[Anonymous]

@AnthonyDunn WW looking at moving jobs to Krakow. By coincidence, the airline that owns 10% of IAG, Qatar Airways, has it’s Euoropean headquarters in, yes, Krakow!

BA has a large part of its “customer service” in India.

I feel very sorry for the lovely folk in the Exec Club in Didsbury, Manchester, and Gold Card Customer Relations in Newcastle.
Cutbacks, cutbacks, cutbacks….the BA managers bonuses MUST be protected, at any cost.

We all know that WW will say, and do, nothing with regards to the rapidly falling price of fuel.

[openfly]

In reply to: BA fuel costs down

@AnthonyDunn WW looking at moving jobs to Krakow. By coincidence, the airline that owns 10% of IAG, Qatar Airways, has it’s Euoropean headquarters in, yes, Krakow!

BA has a large part of its “customer service” in India.

I feel very sorry for the lovely folk in the Exec Club in Didsbury, Manchester, and Gold Card Customer Relations in Newcastle.
Cutbacks, cutbacks, cutbacks….the BA managers bonuses MUST be protected, at any cost.

We all know that WW will say, and do, nothing with regards to the rapidly falling price of fuel.

[Whitemischief]

In reply to: Qatar Airways — five-star airline… or is it?

Definitely NOT the worlds Five star Airline!!!

I am based in Hong Kong and travel frequently, I am a Marco Polo Club Diamond member. I recently commenced with regular monthly trips from Hong Kong to Conakry, capital city of Guinea, in West Africa, a routing for which I have a few of options and choices. I chose to support Qatar Airways as airline of choice for this route because of the One World alliance, this however appears to have been a complete mistake, and has resulted in very bad experiences which certainly does not match your airline’s slogan “THE WORLDS FIVE STAR AIRLINE” (albeit a self appointed status).

On my first trip, I travelled on an E-Ticket, purchased online by my company, by credit card, the routing was from HKG via Doha and Casablanca, to Conakry, the duration of the journey was to be 38 hours, which included an eight hour layover in Doha and about nine hours in Casablanca.

Arrival in Doha a disappointing experience.
In Doha I was accommodated in a lounge designated for One World Emerald members, referred to as a “The First Class Lounge”, which in my opinion, fails to meet standard. It seems that Qatar has two lounges with two standards, one for One World Members and one for exclusively for Qatar Airways Privilege Club members, the standards offered in the two lounges are vastly different. In comparison, the facilities and standard of refreshments provided by Cathay Pacific in their first class lounges in Hong Kong, to Qatar Elite tier members, and those offered by Qatar in Doha at “The First Class Lounge” offered to One World Emerald members, is drastically different and far inferior. The offerings resemble a cheap convenience store, the lounge also has the worlds biggest LED screen above the dining and resting area, flashing messages and adverts 24/7 creating a disturbance for anyone wishing to relax, no lounging facilities are available to stretch out and rest, in the event that one may wish to catch up on a nap.

Arrival in Casablanca – Further disappointment
Upon arrival in Casablanca, in advance of the codeshare flight on Royal Air Maroc, I was refused access to the RAM lounge, so had to wait around the decrepit 1960’s terminal building for 9 Hours before boarding the flight to Conakry.

The Return Flight
On the return flight I checked in at Conakry, with Royal air Maroc I was issued with all my onward boarding passes, but not issued with a lounge pass for Casablanca and was told to request access upon arrival in Casablanca. Upon arrival, I refused access to the RAM lounge, so had to wait around the decrepit 1960’s terminal building again for 7 Hours before boarding the Qatar flight to Doha, and another visit to the Second Class, One World Emerald members “First Class Lounge”, thankfully only for two hours.

My Second Trip to Conakry.
On my second trip, I travelled on E-Ticket, purchased over telephone with Qatar Airways five days in advance of my departure, using a company credit card, the routing was from HKG via Doha and Casablanca, to Conakry, the duration of the journey was 32 hours, which included a two hour layover in Doha and about nine hour layover in Casablanca. Upon check in I was asked to present the credit card used for the booking, which naturally I did not have, after several hours of debate with check in staff (on loan from Dragon Air), who must have the worst customer relations skills on the planet and with IQ’s and language skills lower than ‘Dim Sum’, I was not admitted for boarding, which immediately lost me one entire day of business in Conakry. I had to abort the trip to get the card payment confirmed the following day, and return to the airport the following evening for my flight.
I departed on the CX codeshare flight and again In Doha I was accommodated in the lounge designated for One World Emerald members, referred to as a “The First Class Lounge”.

