Model alleges airline stopped her from boarding flight for being 'fat'; court intervenes

Qatar Airways grabbed the headlines after a plus-size Brazillian model and influencer claimed that the airlines didn't allow her to board the flight because of her physique.

38-year-old model named Juliana Nehme took to her Instagram account to share the "extremely rude and aggressive" behaviour of the airlines. In the video, Juliana can be heard speaking in Portuguese as she claimed that Qatar airlines refused her from boarding the flight's economy class due to her body size.

Later she was asked to pay $3000 for a first-class ticket and was refused a refund. She further said that she was humiliated, threatened, and pushed away by the airline staff as she began recording the whole incident.

Qatar Airways alleged of stopping model from boarding flight

Juliana Nehme wrote in an Instagram post, "I am in Lebanon came via Air France and the flight was smooth. I came from a financial journey and I didn't experience any embarrassment or harassment. I bought a ticket back to Brazil via Qatar and arrived at the time to check in-- A Qatar airline called my mother while the lady was finishing our check-in and told her that I wasn't welcome to board because I am fat and they weren't going to welcome me on the flight and only if I bought FIRST CLASS tickets she kept. She kept my mom, sister, nephew, and mine tickets! After hours of begging, she returned all my luggage that had already been dispatched Claiming that I would have to buy executive class or I wouldn't travel. I tried until the end to be allowed to fly since we were 4 people traveling together and she REFUSED UNTIL THE END to sell the ticket to me! A passage that costs 3000$ to be executive and I paid 1000$. I stayed 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. I had to stay in Lebanon and spent money on a hotel and taxi that I didn't need! Can't afford to hang around any longer. And they said I have to pay for another fare for my mother and upgrade mine to the executive. But nobody wanted to sell me! I was extremely humiliated in front of all the people at the airport! All because I am fat! Shame on a company like Qatar to allow this kind of discrimination against the people! I am FAT But I am the SAME AS EVERYBODY! It is not fair to buy my ticket and be HUMILIATED, THREATENED, AND BLOCKED FROM FLYING! I NEED AN URGENT SOLUTION!"

After the incident went viral on social media, a Brazilian court asked Qatar airways to pay for the model's weekly psychotherapy for the harassment and distress caused by them.