Work in the NHS or healthcare? Qatar Airways is giving away 100,000 free flights

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

• mr_jetlag says:

  11 May11 May 14:39

  Wow. Very canny use of newly empty planes. Kudos to QR on a great PR move.

  • Riccatti says:

    12 May12 May 05:49

    This is horrible PR.

    Completely contradicts the approach of not taking on increased risk (for no need).

    Distracts healthcare professionals.

    Cast society.

• PaulC says:

  11 May11 May 14:45

  Great planes full of front line workers who are most likely to have the virus!

  • James says:

    11 May11 May 14:58

    Most likely to have been tested regularly, so probably least likely to be carrying the virus unknowingly

  • BJ says:

    11 May11 May 15:36

    +1, just the latest in so many barmy half-baked initiatives we have seen during the past two months with the potential to do more harm than good. With no disrespect to health care professionals, I feel for key workers in other sectors, from carers through food shop assistants, who typically earn minimum wages and who must feel increasingly aggrieved that their efforts are not afforded the same recognition and and value as more highly paid health care professionals. Particularly given that their exposure to coronavirus may in some cases be greater than for many healthcare professionals who do not work on the front line. It would be nice, just for a change, if individuals, organisations, politicians and corporations were to recognise them.

    • PaulC says:

      11 May11 May 15:44

      Totally no disrespect to frontline workers, they are have been doing a fantastic job.

      But I’m currently working 7 nights a week as a takeaway delivery driver going up to multiple front doors of people I don’t know from the next all for £6 an hour!

      Desperate times but as a Director of my own Limited Company and no work I’m left with no alternative!

      • Novice says:

        11 May11 May 16:06

        Thanks for your service.

        I personally don’t clap every Thursday anymore, not because I don’t appreciate carers or health care professionals but firstly it’s getting out of hand (parties) and secondly because I think all key workers should be equally appreciated.

      • Brasov says:

        11 May11 May 17:19

        I’ll bite, as they say. Why are they paying less than minimum wage? Have you considered furlough from your Company?

    • Harry T says:

      11 May11 May 16:54

      @BJ
      I agree, as an NHS worker. Other key workers aren’t being recognised or appreciated.

      Anyway, rather than encouraging empty, politicised gestures, I would rather the government paid health workers appropriately and provided the PPE and safe working conditions necessary to ensure their health.

      • Novice says:

        11 May11 May 17:00

        Agree @Harry T.

        This clapping is turning into a farce. A coverup to hide the fact that this govt has killed 32k + ppl. And we’re supposed to be a rich nation. I don’t know how much is true but I have heard some nhs workers have had to buy their own ppe.

        You’re an insider. Correct me if I’m wrong, if you haven’t been gagged over talking.

        • Lady London says:

          11 May11 May 17:08

          i never participated, similar thoughts. we are still not being told why health workers s t i l l haven’t got enough PPE.

        • Novice says:

          11 May11 May 17:23

          Maybe the answer might be because we have a buffoon (i do hate to insult any animal though) in charge.

          Didn’t inspire confidence exactly knowing we are the only rich nation which had our leader supposedly catch the virus as he was that careless.

          And, now their hatred of EU collaboration led to them ordering ppe from dodgy sellers out to make a quick buck.

          If this wasn’t an actual tragedy, I would be laughing at the utter rubbish leadership (or lack of) I’ve seen. And, this is a person who is young. A lot of people have said to me you sound Ancient and pessimistic but I always ask them; can you blame me?

          However I do think I’m a pessimistic optimist. 😂

        • Josh says:

          11 May11 May 17:56

          I’ll only believe you’re young and fresh faced Novice, if you have a favourite instagram influencer, watch RuPaul’s Drag Race or if your first mobile was a smartphone 😂

        • David S says:

          11 May11 May 17:56

          Yes. This is true among some of my GP colleagues who are having to buy their own and there are stories about even hospital workers having to buy separately as well.

        • Novice says:

          11 May11 May 18:05

          @Josh, I have to disappoint you. I am pretty fresh-faced and young but I’m not into social media due to being logical and scientific, I researched if it was any good for my mind and the answer was clearly no. I should actually get off this site too 😂

          My first phone was a smartphone. But I just missed the nokia craze by a few years. I so envy ppl who still have old nokia phones. Apparently the phones are pretty solid. I was too young then. Parents got me a smartphone as a present when I was still in school.

      • Alan says:

        11 May11 May 19:14

        Harry T – exactly. Clapping and Just Giving donations are fine, but runs the risk of letting the Gov’t away with continuing to underfund the health and social care sectors going forward.