Upon arrival in Casablanca, in advance of the codeshare flight on Royal Air Maroc, I was again refused access to the RAM lounge, so I checked into a grubby transit hotel, at the cost of Euros 32, in the terminal to rest for 9 Hours before boarding the flight to Conakry.

The Return Flight
My return flight included a nine hour layover in Doha, I called Qatar Airways in Doha (there is no office in Conakry) to request transfer to an earlier flight (CX operated codeshare), which I was told was full, I requested a waitlisting and my request was granted, I was also advised to constantly check to see if the request was granted, which I religiously did. I also requested whether I was entitled to lounge access in Casablanca and was told that I certainly was, I recounted my previous experience and was advised by the assistant that they would ensure that a message would be placed to ensure my access.

On the return flight I checked in at Conakry, with Royal air Maroc, I was not issued with any onward boarding passes, but was told to collect these from the Qatar service desk in the transfer area at the airport in Casablanca, upon my arrival.

Upon arrival in Casablanca, representatives from RAM, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Ethiad and Iberia were waiting to greet and assist arriving passengers, the Qatar Counter was unmanned. After waiting five hours in the transit area, Qatar (the self appointed Worlds Five Star Airline) opened their desk in the transit zone and I was finally processed and issued with my onward boarding passes as well as the lounge access pass for the ram lounge.

Although I was the only passenger waiting for onward boarding passes in Casablanca, once I boarded the flight from Casablanca to Doha, I noticed at least 5 Chinese passengers on the same flight, who had originated in Conakry, were boarding the same flight, when I asked one I was told that they had been issued with all boarding passes in Conakry.

Although I had constantly checked with Qatar, regarding the transfer to the earlier flight, (Doha to HKG the codeshare flight operated by CX), no one was able to confirm, and I was told to check with the service desk in Doha. Upon arrival at Doha, I waited in an endless queue for assistance, I noticed that the CX counter had no queue and immediately went over to see if they actually had seats, I was told by the representative that they did and that if I was quick, I could be admitted for the flight. I rejoined the Qatar queue and by the time I reached the assistant I was told that I had “cancelled the waitlisting“ (this was completely untrue), and, that there were no seats available!

I was also not informed that I was entitled to a complimentary room in a transit hotel, as my layover exceeded 8 hours! I only found out when I was informed by the lounge receptionist! By this time it was so late, with a wait of another 30 minutes to process a room and visa and 30 minutes wait for transport, 15 minutes travel and 5 minutes check in I had three hours sleep in the hotel, before a 5:30 pick to connect to an 8:30 am flight. For the Worlds Five Star Airline, at their Five star airport, the immigration queue was a further joke, it took a further 45 minutes to clear immigration!

As one can imagine I have an extremely low opinion of the amateurish service and performance of the worlds second rate five star airline, its more like the Worlds First Class Camel Dung Express with Wings, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have no other option!

[Anonymous]

Definitely NOT the worlds Five star Airline!!!

I am based in Hong Kong and travel frequently, I am a Marco Polo Club Diamond member. I recently commenced with regular monthly trips from Hong Kong to Conakry, capital city of Guinea, in West Africa, a routing for which I have a few of options and choices. I chose to support Qatar Airways as airline of choice for this route because of the One World alliance, this however appears to have been a complete mistake, and has resulted in very bad experiences which certainly does not match your airline’s slogan “THE WORLDS FIVE STAR AIRLINE” (albeit a self appointed status).

On my first trip, I travelled on an E-Ticket, purchased online by my company, by credit card, the routing was from HKG via Doha and Casablanca, to Conakry, the duration of the journey was to be 38 hours, which included an eight hour layover in Doha and about nine hours in Casablanca.

