Australian women win right to sue Qatar Airways over body searches

A group of Australian women has won the right to sue Qatar Airways over non-consensual body searches conducted at Doha airport in 2020. The Federal Court of Australia ruled that their claims are strong enough to proceed to trial, overturning an earlier decision in favour of the airline.

The case stems from an incident on 2 October 2020, when a newborn baby was found in a bathroom at Hamad International Airport.

In response, Qatari authorities ordered several female passengers off a Qatar Airways flight bound for Sydney. The women were taken to an ambulance on the tarmac and subjected to invasive examinations in an attempt to locate the infant’s mother.

According to the court ruling, at least four women were examined without their consent, and three were searched invasively. The women were later allowed to reboard the flight to Australia. The episode caused diplomatic tension and was cited by the Australian government when it denied Qatar Airways' request for additional flight slots in the country.

The ruling marks a legal and reputational setback for Qatar Airways, which owns a 25% stake in Virgin Australia and is seeking to expand its operations down under.

While the next steps in the case remain unclear, the trial could test the limits of international aviation law in holding airlines accountable for how passengers are treated during security incidents.

Qatar Airways has not yet commented on the ruling.