A plus-size model says Qatar Airways didn't let her board a flight because she was too fat for an economy seat

Juliana Nehme was traveling to Brazil via Doha on Qatar Airways.

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• A plus-size Qatar Airways passenger said she was denied boarding because she was "fat."
• Juliana Nehme said she was told to buy a first-class ticket as she wouldn't fit in an economy seat.
• Qatar said Nehme became "extremely rude and aggressive" after failing to produce correct documents.

A plus-size model said she was not allowed to board a Qatar Airways flight because she was too fat to fit in an economy seat, but the airline said she had been "extremely rude and aggressive" to check-in staff.

Juliana Nehme, a model and influencer, said in an Instagram post that she was not allowed to board a flight from Beirut to Doha after a holiday in Lebanon with family.

She said Qatar told her to pay about $3,000 to upgrade to first class and refused to refund her the $947 she spent on her economy flight. 

"I bought a return ticket to Brazil through Qatar and arriving at the time to check in, a Qatar flight attendant called my mother while another staffer was finishing our check-in, and told her I wasn't welcome to board because I'm fat," Nehme said in Portuguese in the Instagram video, according to a News.com.au report.

A post shared by Juliana Nehme (@juliananehme)

 

Nehme told her followers that she missed her connecting flight to São Paulo following the incident.

A spokesperson for Qatar Airways told Insider that Nehme became "extremely rude and aggressive" to check-in staff when another person in her party failed to produce the necessary COVID documentation required to enter Brazil. 

However, the spokesperson did indicate that passengers could be asked to purchase an extra seat if they could not fit adequately into one. 

"Qatar Airways treats all passengers with respect and dignity and in line with industry practices and similar to most airlines, anyone who impedes upon the space of a fellow traveller and cannot secure their seatbelt or lower their armrests may be required to purchase an additional seat both as a safety precaution and for the comfort and safety of all passengers."

Nehme was put on a later flight from Lebanon, the Qatar spokesperson said. It was not clear whether she had to pay for an upgrade to be allowed to fly. 

Nehme didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

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