Arrival in Doha a disappointing experience.
In Doha I was accommodated in a lounge designated for One World Emerald members, referred to as a “The First Class Lounge”, which in my opinion, fails to meet standard. It seems that Qatar has two lounges with two standards, one for One World Members and one for exclusively for Qatar Airways Privilege Club members, the standards offered in the two lounges are vastly different. In comparison, the facilities and standard of refreshments provided by Cathay Pacific in their first class lounges in Hong Kong, to Qatar Elite tier members, and those offered by Qatar in Doha at “The First Class Lounge” offered to One World Emerald members, is drastically different and far inferior. The offerings resemble a cheap convenience store, the lounge also has the worlds biggest LED screen above the dining and resting area, flashing messages and adverts 24/7 creating a disturbance for anyone wishing to relax, no lounging facilities are available to stretch out and rest, in the event that one may wish to catch up on a nap.

Arrival in Casablanca – Further disappointment
Upon arrival in Casablanca, in advance of the codeshare flight on Royal Air Maroc, I was refused access to the RAM lounge, so had to wait around the decrepit 1960’s terminal building for 9 Hours before boarding the flight to Conakry.

The Return Flight
On the return flight I checked in at Conakry, with Royal air Maroc I was issued with all my onward boarding passes, but not issued with a lounge pass for Casablanca and was told to request access upon arrival in Casablanca. Upon arrival, I refused access to the RAM lounge, so had to wait around the decrepit 1960’s terminal building again for 7 Hours before boarding the Qatar flight to Doha, and another visit to the Second Class, One World Emerald members “First Class Lounge”, thankfully only for two hours.

My Second Trip to Conakry.
On my second trip, I travelled on E-Ticket, purchased over telephone with Qatar Airways five days in advance of my departure, using a company credit card, the routing was from HKG via Doha and Casablanca, to Conakry, the duration of the journey was 32 hours, which included a two hour layover in Doha and about nine hour layover in Casablanca. Upon check in I was asked to present the credit card used for the booking, which naturally I did not have, after several hours of debate with check in staff (on loan from Dragon Air), who must have the worst customer relations skills on the planet and with IQ’s and language skills lower than ‘Dim Sum’, I was not admitted for boarding, which immediately lost me one entire day of business in Conakry. I had to abort the trip to get the card payment confirmed the following day, and return to the airport the following evening for my flight.
I departed on the CX codeshare flight and again In Doha I was accommodated in the lounge designated for One World Emerald members, referred to as a “The First Class Lounge”.

Upon arrival in Casablanca, in advance of the codeshare flight on Royal Air Maroc, I was again refused access to the RAM lounge, so I checked into a grubby transit hotel, at the cost of Euros 32, in the terminal to rest for 9 Hours before boarding the flight to Conakry.

The Return Flight
My return flight included a nine hour layover in Doha, I called Qatar Airways in Doha (there is no office in Conakry) to request transfer to an earlier flight (CX operated codeshare), which I was told was full, I requested a waitlisting and my request was granted, I was also advised to constantly check to see if the request was granted, which I religiously did. I also requested whether I was entitled to lounge access in Casablanca and was told that I certainly was, I recounted my previous experience and was advised by the assistant that they would ensure that a message would be placed to ensure my access.

On the return flight I checked in at Conakry, with Royal air Maroc, I was not issued with any onward boarding passes, but was told to collect these from the Qatar service desk in the transfer area at the airport in Casablanca, upon my arrival.

Upon arrival in Casablanca, representatives from RAM, Emirates, Turkish Airlines, Ethiad and Iberia were waiting to greet and assist arriving passengers, the Qatar Counter was unmanned. After waiting five hours in the transit area, Qatar (the self appointed Worlds Five Star Airline) opened their desk in the transit zone and I was finally processed and issued with my onward boarding passes as well as the lounge access pass for the ram lounge.

Although I was the only passenger waiting for onward boarding passes in Casablanca, once I boarded the flight from Casablanca to Doha, I noticed at least 5 Chinese passengers on the same flight, who had originated in Conakry, were boarding the same flight, when I asked one I was told that they had been issued with all boarding passes in Conakry.

Although I had constantly checked with Qatar, regarding the transfer to the earlier flight, (Doha to HKG the codeshare flight operated by CX), no one was able to confirm, and I was told to check with the service desk in Doha. Upon arrival at Doha, I waited in an endless queue for assistance, I noticed that the CX counter had no queue and immediately went over to see if they actually had seats, I was told by the representative that they did and that if I was quick, I could be admitted for the flight. I rejoined the Qatar queue and by the time I reached the assistant I was told that I had “cancelled the waitlisting“ (this was completely untrue), and, that there were no seats available!

