Hey everyone, while missiles may be hitting airports across the Middle East as Gulf carriers find themselves in a dire situation, can we take a moment to consider the travel influencers?!
Qatar Airways crew irritates influencer over video request
A travel influencer, Ed Soto, took to Instagram to express his irritation with Qatar Airways after crews on three out of four flights requested that he refrain from filming them. I’ll let his caption convey his feelings, as it’s quite revealing:
@qatarairways Your Staff must do MUCH better.
I’ve taken 4 Flights with @qatarairways over the Past 2 Weeks, and apart from @kevinhart4real presenting the Security Video (it’s enjoyable due to @kevinhart4real), I fail to see how they can be labeled as the “BEST” in anything.
This staff member displayed the same attitude towards my wife, and she is genuinely the sweetest person you’ll meet, so I was not pleased either.
As content creators, it’s crucial to recognize that some individuals and employees desire their privacy, BUT.
1. For travelers capturing content, it’s part of the adventure, regardless of whether one is a creator.
2. This incident occurred on 3 out of 4 flights with @qatarairways, and staff could politely request AFTER recording is finished that they prefer not to be included in a video; we can easily edit out faces to show respect.
3. For those purchasing Business/First Class tickets, it’s a full experience; if someone boards a plane and you start voicing complaints, you not only diminish the experience, but you are also undermining someone’s joy for their trip, holiday, or flight.
4. This was a 9-hour flight, and the employee’s total disrespect, coupled with their attitude and complaints, was unwarranted.
As creators, we consistently capture content in various locations, especially on Business/First Class flights.
Just as we can maintain politeness, employees should extend the same respect to passengers.
To my fellow travelers, what do you think?
The accompanying video features the man boarding the plane while filming, with his wife recording a video as she follows behind him. And yes, despite his assertion that he can always blur faces out of respect, he opts not to do so, even after the crew clearly expressed that desire.
His replies to some comments on the post are quite telling as well. One individual remarks:
They are there for your safety and service, not for your entertainment. Perhaps seek permission beforehand?
And he replies:
No one is asking them to do anything; just let passengers board without interruption, just as I wasn’t bothering anyone.
Additionally, there’s a passenger behind you that you should be assisting instead of wasting your time and mine.
Sadly, I wouldn’t anticipate anything better from Qatar Airways.
While they may have decent seats, their service is inferior compared to many US airlines.
I’m happy to share my perspective on this Qatar Airways matter
Ed seeks his fellow travelers’ opinions, so I’ll weigh in. I believe I’m well-qualified to comment since I’m also someone who carefully documents flights, suggesting we might share similar experiences.
For me, it’s straightforward — filming other passengers onboard flights without consent is unacceptable. Full stop. Nearly every airline has a guideline against filming others without permission, and I don’t understand why this is challenging to comprehend. In the rare instances when I do photograph crew members, I’ve explicitly asked for their consent to take pictures and whether they’re comfortable being included.
The guideline isn’t “oh, film all you want, and then later we can blur faces on request.” After reviewing some of Ed’s previous content, I don’t find any instances where he has blurred out faces (though perhaps I might be overlooking something?).
Moreover, the irony lies in his insistence that he’ll gladly blur faces upon request, yet he proceeds to make a post featuring the full faces of the crew members who asked him not to film.
A general tip, however, if you aspire to remain discreet, essentially boarding with
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