline and the airport operator. "They always would have liked to see a resolution to the matter but if that can't be achieved then of course the matter will go to hearing," he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Several Australian women allegedly forced to submit to invasive strip searches at Doha's Hamad airport have been given the go ahead to sue Qatar Airways after a "long and stressful struggle". The five women, who cannot be legally named, were among hundreds of women alleged to have been forcibly removed from aircraft at Doha on October 2, 2020 as officials searched for the mother of a newborn found in a bathroom at the terminal. Taken off planes by armed guards, many allege they were forced to conduct non-consensual gynaecological or intimate physical examinations. One passenger was forced to undergo a strip search holding her five-month old son, the lawsuit claims. Another, who is elderly and legally blind, was directed out of the aircraft but was not subject to a search. The women, three of whom were allegedly subjected to invasive searches, launched legal action against Qatar Airways, the airport operator and the government-owned Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. After an initial ruling barred them from pursuing the airline and the QCAA, the Federal Court ruled on Thursday that the suit against Qatar Airways and the airport operator could continue. The women's lawyer Damian Sturzaker said his clients were relieved with their win after "a very long and stressful struggle to bring this to court". "Unfortunately the case against the state of Qatar was unsuccessful, however this has always been an issue against the airline," he said outside court. "We've now got an opportunity to have a full hearing with all of (the women's) evidence coming out and, in those circumstances, we're very very pleased with the outcome today." The women are seeking compensation for mental stress, for alleged assault and for the alleged false imprisonment during the airport incident nearly five years ago. They claim the airline and the airport operator were negligent and breached their duty of care to passengers who were forced off the plane and subjected to searches. A judge previously dismissed the women's claims against Qatar Airways as having no prospect of success because the searches didn't occur when disembarking or embarking the plane. However, the Full Court determined on Thursday there was "no sufficiently high degree of certainty" that was the case and ruled it is an issue that should be decided at trial. Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Justice Angus Stewart, Justice Stephen Stellios upheld the primary ruling that the women could not sue the QCAA because it has immunity as an entity of a foreign state. Qatar Airways was ordered to pay the legal bill accrued by the women during the appeal. The court battle between the two parties is not expected to be heard this year. Outside court, Mr Sturzaker said he was confident in his steadfast clients' case against the airline and the airport operator. "They always would have liked to see a resolution to the matter but if that can't be achieved then of course the matter will go to hearing," he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Several Australian women allegedly forced to submit to invasive strip searches at Doha's Hamad airport have been given the go ahead to sue Qatar Airways after a "long and stressful struggle". The five women, who cannot be legally named, were among hundreds of women alleged to have been forcibly removed from aircraft at Doha on October 2, 2020 as officials searched for the mother of a newborn found in a bathroom at the terminal. Taken off planes by armed guards, many allege they were forced to conduct non-consensual gynaecological or intimate physical examinations. One passenger was forced to undergo a strip search holding her five-month old son, the lawsuit claims. Another, who is elderly and legally blind, was directed out of the aircraft but was not subject to a search. The women, three of whom were allegedly subjected to invasive searches, launched legal action against Qatar Airways, the airport operator and the government-owned Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. After an initial ruling barred them from pursuing the airline and the QCAA, the Federal Court ruled on Thursday that the suit against Qatar Airways and the airport operator could continue. The women's lawyer Damian Sturzaker said his clients were relieved with their win after "a very long and stressful struggle to bring this to court". "Unfortunately the case against the state of Qatar was unsuccessful, however this has always been an issue against the airline," he said outside court. "We've now got an opportunity to have a full hearing with all of (the women's) evidence coming out and, in those circumstances, we're very very pleased with the outcome today." The women are seeking compensation for mental stress, for alleged assault and for the alleged false imprisonment during the airport incident nearly five years ago. They claim the airline and the airport operator were negligent and breached their duty of care to passengers who were forced off the plane and subjected to searches. A judge previously dismissed the women's claims against Qatar Airways as having no prospect of success because the searches didn't occur when disembarking or embarking the plane. However, the Full Court determined on Thursday there was "no sufficiently high degree of certainty" that was the case and ruled it is an issue that should be decided at trial. Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Justice Angus Stewart, Justice Stephen Stellios upheld the primary ruling that the women could not sue the QCAA because it has immunity as an entity of a foreign state. Qatar Airways was ordered to pay the legal bill accrued by the women during the appeal. The court battle between the two parties is not expected to be heard this year. Outside court, Mr Sturzaker said he was confident in his steadfast clients' case against the airline and the airport operator. "They always would have liked to see a resolution to the matter but if that can't be achieved then of course the matter will go to hearing," he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