I was also not informed that I was entitled to a complimentary room in a transit hotel, as my layover exceeded 8 hours! I only found out when I was informed by the lounge receptionist! By this time it was so late, with a wait of another 30 minutes to process a room and visa and 30 minutes wait for transport, 15 minutes travel and 5 minutes check in I had three hours sleep in the hotel, before a 5:30 pick to connect to an 8:30 am flight. For the Worlds Five Star Airline, at their Five star airport, the immigration queue was a further joke, it took a further 45 minutes to clear immigration!

As one can imagine I have an extremely low opinion of the amateurish service and performance of the worlds second rate five star airline, its more like the Worlds First Class Camel Dung Express with Wings, I wouldn’t recommend it unless you have no other option!

[the747guy]

In reply to: Qatar Airways — five-star airline… or is it?

To: AhMrBond

You posted:
“Why on their flag ship LHR-DOH route do we see the following all on one day;
333
346
388
77W
319
……….. all with different product ranging from woefully poor to top notch.”

The answer is:
BECAUSE, I think, Qatar Airways IS NOT a 5 Star airline yet, nor any of the ME3. They are trying to be a 5 Star airlines, but they are far from being so. A 5 Star airline HAS an outstanding customer service all the time, and any of the ME3 has it.

This bad customer service response, to situations like the ones mentioned in this post, do not happen in a real 5 Star airline, like in SQ, or LH in long-haul flights.

SQ’s service, all across, is outstanding (needless to say) and LH, Swiss, AF, AY, CX, QF and NZ’s – in long-haul flights – is thousands of times better in premium cabins than in any of the ME3s.

I just prefer to fly SQ and avoid the inconvenience of suffering “paid-bad-service” on any of the ME3.

[Anonymous]

To: AhMrBond

You posted:
“Why on their flag ship LHR-DOH route do we see the following all on one day;
333
346
388
77W
319
……….. all with different product ranging from woefully poor to top notch.”

The answer is:
BECAUSE, I think, Qatar Airways IS NOT a 5 Star airline yet, nor any of the ME3. They are trying to be a 5 Star airlines, but they are far from being so. A 5 Star airline HAS an outstanding customer service all the time, and any of the ME3 has it.

This bad customer service response, to situations like the ones mentioned in this post, do not happen in a real 5 Star airline, like in SQ, or LH in long-haul flights.

SQ’s service, all across, is outstanding (needless to say) and LH, Swiss, AF, AY, CX, QF and NZ’s – in long-haul flights – is thousands of times better in premium cabins than in any of the ME3s.

I just prefer to fly SQ and avoid the inconvenience of suffering “paid-bad-service” on any of the ME3.

[Anonymous]

I am a fan of Qatar Airways. I fly most months to or from Australia and Europe, in business, and have done for years. I applaud the on-board service and quality on most flights.

However, on a flight this month from Doha to LHR, the plan was switched from the A380 to an A340. I had paid extra to ensure that I was booked on the A380 (the far for travelling on the A340 was lower), but the plane was switched in any case.

Qatar should not have this aircraft configuration anywhere near their fleet. The hard product is completely out of line with their business class product on the A380, B787 or B777. The seat pitch is pathetic, does not recline to horizontal, is cramped and, all round about 15 years out of date. The configuration is 2-2-2, rather than 1-2-1 as it is on the B787 or A380 et cetera, et cetera.

I wrote to Qatar Customer Relations after the flight, pointing out that I had paid extra for a service that wasn’t delivered and that they should at least refund the difference. Of course, the response I received was just a load of cut and pasted waffle, trying to absolve the airline of charging for a superior service and then not delivering it, without the grace of admitting it.

In short, avoid at all costs travelling on the A340 and just suck it up if they switch the plane (B787 or A380) from what you booked (and paid extra for), as they seem frequently to do.

Five star airline eh?

[RichardBall6]

In reply to: Qatar Airways — five-star airline… or is it?

I am a fan of Qatar Airways. I fly most months to or from Australia and Europe, in business, and have done for years. I applaud the on-board service and quality on most flights.

However, on a flight this month from Doha to LHR, the plan was switched from the A380 to an A340. I had paid extra to ensure that I was booked on the A380 (the far for travelling on the A340 was lower), but the plane was switched in any case.

