A “plus-size” Brazilian model complained on Instagram that she was denied passage after staff told her she was too fat to fly. But Qatar Airways says the real reason she was denied boarding was because her party was rude and lacked requisite documentation for her destination.
Plus-Size Brazilian Model Denied Boarding On Qatar Airways
Juliana Nehme complained on Instagram that she was denied boarding by Qatar Airways at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY), with agents telling her she was too large to fly. She claims that Qatar offered her a seat…if she paid to upgrade to business class. She refused:
“I paid a thousand dollars. I stayed for almost 2 hours begging to travel. My mother tried everything. I was threatened when trying to record what they were doing. The counter lady pushed me and nothing worked.
“…They wanted my mother to leave and leave me alone here in Lebanon But I don’t speak English or Arabic. …I was extremely humiliated in front of all the people at the airport! All because I’m FAT!”
View this post on Instagram
As View From The Wing rightly notes, if this was concern over her protruding into the personal space of others, she could have been asked to buy a second coach seat (unless the flight was sold out in the back) or more importantly, since she was traveling in a group of four and presumably seated with them, Qatar Airways could have obtained the consent of her seatmates that they were okay with her seated next to them.
But she missed her flight.
Qatar Airways, however, says that she was denied boarding because she was “rude and aggrieve” and because a member of her traveling party did not have a valid test to enter Brazil (they were flying from Beirut to São Paulo via Doha):
“Qatar Airways treats all passengers with respect and dignity and in line with industry practices and similar to most airlines, anyone who impedes upon the space of a fellow traveller and cannot secure their seatbelt or lower their armrests may be required to purchase an additional seat both as a safety precaution and for the comfort and safety of all passengers.
“The passenger in question at Beirut Airport was initially extremely rude and aggressive to check-in staff when one of her travelling party did not produce a required PCR documentation for entry to Brazil. As a result, airport security was requested to intervene as staff and passengers were extremely concerned with her behaviour.
“We can confirm that the passenger was rebooked on a flight on Thursday evening from Lebanon.”
Nehme has posted an update on Instagram. perhaps one of our Portuguese readers can help us translate:
View this post on Instagram
CONCLUSION
We’ve now heard both sides of this story and while the parties may disagree over the extent of the redness, it does appear she was initially denied from boarding in part due to her size and refusal to upgrade or buy an additional seat. Nehme is now scheduled to travel home tonight.
It’s not because she is overweight but it’s to insure the wellness of the person sitting next to her. If you ever had the luck to sit next to an overweight person, they spill over into your own seat and also take the armrest. It’s got and uncomfortable. If I pay for a seat, I can reasonably expect to get 100% of my seat, not to turn 20% to the big person next to me. I am a big person, too. Why I do is purchase premium economy or business so that I don’t impose on the person next to me. Good for this airline to tell the over weight freeloader she is too big for Economy.
Model? LOL!!!! Model of what?
Model of gluttony
What’s wrong with people that don’t appreciate the glossal beauty, don’t be judgemental be open minded about things you don’t see every day.
I live in Wisconsin. I see cows every day.
As the document for covid & aggressive attitude became the problem, weight became her excuse for more sympathy. Where’s the tiny violin?
Probably next to the missing TV remote in one of her many folds
Why can’t it be both? She’s too fat to be seated safely/comfortably for herself and other passengers AND she was rude. Just because someone’s…girthier…than is healthy or easily accommodated in an airplane seat doesn’t mean they’re automatically jolly like ol’ Saint Nick. My take from this is that she likely:
A. Was too obese per some QR standard,
B. Was rude because she was informed that her size precluded her from flying and she was unhappy about that, and
C. Didn’t have proper documentation for her destination, though that was unrelated
But, of course, anyone who’s critical of larger people is automatically fatphobic (because it’s GLANDULAR! or whatever) so the best thing to do is run to social media to complain about how your eating situation is someone else’s fault.
