Grieving Rathangan man is left stranded by airline after attending brother's funeral

A Rathangan man who returned home to attend the funeral of his brother, who died in tragic circumstances, says he has been left stranded by his airline.
Mark Hopkins came back to Kildare following the tragic passing of younger sibling Roy, who died following an incident on the town’s outskirts on July 31.

A local man, Robert Broughan of St Patrick’s Park, has subsequently been charged with the murder of Mr Hopkins.

Mark flew with Qatar Airways, stopping in Doha en route and was due to return to Sydney on August 21 (two weeks after Roy’s funeral), with another stop in the Qatar capital.
“I booked the return flight when I left and I had no warning that this would happen until two nights before when I got an email from the airline informing me that the flight had been cancelled as far as I was concerned,” said Mark.
He added: “My brother’s funeral was hard enough in itself but for now I don’t know when I can return.”
In the end the flight left with only 50 people on board.
“I was bumped off and I have been on to Qatar Airways numerous times but they are only flying out so many people every day and they’re not really not giving me much at all.”
The problem is exacerbated by the fact that the Australian authorities are limiting the number of people allowed into the country because of Covid-19
Mark’s Australian partner Amy and children Sienna (4) and Ayla (1) are back in Sydney, awaiting his return.
Another complicating matter is Mark’s medical condition.
He has haemochromatosis, a blood disorder not uncommon in Ireland, which leads to a build up of iron which can affect the liver, pancreas and heart and is treated by venesection — the removal of the patient’s blood at regular intervals.
Mark, 37, has the procedure done every two weeks. His return options are limited.
He could upgrade to business class — at a cost of 15,000 Australian dollars (€9,300).
Alternatively, he could fly with another airline which would result in three to four stops, but any of these could lead to long delays because of the virus. “I need to get home and back to work. It’s getting harder to pay the rent.

“I’ve made Qatar aware of this; they should be telling people when they book that they may not be able to get back out. They’re accepting bookings without saying they won’t be able to get them back.”
Mark has also contacted both the Australian and Irish embassies and the advice from both is to keep pressuring the airline.
Senator Mark Wall is trying to find a solution as is Senator Fiona O’Loughlin, Green Party leader Eamon Ryan and Laois Offaly TD Carol Nolan.
He has also contacted the health authorities in New South Wales to get an exemption on medical grounds from the 14 day quarantine period because this might mean he could find it easier to get a flight.
He is fearful that even the October 24 date could be changed.

Begging

“I need to get home, I’m pretty much begging them but all they say is I’m on a list and they’ll be in touch. If I’d known this in advance I would not have been able to come because of the financial cost.”

Friends have suggested a crowdfunding initiative to help him get back but he is reluctant to do this.
“I could probably scrape up the money for the business class flight. I appreciate people are willing to help but I don’t want to give the airline any more of my money after the way I’ve been treated and I definitely wouldn’t give them other people’s hard earned money.”
Efforts to make contact with Qatar Airways for this article were unsuccessful.