Qatar should not have this aircraft configuration anywhere near their fleet. The hard product is completely out of line with their business class product on the A380, B787 or B777. The seat pitch is pathetic, does not recline to horizontal, is cramped and, all round about 15 years out of date. The configuration is 2-2-2, rather than 1-2-1 as it is on the B787 or A380 et cetera, et cetera.

I wrote to Qatar Customer Relations after the flight, pointing out that I had paid extra for a service that wasn’t delivered and that they should at least refund the difference. Of course, the response I received was just a load of cut and pasted waffle, trying to absolve the airline of charging for a superior service and then not delivering it, without the grace of admitting it.

In short, avoid at all costs travelling on the A340 and just suck it up if they switch the plane (B787 or A380) from what you booked (and paid extra for), as they seem frequently to do.

Five star airline eh?

[business traveller]

In reply to: British Airways A320

ATHENS TO HEATHROW TERMINAL 5 – BRITISH AIRWAYS – CLUB EUROPE – A320

My flight to London from Athens, BA 631, departed at 8.10am. I arrived at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (AIA) at 6am having taken a taxi from Athens centre. The cab took 30 minutes at that time and cost the standard airport fixed fee of €35.00 to within the city ring. From 12am- 5am the fixed fare rises to €50.00. Importantly, the fare is determined on arrival time not departure time. Some taxi drivers in Athens default to the higher fare when pick up or drop off is between 12 – 5am, but the rules (which every cab driver should have available for their customers) state the above. Worth keeping mind if this ever applies to you.

Check in was easy. There were 3 desks operating, one for Club Europe/Gold Card/Online Check in and 2 for economy. I was checked-in in 5 minutes, was assigned my requested seat 1A from online check-in and was through immigration 10 minutes later. AIA has a decent retail offering available to those travelling. The general area is open to all passengers and you enter via a checkpoint where your boarding card is swiped by a security guard. Here there are about 30 retail stores plus a variety of cafes etc. I bypassed this area and went straight through immigration/security following which there is another smaller retail area for non-Schengen/domestic passengers. I headed straight to the British Airways operated lounge located at the far end next to the Swissport Lounge, Aegean Lounge and the now re-named ex Olympic Airways Lounge (don’t ask me the new name, sorry).

The lounge is quite small (about 100 sq feet) but large enough to handle BA’s schedule plus Iberia and those with oneworld status given that Qatar Airways also fly from Athens but officially use another lounge. There is a large plasma TV showing BBC World and a seating area consisting of sofas and armchairs, a smoking area, 2 PCs and 2 workstations plus a rack with magazines and newspapers (mainly UK and some Greek/Spanish). I was one of the first to arrive, grabbed an orange juice, a chocolate croissant and a copy of Business Traveller then plonked myself down on a large single armchair with views over the car park – no tarmac views here sadly. The buffet had cold breakfast items (cereals, biscuits, fruit) but nothing warm and savoury. There are sandwiches/wraps in the fridge though and at lunch they bring some warm Greek pies from memory. A fairly basic but reasonable food offering all in all. There’s a full self-service bar with the usual items and a coffee machine, filter coffee and Nespresso machine plus a selection of teas. If you’re hungry and want to eat before the flight, this is clearly not the place to be, but it’s a comfortable space for a quiet drink and catch up on emails. WiFi uses the airport’s network and is free with reasonable reliability.

The flight was called about 20 minutes before scheduled departure. AIA have changed their security set up for non-Schengen flights and security is now located immediately after immigration. Previously it was located just before the gate area, the result being that passengers would be called at least 30 mins before departure from the lounge in order to have enough time to pass security. If there were long queues or delays, passengers would face a mass scramble getting to the gate in time. This had happened to me many times. Once I forgot my phone charger in the lounge, realising it only as boarding was commencing. Instead of a 5 minute dash to the lounge and back, I had to be specially escorted out of the secure area, then run to the lounge and then pass through security a second time. It took 20 + minutes in the end and I made the flight only due to adrenaline and the goodwill of the kind BA gate staff. No such drama on this flight and I was at the gate, through priority boarding and in my seat less than 10 minutes after leaving the lounge.

