Qatar Airways' chief executive officer has said he is "disappointed" by the way London's Heathrow Airport has handled disruption to flights this summer.
The airport is one of the busiest in the world and has been hit by multiple crises this year including baggage system issues and staff shortages as travellers return to the skies following the lifting of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
Airport management has asked airlines to stop selling seats on flights as it set a two-month cap on daily passenger traffic. The limit has angered some airline chiefs as they zealously try to reverse the financial losses incurred during the pandemic.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker told Bloomberg that he understood staffing issues facing the airport, but management could have shown more foresight.
Al-Baker said that the passenger cap should have been put in place with far more notice.
"My question to the management would be, they should have seen this coming and they should have taken mitigating actions," he said.
Al-Baker represents Qatar's state’s sovereign wealth fund on the Heathrow board.
Beyond Heathrow, Al-Baker said his airline is struggling with some other supply issues, including the availability of spares.
Fleet shortages could last until the football World Cup in Qatar later this year.