ABC News
6 days ago
- ABC News
Women win right to sue Qatar Airways over strip searches before Sydney-bound flight
Five women who were subjected to invasive strip searches at Doha airport have won the right to pursue legal action against Qatar Airways and the airport operator. In October 2020, more than a dozen women were hauled off a Qatar Airways flight to Sydney and forced to undergo physical examinations in an ambulance on the tarmac without consent, following the discovery of a newborn baby in a toilet cubicle at Hamad International Airport. The women said they were ordered off the plane into an ambulance with a nurse. "She told me to pull my pants down and that I needed to examine my vagina," one woman said at the time. "I said, 'I'm not doing that' and she did not explain anything to me. She just kept saying, 'We need to see it, we need to see it'." The women had hoped to sue Qatar Airways for damages over "unlawful physical contact", and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and airport operations company MATAR for assault and false imprisonment. In February, Federal Court Justice John Halley dismissed the case against the airline and QCAA, finding the alleged assaults did not happen on board the Qatar Airways plane and were not conducted by any employee of the airline. The women appealed to the Full Federal Court, arguing the searches took place in the process of disembarking the aircraft and that the airline should be held liable. On Thursday, the Full Federal Court ruled Justice Halley was wrong when he dismissed the women's claims. "There is no sufficiently high degree of certainty that what happened to the appellants in the ambulance could not ultimately be found to have been in 'the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking'," Justice Angus Stewart said. "It is therefore not an issue apt to be decided at the stage of summary dismissal." The court also found MATAR's application for the case against it to be set aside should have been dismissed. "It is also an error to conclude at this stage of the proceeding that MATAR's duty of care cannot possibly extend to the circumstances in and around the ambulance," Justice Stewart told the court. Qatar Airways and MATAR have been ordered to pay the costs of the appeal. The Full Federal Court dismissed the women's appeal against the QCAA on the basis that the proceeding did not concern activities in managing a commercial airport. Damian Sturzaker from Marque Lawyers, who is representing the women, said they were pleased with the decision. "This has always been an issue about the airline," he said outside court. "The women have always tried to resolve this matter with Qatar Airways … they would have always liked to see a resolution to the matter. "You imagine a group of five women bringing a case against a state entity that has defended this matter very staunchly from the beginning, it's been an enormous exercise." Wolfgang Babeck, a lawyer on the same flight as the women and who initially represented them, said the experience had been distressing for them. "The attitude that has been displayed by the country of Qatar is not proper for a country that wants to be recognised for world standards," Dr Babeck said. "It is appalling the women had to go through this stress to be heard."
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
Women greenlit to sue Qatar Airways over strip searches
Several Australian women allegedly forced to submit to invasive strip searches at Doha's Hamad airport have been given the go ahead to sue Qatar Airways after a "long and stressful struggle". The five women, who cannot be legally named, were among hundreds of women alleged to have been forcibly removed from aircraft at Doha on October 2, 2020 as officials searched for the mother of a newborn found in a bathroom at the terminal. Taken off planes by armed guards, many allege they were forced to conduct non-consensual gynaecological or intimate physical examinations. One passenger was forced to undergo a strip search holding her five-month old son, the lawsuit claims. Another, who is elderly and legally blind, was directed out of the aircraft but was not subject to a search. The women, three of whom were allegedly subjected to invasive searches, launched legal action against Qatar Airways, the airport operator and the government-owned Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. After an initial ruling barred them from pursuing the airline and the QCAA, the Federal Court ruled on Thursday that the suit against Qatar Airways and the airport operator could continue. The women's lawyer Damian Sturzaker said his clients were relieved with their win after "a very long and stressful struggle to bring this to court". "Unfortunately the case against the state of Qatar was unsuccessful, however this has always been an issue against the airline," he said outside court. "We've now got an opportunity to have a full hearing with all of (the women's) evidence coming out and, in those circumstances, we're very very pleased with the outcome today." The women are seeking compensation for mental stress, for alleged assault and for the alleged false imprisonment during the airport incident nearly five years ago. They claim the airline and the airport operator were negligent and breached their duty of care to passengers who were forced off the plane and subjected to searches. A judge previously dismissed the women's claims against Qatar Airways as having no prospect of success because the searches didn't occur when disembarking or embarking the plane. However, the Full Court determined on Thursday there was "no sufficiently high degree of certainty" that was the case and ruled it is an issue that should be decided at trial. Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Justice Angus Stewart, Justice Stephen Stellios upheld the primary ruling that the women could not sue the QCAA because it has immunity as an entity of a foreign state. Qatar Airways was ordered to pay the legal bill accrued by the women during the appeal. The court battle between the two parties is not expected to be heard this year. Outside court, Mr Sturzaker said he was confident in his steadfast clients' case against the airline and the airport operator. "They always would have liked to see a resolution to the matter but if that can't be achieved then of course the matter will go to hearing," he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Perth Now