As is usual for Club Europe (CE), no pre-departure drinks were served but my coat was taken and the crew were very warm in their welcome. Running the show in Club Europe was the Cabin Services Manager (he wasn’t a CS Director so presumably mixed fleet or an ex-Purser?). He looked about 25 (but was probably 30ish) and was clearly one of the younger of the cabin crew on board. He was joined by another young man who looked about 23. Interestingly, the rest of the crew – who were in economy – all looked much older and more experienced. The CE cabin was quite full. Both crew in CE did a great job of making everyone feel comfortable. What they lacked in experience (and refinement) they made up for in enthusiasm and it appeared that the crew as a whole in both cabins were working in synch. There was plenty of banter every time a crew member from economy would appear and service overall appeared to be running smoothly.

After take-off, breakfast was served starting with drinks followed by the tray consisting of the cold breakfast dishes. Fruit salad plus yogurt and raspberry compote were accompanied by a choice of warm breads. I had a croissant which was buttery, flaky and quite delicious. The hot course included a choice of spinach frittata or the ‘Full English’. I chose the frittata which was served with a tomato concasse and potato rosti. The dish was quite delicious and lighter than the ‘cardiac arrest on a plate’ Full English. I just wish BA would increase the size of the CE breakfast plates. They used to be the same size as lunch and dinner service plates, but for a few years now it’s been an economy size aluminium tray served in a white plastic server to make it look larger. I really could have used a larger breakfast main course as I’d been awake since 3.30am and was heading straight to a meeting once arriving in London. In any case, they took pity on me and kindly gave me a second frittata without any problem.

The rest of the flight was fine if somewhat boring. I had decent legroom in 1F and managed an hour of sleep which was followed by a mug of English Breakfast tea. I had loads of personal space given 1D was empty, but it occurred to me that it could have been a different story had I been in row 2 or beyond given that my 6’5 large frame would have had a hard time fitting into the new CE legroom. Personally, I’d be so concerned about not getting row 1 (which often can’t be pre-booked on Manage My Booking) that I’d probably chose another flight/airline if the flight time was over 1 hour. 3 hours packed in like a sardine when flying business class isn’t very fun when you have to work at the other end. That said, I really like the look of the new slim line seats. The dark navy/black leather and highlighted stitching looks elegant and the moveable headrests are very useful. The lack of in-seat entertainment, hence the boredom, combined with a lack of in-seat power to charge my ailing tablet, was a short sighted cost cutting move by BA considering there was a real opportunity to differentiate themselves from their continental competitors. If Qantas and many of the Asian and US carriers can fit out their domestic narrow body fleet with PTVs, so can BA in my opinion. 2 plus hours with just a magazine or a neck breaking overhead monitor doesn’t cut it in my view given that many passengers in CE are connecting to/from long haul flights at LHR.

Soon enough we started our descent into Heathrow and shortly after landing, arrived at the Terminal 5. I only had hand luggage and was through immigration in 10 minutes using the e-gates and was in a taxi 10 minutes after that. All in all, an enjoyable flight let down only by the lack of entertainment (and the fear that next time I might be stuck in row 2 or beyond).

Review courtesy of Seatplans.com. Original review by user Flying_Alex can be found here

[Anonymous]

ATHENS TO HEATHROW TERMINAL 5 – BRITISH AIRWAYS – CLUB EUROPE – A320

My flight to London from Athens, BA 631, departed at 8.10am. I arrived at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (AIA) at 6am having taken a taxi from Athens centre. The cab took 30 minutes at that time and cost the standard airport fixed fee of €35.00 to within the city ring. From 12am- 5am the fixed fare rises to €50.00. Importantly, the fare is determined on arrival time not departure time. Some taxi drivers in Athens default to the higher fare when pick up or drop off is between 12 – 5am, but the rules (which every cab driver should have available for their customers) state the above. Worth keeping mind if this ever applies to you.

Check in was easy. There were 3 desks operating, one for Club Europe/Gold Card/Online Check in and 2 for economy. I was checked-in in 5 minutes, was assigned my requested seat 1A from online check-in and was through immigration 10 minutes later. AIA has a decent retail offering available to those travelling. The general area is open to all passengers and you enter via a checkpoint where your boarding card is swiped by a security guard. Here there are about 30 retail stores plus a variety of cafes etc. I bypassed this area and went straight through immigration/security following which there is another smaller retail area for non-Schengen/domestic passengers. I headed straight to the British Airways operated lounge located at the far end next to the Swissport Lounge, Aegean Lounge and the now re-named ex Olympic Airways Lounge (don’t ask me the new name, sorry).

