Family sues Qatar Airways for R2 million after being denied boarding due to visa error. A Pretoria family has instituted legal proceedings against Qatar Airways, seeking more than R2 million in damages after they were allegedly prevented from boarding a business-class flight to Japan because of what they describe as a minor typographical error on one passenger’s electronic visa. Barend Minnaar Hefer van der Merwe, his wife, Johanna Martha van der Merwe, and their disabled adult daughter, Michelle van der Merwe, have filed a lawsuit in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
They claim the airline wrongfully refused to allow them to board their flight from OR Tambo International Airport to Tokyo, via Doha, on December 14, 2025, despite holding business-class tickets and what they contend were valid travel documents. The dispute centres on the man’s Japanese electronic visa, which allegedly contained a typographical error in the spelling of his middle name. Although his middle name is “Minnaar”, the visa reportedly reflected it as “Miinnaar”.
The family alleges they informed Qatar Airways staff that the error was insignificant because the visa was clearly related Barend and his identity could easily be verified using the photograph on the visa together with his South African passport, as well as his identity document and driver’s licence. Despite these explanations, the family claims the airline refused to allow all three passengers to board. According to the court papers, they were removed from the boarding process after their luggage had already been checked in, instructed to correct the visa and rebook their flights, and forced to wait approximately eight hours before their baggage was returned.
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