An Australian court has dismissed a case brought by five women seeking compensation from Qatar Airways for invasive gynecological examinations conducted on passengers at Doha’s airport in 2020. The women's identities have been kept confidential by the courts. The incident occurred on October 2, 2020, when hundreds of women were forcibly removed from airliners in Doha as officials searched for the mother of a newborn baby found abandoned in a terminal trash can.
Thirteen women, including the five involved in the case, were taken off a flight to Sydney and subjected to non-consensual gynecological or intimate physical examinations. The Federal Court Justice ruled that the women's argument against Qatar Airways did not align with international airline liability protocols, leading to the rejection of their claim for damages against the airline.
The court also stated that the case against the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority could not proceed. However, the legal action against the Qatar Company for Airports Operation and Management (MATAR), the airport's operator and a subsidiary of Qatar Airways, was allowed to continue. The women's lawyer mentioned the possibility of an appeal, emphasizing their determination to pursue justice.
Australian Transport Minister Catherine King had previously cited the examinations as a factor in her decision to block Qatar Airways from expanding its services to Australia. Qatar Airways Senior Vice President assured an Australian Senate inquiry that such incidents would not be repeated, emphasizing the airline's commitment to preventing any recurrence of such violations.
The case is set to return to court on May 10 for further proceedings. The rejection of the compensation claim against Qatar Airways highlights the complexities of international legal frameworks and the ongoing efforts to address human rights violations in the aviation industry.
