Qatar Airways Embraces Emotional Intelligence Training To Drive Excellence 
 
 Published on : Wednesday, March 11, 2015 
 
 Qatar Airways has partnered with Six Seconds to introduce enhanced emotional intelligence training. Seventeen members from the Customer Experience Training Team have successfully completed a customised training programme developed by Six Seconds, to become certified practitioners in Emotional Intelligence. 
 
 Qatar Airways’ Customer Experience Department has also commenced training of its on board leaders in the area of Emotional Intelligence and these workshops will be extended to all Customer Experience staff from April onwards. 
 
 Emotional Intelligence, also referred to as EQ, is the ability to perceive, manage and effectively communicate by understanding one’s emotions as well as those of others in order to facilitate higher levels of communication and successful interaction. 
 
 
 
 Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Customer Experience, Rossen Dimitrov, who oversaw the recent certification ceremony honouring the new EQ Practitioners said: “Qatar Airways is highly supportive of learning and development and this effective training programme will be highly beneficial for our trainers, our staff and ultimately for how we communicate with our customers. 
 
 “By involving our Customer Experience staff in emotional intelligence training, they are able to develop the skills and knowledge to better understand our passengers’ needs, how to manage their expectations and ultimately leave our passengers with even more positive memorable experiences. 
 
 “We also recognise the importance of emotions and want to create an organisation that is emotionally intelligent because that brings about numerous positive changes, including training effectiveness and customer service excellence, as well as an improvement in employee performance. Our staff are one of our most valuable assets and on-going training is a vital part of their development.” 
 
 Six Seconds, originally established in Silicon Valley in the United States, is one of the global leaders in turning the science of emotional intelligence into practical tools. Commenting on the partnership with Qatar Airways, Jayne Morrison, Six Seconds’ Regional Director, Middle East & Africa, said: “We are delighted to be working with Qatar Airways to strengthen their reputation in delivering service excellence by integrating emotional intelligence into all their learning and development offerings for the Customer Experience staff. We believe that this will ensure they continue to excel in developing teams that thrive and provide memorable experiences for all who fly with them.” 
 
 Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar has seen rapid growth in just 18 years of operation, to the point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 150 aircraft to 146 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. 
 
 
 
 Qatar Airways’ cabin crew are renowned around the world for the high levels of inflight service, winning the Best Cabin Crew in the world award in the Middle East edition of the prestigious industry magazine Business Traveller. In 2013, Qatar Airways also won for the second year in a row, the Skytrax award for the Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East. 
 
 Source:- Qatar Airways 
 
 Tags: airlines news, Qatar Airways ||||| Local laws and customs reflect the fact that Qatar is an Islamic country. You should respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of your actions to ensure that they do not offend other cultures or religious beliefs, especially during the holy month of Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas. There may be serious penalties for doing something that might not be illegal in the UK. You’re strongly advised to familiarise yourself with and respect local laws and customs. 
 
 In 2019, the holy month of Ramadan is expected to start on 6 May and finish on 4 June. See Travelling during Ramadan 
 
 Be aware of cultural sensitivities when filming or photographing people and religious, military or construction sites. Some visitors attempting to film or photograph in sensitive areas have been arrested. If in doubt, seek permission. If you’re working as a journalist, you’ll need to get permission from the Qatar News Agency (QNA) to film or photograph as part of your work and enter the country on a visiting press permit. This permit will clear technical equipment like cameras through airport customs and provides other necessary information. 
 
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 It is an offence to drink alcohol or be drunk in public. Alcohol is available at licensed hotel restaurants and bars, and expatriates living in Qatar can obtain alcohol on a permit system. Don’t carry alcohol around with you (except to take it on the day of collection from the warehouse to your home). 
 
 Qatar law also prohibits the importation, sale and purchase of electronic cigarettes, liquids and other similar products (eg electronic shisha pipes). The law applies regardless of quantity and intended use. Customs officials may seize and confiscate any such items found entering the country by any means, including in passengers’ luggage or sent by post. 
 
 You should dress modestly when in public, including while driving. Women should cover their shoulders and avoid wearing short skirts. Any intimacy in public between men and women (including between teenagers) can lead to arrest. 
 
 Homosexual behaviour is illegal in Qatar. See our information and advice page for the LGBT community before you travel. 
 
 Financial crimes, including fraud, bouncing cheques (including post-dated and ‘security cheques’) and non-payment of bills (including hotel bills) can often result in imprisonment and/or a fine in Qatar. Bank accounts and other assets may also be frozen. You may also be liable for cheques that have been signed by you on behalf of a company. 
 
