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Qatar Airways was ordered by a Sao Paulo court to pay for psychotherapy sessions for Brazillian influencer and model Juliana Nehme after allegedly refusing to let her board due to her size. The plus-size influencer shared an Instagram video detailing the incident that took place on November 22, 2022.
On Tuesday, December 20, 2022, Judge Renata Martins de Carvalho ruled in favor of the 38-year-old content creator. She stated that the airline company needs to pay for her therapy sessions to compensate for the discrimination Nehme faced and to make sure the "stressful and traumatic event is overcome."
Detailing out the verdict, Judge Renata explained that the treatment must consist of "weekly sessions" over a period of one year which would total BRL 19,200 ($3690). The amount is to be deposited in the plaintiff's bank account.
What transpired between Juliana Nehme and Qatar Airlines
The Brazilian influencer was vacationing in Lebanon with her mother, sister, and nephew. On their way back, the family was supposed to fly to Brazil via Doha through Qatar Airlines. However, a company staff member allegedly refused her entry on board.
Juliana Nehme spoke at length about her distress in an Instagram post shared on her account @juliananehme, which has gone viral with over 64,000 likes and thousands of comments. The post was shared in Portuguese with the caption (translated):
"Shame on a company like Qatar to allow this type of DISCRIMINATION to people! I'm FAT But I'm JUST LIKE EVERYONE!"
She explained that while checking in for their flight at the Rafic Hariri International Airport, a staff person told her mother that she (Juliana Nehme) was not welcome because she was fat. The model pointed out that she was denied entry despite paying almost $4000 (combined). She even exclaimed that they traveled (to Lebanon) without hiccups via Air France.
Juliana Nehme claimed she was asked by Qatar Airlines to purchase a more expensive first-class ticket as it has bigger seats just 30 mins before take-off. According to Nehme, at one point, the staff member stated she (Nehme) had "no right" to board the plane.
The 38-year-old was extremely tense and explained to her followers that she did not have the resources to purchase a business-class ticket. The family spent around two hours negotiating with Qatar Airlines staff, who refused to budge. Eventually, her sister and nephew returned to Brazil, while Nehme and her mother were forced to stay back in Beirut.
Speaking to the Brazilian media, Juliana Nehme described the incident as "horrible" and "humiliating." She said:
"It was like I wasn't a human being to them. I was a fat monster that couldn't get on board."
The influencer further explained that she "blamed herself" and asked her mother to "forgive her" several times.
The duo took refuge at a Brazilian embassy home. The Ambassador, who brought the matter to Qatar Airways, helped them return home on another flight on November 25, 2022.
Referring to the incident with Juliana Nehme, Qatar Airways stated that she was "extremely rude and aggressive" to the staff after they asked one of the family members to produce the PCR documentation required to enter Brazil. They stated:
"Airport security was requested to intervene as staff and passengers were extremely concerned with her behavior."
The airline company explained that they treat all passengers with "dignity and respect" and follow the rules "in line with industry practices similar to most airlines."
They further stated that if anyone "impedes upon" the space of a fellow passenger, or cannot secure their seatbelt, or lower their armrest, then they are required to purchase an additional seat as a "safety precaution" and for the "comfort of all passengers."
