[KSHaggag]

Maybe poor service on SV on certain routes explains it .The airline s reputation for service could be to blame ,as opposed to EK s better inflight service and newer aircraft ,however SV has been relentlessly striving to upgrade its services in the air and on the ground in an attempt to enhance their customers experience and regain some monopoly position on certain routes out of KSA as opposed to better ,more established GCC carriers with a better reputation for service .
Since SV adhered to Skyteam ,a clear upgrade has been identified across the whole SV experience : from ground services ( Skyteam lounge at RUH ) ,to more attentive ,customer oriented staff to better service on board ( the food served on SV in Business Class surpasses often the standards on EK,EY,QR ) ,to more punctual operations to a real hub operation in RUH and JED ,etc…they still have a long way to go but they are today in a different league than before .

[MrMichael]

Correct me if I am wrong, SV is a dry airline, and thus many people that have spent time in Saudi will want a carrier they can get an alcoholic drink on. Thus SV are at a disadvantage from the start for many, particularly non Saudi pax.

[NTarrant]

I travel on SV around KSA on a regular basis as well as weekends to BAH, the product is actually quite good. I have only done economy once on a round trip to BAH and have to say that being given a hot meal is a plus and is probably better than BA Club Europe. Certainly more leg room!

Mr Michael – yes SV is dry but then so are all the airlines travelling within the Gulf to Saudi

[Hermes1964]

Likewise been bumped onto an overnight A330 instead of A380 in December. Why put angle flat beds on the overnight flight and fully flat on the day flights – makes no sense at all and hardly 5 star. Very fed up!

[KSHaggag]

Based on my countless experiences with QR ,I do confirm that QR cannot earn the 5 star title in Economy Class where you really identify a good carrier from an average one .Airlines tend to neglect Eco in favor of the more lucrative Business Class but even though QR services and products are inconsistent ,based on the aircraft type ,seat ,etc..it makes all the difference in the world between having a flat bed or not especially on an overnight flight .
Skytrax based their research on an experience LHR-DOH-MEL in Business Class on an A380 and a 777-300ER ??? solely ????
What about a flight experience on a cramped oldish fully booked A332 btw DOH and KUL ????

[rodders]

Shame, I just did the A319 from Doha to London a couple of weeks ago, a bit cramped on the return sector, but the crew told me that the load factor is usually on 50%, so perhaps Akbar has found a better use for it. I expect (hope) the A330’s will be the refurbed ones with flat beds in business. I also did the 0800 departure recently and was given my second ever upgrade to F on QR, very under whelmed…..they are becoming as bad as EK in different seat per aircraft. Ho hum!

[tomyam42]

Just flown from HKG to SOF via DOH, angled bed over night on the first sector. Definitely not five star, everyone was struggling to find a comfortable position.

However they were cheap. And I’m going MNL-CPT later. Again far cheaper than CX or SIA. Have to pray for flat beds all the way.

[Ah,Mr.Bond]

The fact is though, regardless of how “cheap” the fare may be, QR are much the same price as EK, BA etc out of the UK

The trip in question is LHR-KUL/SIN-LHR, the flights I have got have been changed from A380 out of LHR to A330 [ which I now have for 3 out of the 4 sectors].I will be cancelling this flight and rebooking something else. I would expect no issued with the refund given they cant deliver the service expected and paid for….. that being 1-2-1 config, lie flat seats and a bar blah blah. The flight options were booked very specifically indeed to try all this out.
There are 3 Star carriers out there with better seats than this. QR simply have to wake up or just reduce service ex LHR down to 3 flights operating a quality service that people expect of them.
Emirates must be laughing at them.

[KSHaggag]

QR provides fully flat beds only on 777-300ER ,A380 and 787-8 .Other than this no ,so you better check the aircraft type unless the difference in price ,as you stipulate ,justifies the less-than-perfect product .

[Kimi_CDG]

Here is the full list of adjustments:
http://airlineroute.net/2015/07/05/qr-lhr-w15update3/

A330 confirmed for QR01/02
A319 replaced by B787

[KSHaggag]

When QR decided to launch that unique biz class only service by A319 ,it was supposedly done based on extensive market research and in response to the demand out there but having read on different occasions that the service was running at an average SLF ( seat load factor ) of roughly 50 % makes me wonder two things : 1) Why was it launched in the first place ? 2 ) It is a good idea and initiative to run such a service so why did the airline not market the product well to boost its appeal and popularity and ultimately ensure its survival ?

[NTarrant]

I suspect that the research showed people wanted an all business class service, but weren’t told it would be on a small aircraft. Unlike the LCY-JFK BA service its USP is London City to the US and preclearance in Ireland. Unfortunately this services doesn’t have a USP other than all business class.

Was it a good idea and initiative? Well yes and top marks for trying something a bit different in the region.

[KSHaggag]

Any new route needs time to develop and reach profitability but opening a new one and axing it less than a year later looks a bit erratic ;where is the strategy ?
Don t tell me that 5 flights a day from Doha to London Heathrow among which two A380s is profitable ,let alone enjoying a good yield ,given the level of fares on offer .

[NTarrant]

Quite agree routes need time to develop, but there has to be a cut off point to when you have to make a commercial decision to either give it more time if it is not performing within the targets or cut your losses and withdraw.

One can only speculate as to whether QR make a profit on DOH-LHR, but frequency does give choice and attracts customer. Either the make a profit or it is a positioning tactic. My view is that the route must be reasonably profitable given the frequency and they must have some confidence that the extra capacity on a 787 will be filled.

[AMcWhirter]

One piece of good news (judging by reader feedback about the lack of fully flat biz class seating) is that QR looks set to remove the A340-600 from the DOH-LHR route from October 25.

[Author]

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