From Blacklist to QSuite: My Unbanning by Qatar Airways

• Airline: Qatar Airways
• Class: Business Class
• Route: Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH)
• Aircraft: Airbus 350-900

For two years, I’ve held the title of “Proudly Banned from Qatar Airways.” It’s a badge of honor that came after I refused to delete a critical review and an airline’s attempt to censor me went spectacularly wrong.

But every time I meet you guys, the first question is always the same: “Josh, are you still banned?”

The story that reached over 40 million people has finally come to an end, and it involves a secret attempt to sneak past the blacklist, a brand new CEO, and a very stressful flight straight into Doha.

Just to quickly catch up because this story has it all:

I had a great relationship with Qatar Airways until I published an honest review of a flight I booked myself. I found the experience to be very, very average outdated planes, poor service, and disappointing standards a sharp contrast to their self-proclaimed title of “World’s Best Airline.”

The fallout was immediate:

The Bribe: I was offered free flights if I would delete the video. I refused. My goal is to show the unbiased truth of aviation, not to be a paid shill.

The Blacklist: Soon after, I was banned from flying the airline entirely.

The Backlash: My story about being “Banned and Bribed” exploded. It turned my innocent 200,000view review into the most watched Qatar Airways review ever and a major global news story, highlighting how they handle critical voices.

Two years passed. The old CEO, the architect of the ban, retired. A new CEO, Mr. Badr, took over, and with him came an impression of change. Could the ban have quietly expired?

I decided to find out, but I had to be smart. My original video was blocked in Qatar, and there was a risk of an arrest warrant against me if I landed there.

My Plan: Book a flight that didn’t go through Doha, a Fifth Freedom segment from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

I bought the ticket through a third-party site to try and sneak past their system. I got my boarding pass, but the victory was short-lived.

“Warning from the system… potential blacklist.”

The airline quickly flagged me. After a quick confirmation call to Doha, the check-in agent delivered the bad news: “We have to refuse you on the fly because you are falling into the blacklist.”

I was busted! The ban was real, and it was still active. I walked away, grabbed my bag, and booked a flight on Vietnam Airlines instead.

After that failure, I knew I needed to go straight to the top. I wrote an email directly to the new Group Chief Executive, Mr. Badr, and asked him plainly: Am I still banned?

A few days later, the response arrived from Customer Care:

We are pleased to advise that your request has been approved for your resumption of travel on our flights effective from the date of this email. Additionally, your Privilege Club membership account will be reactivated.

The ban was officially lifted!

The airline had made a clear move to end the crisis and demonstrate a willingness to change under the new leadership.

Despite the unbanning email, there was one last massive hurdle. If a police case was filed against me two years ago, I could still be arrested upon arriving in Doha.

After a serious risk assessment with my lawyer, we had to assume that the airline, having just unbanned me, had also ensured any legal threats were cleared to avoid a global PR catastrophe worse than the original ban.

I used miles to book the ultimate test flight: Boston to Doha in the famous Qsuite.

The flight experience was surreal:

Check-In: Smooth sailing. Boarding pass issued. No drama.

On Board: I was greeted by name at the door. The crew was next-level professional, clearly briefed and very attentive. I told them I was only recording myself for the update video, and they were completely fine with it.

The Vibe: We were all a bit nervous. The crew was hyper-aware of me; I was hyper-aware of the situation. But the service was perfect, and the Qsuite was a great product.

The biggest risk was the transit in Doha. In the Middle East, sophisticated surveillance can flag anyone with an outstanding case the moment they hit the airport. I landed, disembarked, and walked through the terminal, expecting to see plain-clothes officers at any moment.

I sat in the airport for over 30 minutes. Nobody came. I was safe. The ban was truly over.

A Happy Ending and a Lesson

This whole saga, the ban, the bribe, the massive press, the failed attempt, and the final peaceful flight is over. I want to thank the new leadership for being reasonable and putting this matter to rest.

This entire story is a great case study in aviation history and a powerful lesson in how not to deal with criticism and free speech.

I’m happy to be unbanned, and I’m ready for the next aviation adventure!

Want the REAL Story?

If you think the video was detailed, you haven’t heard anything yet. I recorded an exclusive, almost two-hour podcast episode going into all the juicy, never-shared-before, behind-the-scenes details of the ban, the legal drama, and the ultimate resolution.

Head over to my podcast channel now to get the full story!

This is it guys, wherever you’re off to, have a safe trip!