During the global epidemic, Qatar Airways graciously provided more than 100,000 frontline healthcare professionals with free tickets.
The airline wanted to show its sincere gratitude to these committed employees, so it held a global lottery for this sweepstakes.
A resident doctor named Gayatri Patel was overjoyed to be chosen as one of the prize winners.
She and her spouse had trouble using their two free airline tickets due to the pandemic's protracted nature.
The Patels' journey to Thailand in December 2022 has been confirmed by Qatar Airways after repeated failed attempts to do so.
It appeared like the pair would finally get to take advantage of the airline's gift of appreciation.
Sadly, the Patels were about to face yet another challenge.
Qatar Airlines abruptly canceled their tickets and would not reissue them just weeks before the planned trip.
Patel requested our assistance as time was running short and there were thousands of dollars in nonrefundable hotel reservations on the line.
Qatar Airways says thank you to frontline healthcare workers
Two months after the World Health Organization proclaimed a worldwide pandemic in May 2020, Qatar Airlines sponsored a ticket giveaway to grant free travel to front-line healthcare personnel.
“United in dedication, we share our gratitude. Now it is our turn to give something back to those on the healthcare frontline. There are no words or gestures that are enough to repay these brave men and women but we hope that our small offer of a complimentary return flight on Qatar Airways will allow them to enjoy a well-deserved holiday, visit family and friends or explore a destination they have always dreamed of, as travel restrictions start to ease.”
– Qatar Airways press release
The press statement went on to say that front-line medical staff from all across the world were eligible for the lottery.
Every professional who is chosen from the pool of applications will be given two round-trip economy tickets, one for them and one for a guest, to any destination Qatar Airlines flies.
A genuinely kind gift was made.
Patel and her husband were two of the eager applicants, among them were healthcare professionals from all over the world who leaped at the chance to take part in the free airline ticket offer.
When we learned that I had won, Patel remembered, "we were startled but very grateful.
Planning our journey was something I was eager to do.
The complimentary tickets had a small catch: they had an expiration date of December 2020.
The pair, who are both doctors, had their suspicions that the epidemic will still be going strong at the end of 2020.
But, they had to make a reservation because of the complimentary tickets' expiration date.
Patel informed me, "We booked tickets to Bangkok and anticipated the quarantine and other limitations would be lifted by December.
Of course, we now know that over the next two years, the coronavirus would continue to severely affect the travel business.
As anticipated, the Patels wouldn't be traveling to Thailand.
Qatar Airways extends the deadline for reward flights.
The Patels' flight to Thailand that year had to be canceled by Qatar Airlines, as you would have anticipated.
The pair weren't shocked when the cancellation message showed up.
According to Patel, "We anticipated that the flight would be canceled."
There were still numerous restrictions and the quarantine was still in effect.
Parth and I were still extremely busy working, so it was for the best.
The moment wasn't exactly right for a vacation.
Patel received a flight credit to utilize within the following year when Qatar Airlines canceled the trip.
This complies with the Department of Transportation's regulations regarding flight cancellations for journeys beginning in the United States.
Hence, when a flight is canceled, an airline must reimburse a passenger using the original payment method.
As a result of Qatar Airlines' cancellation of the reward-ticketed flight in this instance, the couple was entitled to a refund in the form of a reward ticket.
They have one more year to use their Qatar Airways gift.
A further year was now available for the pair to use their Qatar Airways gift.
Patel informed me, "We attempted once more and scheduled a substitute trip to Thailand for March 2021.
But, Patel didn't have to wait long before Qatar Airlines informed him of the cancellation.
The airline stated that those flights were also canceled "for operational reasons."
The Patels gave it one more shot and reserved the same flights for January 2022.
However, there had recently been an increase in COVID-19 cases, and Thailand had reintroduced its traveler quarantine policies.
Our restricted vacation time made it impossible for us to fulfill the quarantine requirements, according to Patel.
"I explained our issue to Qatar over the phone.
We simply wanted to reserve as far in advance at that point.
We were sick of always postponing and canceling plans.
In early December 2022, Qatar confirmed our flights.
The couple started to feel as though their long-awaited trip to Thailand would never happen.
Finally using the complimentary flights from Qatar Airways.
The Patels were sure that their trip to Thailand would take place as 2022 went on and travel restrictions due to the pandemic started to loosen.
But, the two doctors' residency program then provided them with some scheduling information.
They would no longer be able to go on the trip they had planned for early in December.
Patel found herself calling Qatar for the sixth time to reschedule the couple's ideal holiday.
"The agent permitted us to change the dates of our flights so they would coincide with our residency schedule until the end of December.
Patel told me, "We were looking forward to this trip so much.
"I made all the other arrangements after Qatar Airlines confirmed our flights.
We were extremely happy!
Early in April, all that had to be done was wait once the planning was finished.
