Qatar Airways Controversy: Delta Air Lines Cancels Fox Theatre Support

ATLANTA, GA -- Qatar Airways hosted a capacity-crowd press conference in Atlanta to discuss its new service, which begins June 1. Atlanta is the 10th destination the airline serves in the United States, connecting to Qatar Airways' home at Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, and to more than 150 destinations worldwide.

But the controversy surrounding the airline isn't subsiding.

On Tuesday night, superstar performer Jennifer Lopez did a 45-minute private performance at the Midtown Atlanta's Fox Theatre in an event sponsored by Qatar Airways. Earlier in the day, the international president of the Association of Flight Attendants urged Lopez to cancel her performance over concerns of human rights violations.

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Also on Tuesday, Delta Air Lines announced it was ending its sponsorship of the Fox over the Qatar event. The Atlanta-based airline is locked in a fierce competition with Qatar, according to the AJC.

The uproar is also being fueled by the Alliance for Workers Against Repression Everywhere (AWARE), which is urging Atlantans to boycott Qatar.

"It's been widely reported by international media that every week approximately 29 migrant workers will die – total deaths are estimated to be 4,000 – building the 2022 FIFA World Cup soccer facilities in Doha because of deplorable working conditions," the organization said. "Thousands more will suffer other horrifying abuses as workers across business sectors, including Qatar Airways employees, have little to no protections, and some can be legally held in indentured servitude."

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Qatar is an an oil-rich nation in the Middle East. The organization said "the expansion of Qatar's commercial enterprises, including Qatar Airways, reflects the smoke and mirror tactics used by the Qatari government to hide the inhumane treatment of its most vulnerable workers."

AWARE is a nonprofit organization whose stated goal is to bring international attention to policies and business tactics that harm workers' rights. AWARE is launching an international campaign using the hashtag #boycottQatar as Qatar Airways launches this new service from Atlanta.

The route between Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) and Hamad International Airport (HIA) will be operated daily nonstop with a Boeing 777, with the exception of the first flight – which will be deployed with an Airbus A380 superjumbo for one day only, on June 1.

Qatar Airways' third new destination to the United States this year, Atlanta follows the start of services to Los Angeles (January 1) and Boston (March 16). Since 2007, with the airline's first route to the USA – to New York – services have exponentially grown, with America having an ever-increasing importance for Qatar Airways' customers. More than 5,000 seats are flown each day between Qatar and the United States, spread across the airline's gateways.

Atlanta is projected to be a key route for business and leisure traffic, conveniently connecting the Far East, Africa and the Middle East regions to Georgia.

• Image: Qatar Airways holds press conference to mark the start of the airline's Atlanta route launch on June 1. Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker (centre), Qatar Airways Vice President Americas - Gunter Saurwein (left) and Country Manager - USA, Lisa Markovic. (PRNewsFoto/Qatar Airways)