      • BJ says:

        11 May11 May 19:55

        @Harry T, agree with this. However, if it was just a question of underfunding this could be fixed by taxation, preferably begining with corporation tax. Unfortunately the problem is more fundamental, it’s ideological despite their protestations to the contrary do the only solution is in the hands of the electorate.

    • Bazza says:

      11 May11 May 17:58

      Not all healthcare workers will work on the front line but they will still use the same corridors, lifts, stairs, canteen and general work areas and in most cases be close to clinical colleagues throughout the day…. So I think it will be quiet a rare case to find a shop worker at greater risks than a healthcare worker, when they are either in close proximity to the known sick or those who are caring for the known sick. Back office staff are NOT in isolation on anyway. And are certainly back of the queue when it comes to hygiene risk and social distancing risks.

      • Polly says:

        11 May11 May 18:37

        That nhs list could be extended greatly..radiographers for one, they are in very close contact literally all day in icu atm..plus the care assistants helping with proning etc. cleaners, so many others…let’s hope some on here win a tkt.
        Harry T, you got lucky with the oz deal, hope you get one of these also…
        It’s. A nice gesture, won’t make up for their large no’s of redundancies announced yesterday.

      • BJ says:

        11 May11 May 19:05

        All a question of exposure. There are many healthcare workers who are far removed from the frontline, either physically or in terms of the number of people they come into contact with. Were this not the case then it would be yet another failing. Equally, there are many shop workers who will come into contact with over a hundred customers each day, often in small confined spaces. Amongst my close family I can count a doctor, an ICU nurse, a first responder, a carer, and a shop worker. The one who feels most vulnerable is the shop worker, in large part due to employers failings to take the risks seriously. However, my point was not so much to apportion risks, that is much to complicated once we get beyond frontline healthcare professionals. Rather, I just wanted to flag up the need to recognise ALL key workers and their contribution because without any one group of them we would be coping less effectively than we are now. Many of these groups of key workers face their own particular challenges, everything from PPE for healthcare professionals through to enforcing of social distancing in shops and other workplaces. Politicians at all levels owe it to them all to do their best to address these challenges to the best of their abilities. For the absence of doubt, I do not grudge any healthcare professional the opportunity to take up this offer if they can, and I am sure also that they themselves will be the best judge of whether they are able to travel when the time comes.

• Graeme says:

  11 May11 May 14:55

  This discriminates against NHS data analysts, who as we know are the real heroes. Most unfair 😉

  • Geoff says:

    11 May11 May 18:04

    If I am the one who stays late looking at the data and and finds your 2 week wait cancer is breached…. And get the booking office to get you in next day for a PET. Yes. You might might call me your hero!
    Your welcome!

• J says:

  11 May11 May 14:55

  Meanwhile starving workers in Qatar are left begging for food…

  https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/may/07/qatars-migrant-workers-beg-for-food-as-covid-19-infections-rise

  Qatar Airways are also leaving pilots they’ve now sacked hundreds of thousands in debt. These people make Willie Walsh and Richard Branson look like saints!

  • James says:

    11 May11 May 14:59

    That was one pilot and she had never flown for them which was unrelated to Covid.

• Andrew says:

  11 May11 May 15:03

  QR really have been excellent throughout this crisis

• Harry T says:

  11 May11 May 15:04

  I will sign up for this. Do we earn Avios and tier points? 😂

  • Ariaana says:

    11 May11 May 19:12

    i think so, remember though when you go to the airport you need to bring your proof of id that you work for the nhs or they wont let you board the plane
    have a nice day!

• Briandt says:

  11 May11 May 15:29

  As an NHS driver, taking patients to hospitals etc. etc., I think I may put my name forward, albeit not on the list.

  • Bazza says:

    11 May11 May 18:06

    NHS driver? In partnership with the NHS?

• Anon says:

  11 May11 May 15:58

  Is this one of those where you need to be refreshing the page constantly to be first in line or can anyone register (with proof) and they randomly decide who gets codes?

  • Rob says:

    11 May11 May 16:04

    Not clear.

  • jil says:

    11 May11 May 16:49

    it sounds like the latter on the website, plus unlikely they can varify your proof when you register, the proof will be required when boarding.

    • Anon says:

      11 May11 May 17:29

      T&Cs say they will verify at check in in the airport. But they also say tickets are available on first come first served basis (so even if you have till November to book maybe that’s unwise?).

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.