Nevertheless, six months after Qatar Airways had confirmed their trip to Thailand, in September, Patel got an email concerning a change in the schedule.
One leg of their trip had been canceled, the airline representative told Patel when he contacted to address the change.
She abruptly put the pair on a protracted hold as Qatar's representative was looking for an alternative flight.
The agent had distressing news when she came back.
Your flights have been canceled and this promotion is over.
Patel told me, "The representative indicated that she had gone ahead and
'suspended' our tickets because our travel was past the validity time point for the healthcare tickets offer (which was allegedly scheduled to finish in May 2022).
We were upset since we had these tickets confirmed for more than six months and had not received a single email from Qatar Airlines regarding them.
Once the agent ended their exchange, Patel shortly afterward received notification that their flights to Thailand had been canceled.
The couple had a hard time accepting the change of events.
They started looking for someone at Qatar Airways who would resume their flights as part of a new mission.
The couple tried for weeks to get in touch with someone at the airline who could help, but they appeared to be out of options.
Patel then had another idea, and she asked for our assistance.
Determining what went wrong
She was terrified when Patel's cry for assistance arrived in my inbox.
It was risky for her journey.
She had reserved close to $10,000 in nonrefundable hotels, excursions, and internal flights within Thailand, and she had been relying on Qatar Airways to get her there.
"I can't get any support from anyone at Qatar Airways.
As a result, we are unable to cancel the nonrefundable portions of this vacation because we no longer have airline tickets to Thailand.
Help us, please.
In going through the chronology, I discovered that the couple's prize in March had been given to the wrong person at Qatar Airways.
The free tickets did officially expire in May 2022, despite the airline having extended numerous extensions of its offer to medical heroes around the world.
A "fly by" date, not a "book by" date, was the promotion's last expiration date.
That distinction is crucial with regard to flight credits.
There is a "fly by" regulation that determines how long flight credits from some carriers, like American Airlines, can be used before they become invalid.
Passengers can make reservations with some airlines up until the expiration date and then fly beyond that date, such as United Airlines, which has a "book by" policy.
The "fly by" deadlines for Qatar Airlines' promotion honoring healthcare heroes.
Patel and her husband would therefore need to leave by May 2022 in order to complete their journey.
But, the Qatar Airlines representative with whom the couple had their initial conversation let them book a flight beyond that time.
As the couple had not been made aware of the issue until after they had reserved all of the non-refundable components of their vacation, I concentrated my inquiry on trying to see if I could get their tickets reinstated.
Will Qatar Airways reinstate the flights for these healthcare heroes?
I needed to present Patels' case to a Qatar Airways employee with the investigative skills to delve deeply into the facts.
In my capacity as a writer and consumer advocate, I have access to executives that the typical individual does not.
I appealed for the pair to our Qatar Airways media contact, and I received a prompt and gracious response:
“Dear Michelle:
Once again, I appreciate you bringing this up. We have looked into it, and I'm delighted to report that the team has already contacted the customer directly and got the booking refunded along with our regrets.
Given their dedication to the globe at the worst of the pandemic, the airline's decision to provide the tickets for healthcare personnel was a very significant one. We want to make sure everyone gets the flights to which they are legally entitled.
Sincere regards,
Official communications from Qatar Airlines”
The Patels' vacation trip had been abruptly canceled by someone at Qatar Airways, but their tickets were reissued two months later.
Two weeks after I joined the Patels' quest to have their flights returned, there was a successful outcome (I had also had a hard time finding someone at the airline who could help them).
The much-needed vacation for the Patels was reinstated.
And it would actually occur this time.
Qatar Airways makes things right
These deserving front-line healthcare workers may finally travel to Thailand thanks to our intervention.
The Patels had a great time and expressed gratitude to LT and Qatar Airways for their help and generosity.
Hello, Michelle!
We owe you and your staff a huge debt of gratitude for all of your efforts; without you, none of this would have been possible.
Hey, thank you very much to everyone!!!
In conclusion
There is no doubt that winning a gift from an airline is exciting.
The Patels were able to take their desired trip to Thailand, but it is unlikely that they would have been successful if they had not contacted LT.
Sadly, according to the contest's rules, by the time their schedules and overseas travel requirements were perfect, the free trip award had already run out.
Participants have a responsibility to familiarize themselves with the terms of any prize they win in order to avoid finding themselves in a scenario like this couple did, where thousands of dollars were at risk due to a misunderstanding and an airline agent's error.
The Patels could have easily missed out on what ended up being an extraordinary journey, and their tale may have ended differently.
Lucky for me, LT was able to intervene and assist.
The couple's reward was ultimately extended by Qatar Airways one more time so they could take their trip.
This incident serves as a reminder of the value of carefully reading the terms and conditions of any benefits, incentives, or prizes you may obtain.
If you don't, you might not be as fortunate as the Patels, thus you have a duty to do that.
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