It’s weird how we only see plus size female models. Will we ever see a plus size male model? Or have we not reached that virtue signal yet where it’s okay to be a fat guy?
The plus sized male becomes an object of desire? Can’t wait until overweight middle aged guys become a sex symbol! Here I am everybody!
If course, I’ll have plenty of competition. There’s an endless supply of us.
Somewhere, assuming he is still alive, UANYC is “enjoying” her picture. A few posters over the years acknowledged his love for larger women with low self esteem. And who were willing to make him happy for a few euros he found a way to write off.
The good old days of LALF!
I was always under the impression that he liked them young, if you know what I mean. As in too young to fight back.
Plus sized? She’s somewhere between colossal and gargantuan.
The party of 4 was her family (her mother, sister, and nephew.) of course they would let her sit with them despite her size.
The sister and nephew got on that original flight and the mother opted to stay with her plus-sized model daughter in Beirut. If they were indeed rude, I’d presume the entire party of 4 would not be allowed on that original flight.
Qatar Airways eventually let her and her mother on another QR flight a day later.
I’m plus size and have never been denied boarding on Qatar for being over weight. I normally fly economy. I’ve lost 150 pounds. I weighed 400 lbs at my heaviest and was still never denied boarding. I always make sure the people beside me are comfortable even if it makes me uncomfortable. I’m not saying she didn’t experience this, just that it hasn’t been my experience with Qatar. I have experienced it with Southwest to the point of being publicly humiliated by a gate agent in Las Vegas and I will never fly that airline again.
Maybe the passenger to be seated next to her should have a say in the matter.
I had a 10 hours flight next to a person of her size.
10 hours seated in only one ass cheeck was not cute and he absolutely didn’t care or acknowledged me making use of only half of my seat.
And knowing my fellow Brazilians, I am forced to take the airline employee about her attitude.
At.least she made home and is telling her version of the story.
Perhaps it’s time that airlines made clear at the time of booking what size and weight of person can be accomodated in an economy class seat with a tick to say that you will fit and accept off loading if you arrive at the airport in excess of that size.
The current situation doesn’t serve the interests of either the obese passenger or any others particularly the person who might be seated next to them.
She is. Nothing personal but the airline was right. You will be infringing on the safety and comfort of the other passengers sitting besides you. They paid just the same and they expect to benefit 100% of the space they paid for. Physically your size will extend beyond your designated space into their space.
I’m a fatty also, not to the extent of this model. Before I’m heading off anywhere I tend to do all I can to lose some kgs. I’d hate anyone to look at me and think “Please don’t sit next to me” Fair enough too. I also thought about the toilets, they are quite small and honestly I can’t see the “Model” fitting in there, let alone shutting the doors. Also, walking down the aisles… I’m not being rude I’m stating fact. On Instagram I’m pretty sure every Brazilian has ensured to spam all of Qatar Airways posts. I travelled from Aus to Istanbul and back and I enjoyed my time on Qatar Airways, didn’t get denied either.
Qatar airlines are best airlines …!
She was rude they mention lol she doesn’t look model
Recently I travelled from Chicago to Paris, we economy class .. I was in a window seat, the guy in the middle was extremely obese, he was nice and kind but was bulging in my side …it was difficult, I placed myself more towards the windows so that we’d avoid touching ….but it was difficult. The flight was 10 hrs long, I slept, leaning in the window, but then I woke up feeling hot and smelly.
The guy in the middle, while I was sleeping, raised the seat partition and was literally half on my seat and pressing on me….my whole right side was covered in sweat and smelled all through the flight. I had to bring the partition down and my 7 or so hrs remaining were terrible.
So yes I think, overweight people show either buy another seat or travel business….my whole trip was ruined because of that … I want able to sleep and I was tired all day in Paris.
I am heavy, but fit in an economy-class seat without encroaching upon the passengers next to me. I can also fasten an ordinary seat belt. She looks like she can do neither, and the airline was correct in denying boarding. Her “celebrity” status as a model is irrelevant.