Qatar Airways — Denied Entry onto Flight due to discrepancy between requirements on web site and those at check-in counter

My Wife (booking reference: KCHXGF) and I (Booking reference: KDARGC), both Indian citizens, were denied entry onto Qatar Airways QR1366 on 22 February 2022, for the 8AM flight from South Africa (where we were visiting our daughter and family) to return to India. As per Qatar Airways Travel Regulations and Air Suvidha, we submitted our Fully Vaccinated Indian Certificate. We showed the person at the check-in counter, the current Qatar Travel Requirements Website and latest circular from India and were yet not allowed to board the plane. Initially we were told South Africa needed a RT PCR test, to which we showed online there was no such thing required to exit. This was accepted, but the next reason being cited was that India would send us back to South Africa without RT PCR. We logged onto the Qatar travel requirements website at the OR Tambo airport again and entered country of departure and destination. In vain we showed them India’s current policy and Qatar Transit Regulations, which clearly stated, transit passengers are not required to present any test results or certificates above the requirements of their departure or destination country, in our case, it being India.

Then we had to pay an additional, R29 000 (ZAR) to rebook the two tickets for Thursday, 24 Feb 2022. When we looked online afterwards, two one-way Economy tickets would have been R35 000 (ZAR), so that extra amount that we were charged seems excessive (we bought the original two-way flexi tickets from India for ₹75 000 (INR) each (equivalent to R15 000 [ZAR]) in August 2021. So, effectively we paid R29 500 (ZAR) per ticket in total, instead of R17 500 (ZAR). What makes this even more puzzling is that the one ticket’s excess was R24 000 (ZAR) and the second one R5 000 (ZAR). They tried to explain this to us by way of mentioning specials at the time of purchase, but this doesn’t make sense since the tickets were purchased on the same day.

Luckily my son-in-law happened to be there and helped us pay the excess using his credit card. We couldn't even meet with Qatar office personnel in South Africa at the airport - we were informed that office personnel would only arrive after 10:30am. When we enquired for a contact number to call someone at the office regarding our case, no one could help. We had to leave the airport as my son-in-law had to work and was already delayed. Keep in mind we were at the airport from 5:30am.

Please take into consideration both my wife and I are pensioners, closing to 70 years of age. We are expecting a full refund for the excess we had to pay, as well as an apology for the mental shock and trauma we had to suffer.

I will attach screen shots of Qatar Airways Travel Requirements.