Women greenlit to sue Qatar Airways over strip searches
Several Australian women allegedly forced to submit to invasive strip searches at Doha's Hamad airport have been given the go ahead to sue Qatar Airways after a "long and stressful struggle". The five women, who cannot be legally named, were among hundreds of women alleged to have been forcibly removed from aircraft at Doha on October 2, 2020 as officials searched for the mother of a newborn found in a bathroom at the terminal. Taken off planes by armed guards, many allege they were forced to conduct non-consensual gynaecological or intimate physical examinations. One passenger was forced to undergo a strip search holding her five-month old son, the lawsuit claims. Another, who is elderly and legally blind, was directed out of the aircraft but was not subject to a search. The women, three of whom were allegedly subjected to invasive searches, launched legal action against Qatar Airways, the airport operator and the government-owned Qatar Civil Aviation Authority. After an initial ruling barred them from pursuing the airline and the QCAA, the Federal Court ruled on Thursday that the suit against Qatar Airways and the airport operator could continue. The women's lawyer Damian Sturzaker said his clients were relieved with their win after "a very long and stressful struggle to bring this to court". "Unfortunately the case against the state of Qatar was unsuccessful, however this has always been an issue against the airline," he said outside court. "We've now got an opportunity to have a full hearing with all of (the women's) evidence coming out and, in those circumstances, we're very very pleased with the outcome today." The women are seeking compensation for mental stress, for alleged assault and for the alleged false imprisonment during the airport incident nearly five years ago. They claim the airline and the airport operator were negligent and breached their duty of care to passengers who were forced off the plane and subjected to searches. A judge previously dismissed the women's claims against Qatar Airways as having no prospect of success because the searches didn't occur when disembarking or embarking the plane. However, the Full Court determined on Thursday there was "no sufficiently high degree of certainty" that was the case and ruled it is an issue that should be decided at trial. Chief Justice Debra Mortimer, Justice Angus Stewart, Justice Stephen Stellios upheld the primary ruling that the women could not sue the QCAA because it has immunity as an entity of a foreign state. Qatar Airways was ordered to pay the legal bill accrued by the women during the appeal. The court battle between the two parties is not expected to be heard this year. Outside court, Mr Sturzaker said he was confident in his steadfast clients' case against the airline and the airport operator. "They always would have liked to see a resolution to the matter but if that can't be achieved then of course the matter will go to hearing," he said. Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
The Guardian
6 days ago
- The Guardian
Court grants leave for Australian women to sue Qatar Airways over alleged invasive physical examinations
Five Australian women who allege they were forced off a Qatar Airways plane by armed guards before some were intimately examined at Doha airport will be able to sue the airline directly, the federal court has ruled. The women launched an appeal in April last year hoping to overturn a ruling that the airline could not face trial for the October 2020 incident, when they were among more than a dozen women forcibly led from a Sydney-bound plane and escorted into ambulances. Four of the women underwent bodily examinations – three of which were invasive – without consent as part of a local investigation to find the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in a bathroom in Hamad international airport. The infant survived. The episode sparked international outrage, with the women suing Qatar Airways Group, Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) and Matar, the Qatari company responsible for airports operation and management, for negligence, assault, false imprisonment and battery. Sign up: AU Breaking News email But the case against the airline, in which they sought damages over alleged 'unlawful physical contact', was dismissed, with Justice John Halley finding that Qatar Airways should not have to go to trial because its employees could not have influenced the actions of Qatari police, who boarded the planes to remove the women. Halley also found that the QCAA was immune from the court's jurisdiction and determined that the five women could instead refile their claims for damages against Matar. The women lodged an appeal against the judgment, hoping to pursue Qatar Airways and the QCAA directly. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion On Thursday morning the federal chief justice, Angus Stewart, said the court found that Halley had 'erred' when he summarily dismissed the airline's claims that the invasive examinations had not taken place in 'the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking' the aircraft. 'There is no sufficiently high degree of certainty that what happened to the appellants in the ambulance could not ultimately be found to have been in 'the course of any of the operations of embarking or disembarking',' Stewart told the court. The issue could 'only be decided at trial and not on a summary basis'. He also found that Matar's application to set aside service should have been dismissed – and that its claim a nurse who had who performed the bodily examinations was not its employee was arguable. It was an 'error to conclude at this stage of the proceeding that Matar's duty of care cannot possibly extend to the circumstances in and around the ambulance', he ruled. He ordered Qatar Airways and Matar to pay the costs of the appeal. But the judge dismissed the women's appeal against the QCAA, telling the court the evidence showed management activities of the government-run authority 'were in pursuit of public functions of the State of Qatar'.