The lounge is quite small (about 100 sq feet) but large enough to handle BA’s schedule plus Iberia and those with oneworld status given that Qatar Airways also fly from Athens but officially use another lounge. There is a large plasma TV showing BBC World and a seating area consisting of sofas and armchairs, a smoking area, 2 PCs and 2 workstations plus a rack with magazines and newspapers (mainly UK and some Greek/Spanish). I was one of the first to arrive, grabbed an orange juice, a chocolate croissant and a copy of Business Traveller then plonked myself down on a large single armchair with views over the car park – no tarmac views here sadly. The buffet had cold breakfast items (cereals, biscuits, fruit) but nothing warm and savoury. There are sandwiches/wraps in the fridge though and at lunch they bring some warm Greek pies from memory. A fairly basic but reasonable food offering all in all. There’s a full self-service bar with the usual items and a coffee machine, filter coffee and Nespresso machine plus a selection of teas. If you’re hungry and want to eat before the flight, this is clearly not the place to be, but it’s a comfortable space for a quiet drink and catch up on emails. WiFi uses the airport’s network and is free with reasonable reliability.

The flight was called about 20 minutes before scheduled departure. AIA have changed their security set up for non-Schengen flights and security is now located immediately after immigration. Previously it was located just before the gate area, the result being that passengers would be called at least 30 mins before departure from the lounge in order to have enough time to pass security. If there were long queues or delays, passengers would face a mass scramble getting to the gate in time. This had happened to me many times. Once I forgot my phone charger in the lounge, realising it only as boarding was commencing. Instead of a 5 minute dash to the lounge and back, I had to be specially escorted out of the secure area, then run to the lounge and then pass through security a second time. It took 20 + minutes in the end and I made the flight only due to adrenaline and the goodwill of the kind BA gate staff. No such drama on this flight and I was at the gate, through priority boarding and in my seat less than 10 minutes after leaving the lounge.

As is usual for Club Europe (CE), no pre-departure drinks were served but my coat was taken and the crew were very warm in their welcome. Running the show in Club Europe was the Cabin Services Manager (he wasn’t a CS Director so presumably mixed fleet or an ex-Purser?). He looked about 25 (but was probably 30ish) and was clearly one of the younger of the cabin crew on board. He was joined by another young man who looked about 23. Interestingly, the rest of the crew – who were in economy – all looked much older and more experienced. The CE cabin was quite full. Both crew in CE did a great job of making everyone feel comfortable. What they lacked in experience (and refinement) they made up for in enthusiasm and it appeared that the crew as a whole in both cabins were working in synch. There was plenty of banter every time a crew member from economy would appear and service overall appeared to be running smoothly.

After take-off, breakfast was served starting with drinks followed by the tray consisting of the cold breakfast dishes. Fruit salad plus yogurt and raspberry compote were accompanied by a choice of warm breads. I had a croissant which was buttery, flaky and quite delicious. The hot course included a choice of spinach frittata or the ‘Full English’. I chose the frittata which was served with a tomato concasse and potato rosti. The dish was quite delicious and lighter than the ‘cardiac arrest on a plate’ Full English. I just wish BA would increase the size of the CE breakfast plates. They used to be the same size as lunch and dinner service plates, but for a few years now it’s been an economy size aluminium tray served in a white plastic server to make it look larger. I really could have used a larger breakfast main course as I’d been awake since 3.30am and was heading straight to a meeting once arriving in London. In any case, they took pity on me and kindly gave me a second frittata without any problem.

The rest of the flight was fine if somewhat boring. I had decent legroom in 1F and managed an hour of sleep which was followed by a mug of English Breakfast tea. I had loads of personal space given 1D was empty, but it occurred to me that it could have been a different story had I been in row 2 or beyond given that my 6’5 large frame would have had a hard time fitting into the new CE legroom. Personally, I’d be so concerned about not getting row 1 (which often can’t be pre-booked on Manage My Booking) that I’d probably chose another flight/airline if the flight time was over 1 hour. 3 hours packed in like a sardine when flying business class isn’t very fun when you have to work at the other end. That said, I really like the look of the new slim line seats. The dark navy/black leather and highlighted stitching looks elegant and the moveable headrests are very useful. The lack of in-seat entertainment, hence the boredom, combined with a lack of in-seat power to charge my ailing tablet, was a short sighted cost cutting move by BA considering there was a real opportunity to differentiate themselves from their continental competitors. If Qantas and many of the Asian and US carriers can fit out their domestic narrow body fleet with PTVs, so can BA in my opinion. 2 plus hours with just a magazine or a neck breaking overhead monitor doesn’t cut it in my view given that many passengers in CE are connecting to/from long haul flights at LHR.