 If you have unpaid loans or financial commitments you won’t be able finish your employment in Qatar and exit the country. Any debt will need to be settled in full before your residence permit will be cancelled and your exit permit issued. ||||| A Qatar Airways executive has emailed the firm’s entire cabin crew a picture of a drunk air stewardess because he was “ashamed and disturbed”. 
 
 She appeared to be incapacitated on the floor outside staff accommodation in Doha after a night with friends and it was unclear who took the photograph. 
 
 Rossen Dimitrov, the airline’s “senior vice president of customer experience”, sent his email, revealed to the Daily Star, on Sunday. 
 
 He wrote: "Attached, please see a photo of a CSD who had returned heavily intoxicated to her accommodation. 
 
 "She was dropped off at the entrance of her building and left there sleeping until other crew members found her and carried her up to her apartment. 
 
 Foreigners need permits to buy alcohol in Doha and only specially licenced bars and restaurants can sell it 
 
 "I am so ashamed and disturbed by this behaviour displayed by a tenured member of our team, an adult who has been with the company for over nine years. 
 
 "How can we change rules when we do not behave as mature individuals. I am very disappointed." 
 
 Mr Dimitrov’s email came less than a week after he underwent “emotional intelligence training” with other Qatar Airways staff. 
 
 “We also recognise the importance of emotions and want to create an organisation that is emotionally intelligent because that brings about numerous positive changes, including training effectiveness and customer service excellence, as well as an improvement in employee performance,” he said in a company press release. 
 
 “Our staff are one of our most valuable assets.” 
 
 Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker 
 
 The national carrier of the State of Qatar has seen rapid growth in its 18 years of operation, flying 150 aircraft to 146 destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and America. 
 
 Qatar Airways told MailOnline the email was sent to remind staff to respect the “norms and values” of Qatar, where the consumption of alcohol is severely restricted under Islamic laws. 
 
 “In Doha, the consumption of alcohol is not permitted for nationals and, although drinking is permitted for foreigners, being seen to be drunk would be considered highly disrespectful – it would have negative implications for both the individual and those associated with them,” a spokesperson said. 
 
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 “The vast majority of our cabin crew would themselves be disappointed at the idea that one of their colleagues should get into this situation, since they share our pride in the reputation of our team, and they would also, as we are, be very concerned about the safety implications for someone in this position.” 
 
 The airline said the rule change Mr Dimitrov referred to started more than a year ago and had been “universally welcomed” by staff, although it did not specify what conditions were being altered. 
 
 It is an offence to drink alcohol or be drunk in public in Qatar, according to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. 
 
 Alcohol is available at licensed hotel restaurants and bars, and foreigners living there can obtain alcohol on a complicated permit system that evaluates an applicant’s employment, salary, marital status and religion. 
 
 It is illegal to import alcohol, sell it or offer it to Muslims or minors in Qatar, where homosexuality is also banned.
– In Qatar, it's illegal for the locals to consume alcohol, though expats can imbibe responsibly in licensed restaurants and bars or with a permit. Even worse, though, is if you allow yourself to become publicly intoxicated—and a Qatar Airways exec decided that when one of the company's employees appeared to have thrown back one too many, it was his job to make a public spectacle of her. Senior VP Rossen Dimitrov emailed—to the entire cabin-crew team—a photo of an apparently passed-out flight attendant sprawled across the floor of a building where she was said to be staying, the Daily Star reports. "Attached, please see a photo of a CSD who had returned heavily intoxicated to her accommodation," he wrote in the email. "She was dropped off at the entrance of her building and left there sleeping until other crew members found her and carried her up to her apartment." "I am so ashamed and disturbed by this behavior displayed by a tenured member of our team, an adult who has been with the company for over 9 years," he continued in his directive-against-drunkenness diatribe. "How can we change rules when we do not behave as mature individuals." The airline verified the email and added that the e-humiliation was a reminder to employees to respect "the [norms], values, and society of Qatar," the Star notes. Just a week before this email, Dimitrov went through "emotional intelligence training" with the rest of his staff, the Independent reports. "We … recognize the importance of emotions and want to create an organization that is emotionally intelligent because that brings about numerous positive changes," he said in a press release about the training. "Our staff are one of our most valuable assets." (At least it wasn't a drunk pilot on his way to fly a plane.)