and they can get married whenever they choose as long as they notify the company. In May 2016, The Daily Telegraph reported that Al Baker said backpackers were not welcome in Qatar because they "are just there to lie on the beach and spend as little as possible" and the country wanted to "attract people of higher standard". In July 2017, in a speech at a dinner in Ireland, Al Baker said US airlines were "crap" and their passengers were "always being served by grandmothers". He stated that the average age of Qatar airways cabin crew was 26. He later said that his remarks might not reflect his "true sentiments about cabin crew". On June 5, 2018, speaking at a press conference following his election to chairman of the International Air Transport Association at the association's annual meeting in Sydney, Australia, he told reporters that, regarding Qatar Airways' management, "Of course it has to be led by a man because it is a very challenging position." Although Al-Baker later apologized, he stopped short of recanting his belief that being CEO of an international airline is too challenging a job for a woman. He claimed he was attempting to make a joke at the time. In 2019, Al-Baker alleged that Changi Airport's Jewel was a copy of previously announced expansion plans for Hamad International Airport. Al-Baker was quoted as saying: "When I show you the images later (of the planned enhancements), you will realize that somebody copied our design, which was already on the table nearly six years ago... We had individuals from that country, I will not name it, that took our design and did it." Changi Airport Group's chief executive, Lee Seow Hiang, however, has rebutted the allegation, telling The Straits Times: "We value the originality and creativity of ideas as we innovate to elevate the Changi experience for all our visitors. We respect intellectual property rights and expect the same of all our partners." External links Interview, on Al Jazeera, following Qatar crisis, June 2017 References 1962 births Qatari economists Qatari Muslims Qatari Sunni Muslims Arab Muslims Qatari chief executives Living people Chief executives in the airline industry Qatari expatriates in India