Incident That Sparked Global Outrage
The women were passengers on a Qatar Airways flight that was grounded after a newborn baby was found abandoned in a bathroom at the airport. Without warning or consent, they were removed from the plane and examined by medical staff in ambulances on the tarmac, as Qatari authorities attempted to determine if any had recently given birth. The incident drew international condemnation and was described by the women as deeply traumatic.
They filed a lawsuit in 2021 against three parties: Qatar Airways, Qatar's Civil Aviation Authority, and the airport operator Matar. The women claimed "unlawful physical contact" and false imprisonment, saying the experience had left them with serious mental health issues, including depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Other passengers from the UK and New Zealand were also affected but are not part of this case.
Appeal Overturns Initial Ruling
Last year, a Federal Court judge dismissed the case against Qatar Airways. Justice John Halley ruled that the airline could not be held liable under the Montreal Convention, a treaty that governs global air travel. He stated the staff had no real way to intervene in the actions taken by local police or nurses, calling the idea "fanciful" and "implausible."
He also struck out the case against the Qatari aviation regulator, citing legal immunity. However, he did allow some of the claims against the airport operator Matar to move forward.
In a significant reversal, the full bench of the Federal Court — Justices Angus Stewart, Debra Mortimer, and James Stellios — concluded that the initial judge had made rulings on matters that should have been decided at trial. While the court upheld the dismissal of the claims against the aviation regulator, it ruled that the women could sue both Qatar Airways and Matar, allowing the case to go forward.
Next Steps in the Legal Battle
The women's lawyer, Damian Sturzaker, confirmed that the case is now set to proceed to trial in the Federal Court. "Our clients endured a traumatic experience on that night in Doha, and they deserve to have their day in court and compensation for their suffering," he said.
The women previously stated they were not informed about what was happening during the incident and were not given a choice. One British woman, identified only as Mandy, said, "I felt like I had been raped." Another described the ordeal as feeling like a kidnapping.
Following the global backlash, Qatar launched a criminal case resulting in a suspended jail sentence for one airport official. However, the women have continued to demand a formal apology and significant changes to airport procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