Soon enough we started our descent into Heathrow and shortly after landing, arrived at the Terminal 5. I only had hand luggage and was through immigration in 10 minutes using the e-gates and was in a taxi 10 minutes after that. All in all, an enjoyable flight let down only by the lack of entertainment (and the fear that next time I might be stuck in row 2 or beyond).

Review courtesy of Seatplans.com. Original review by user Flying_Alex can be found here

[David]

In reply to: Air France short-haul — a joke on Business Class passengers

RichardBarr and AMcWhirter, that actually brings about the topic of getting from point A to point B solely on short-haul/mid-haul aircraft on routes that would normally be seen as long-haul services.

For example, take a Turkish Airlines ticket purchased from (name your city in Europe) to many destinations in Africa.

With few exceptions, passengers are on an A320 or B737NG aircraft on an approx. 3.5 hour flight to Istanbul. And then the service from Istanbul to (name your city, JNB excepted) Africa is on another A320 or B737NG (or in some cases an older B737CL to places in West Africa). Total flight time (not counting lay-over) to Addis for example is approx 8.5 hours and to Nairobi approx 9.5 hours.

While the seats on their mid-haul narrow-body aircraft are admittedly better than those used within Europe (and better than Air France’s or Lufthansa’s to TLV) it is a far cry from what most passengers would expect on a journey lasting in excess of 10 hours (2 flights).

But here’s the hitch…

From a customer perspective, relying on a corporate travel office for bookings (and their mandates to purchase the least-expensive business option) a carrier such as THY will normally win everytime as they smartly position pricing on these routes a couple of hundred euros less than their nearest competiton (such as Emirates and Qatar Airways). Of course the business class product (onboard) is a universe apart (think Qatar Airways B787 to Addis or Emirates B777/A330 to Nairobi) but try making that case to the travel office who has a budget to meet…

[Anonymous]

RichardBarr and AMcWhirter, that actually brings about the topic of getting from point A to point B solely on short-haul/mid-haul aircraft on routes that would normally be seen as long-haul services.

For example, take a Turkish Airlines ticket purchased from (name your city in Europe) to many destinations in Africa.

With few exceptions, passengers are on an A320 or B737NG aircraft on an approx. 3.5 hour flight to Istanbul. And then the service from Istanbul to (name your city, JNB excepted) Africa is on another A320 or B737NG (or in some cases an older B737CL to places in West Africa). Total flight time (not counting lay-over) to Addis for example is approx 8.5 hours and to Nairobi approx 9.5 hours.

While the seats on their mid-haul narrow-body aircraft are admittedly better than those used within Europe (and better than Air France’s or Lufthansa’s to TLV) it is a far cry from what most passengers would expect on a journey lasting in excess of 10 hours (2 flights).

But here’s the hitch…

From a customer perspective, relying on a corporate travel office for bookings (and their mandates to purchase the least-expensive business option) a carrier such as THY will normally win everytime as they smartly position pricing on these routes a couple of hundred euros less than their nearest competiton (such as Emirates and Qatar Airways). Of course the business class product (onboard) is a universe apart (think Qatar Airways B787 to Addis or Emirates B777/A330 to Nairobi) but try making that case to the travel office who has a budget to meet…

[Anonymous]

Background:
I'd specifically chosen to fly home to London via Frankfurt instead of direct in order to experience the new A350. Alas, this was not to be. Checking 'Manage my booking' on the Qatar website three days before my flight I noticed that the aircraft had changed. And not just to any aircraft but to the A330-300 which offers one of Qatar's poorest hard products.
I was really disappointed as this was my third experience with aircraft substitutions on QR. The first time was only CAI-DOH which was subbed from a longhaul aircraft to a shorthaul one (which was no big deal). The second when a flight from DOH-LHR was switched from their flagship A380 to the A340 (MAJOR blow). And thirdly, this flight.

Booking:
This was part of a greater itinerary to Bali and Krabi. We booked our flights via different sources although this sector was a redemption using Avios. There was plenty of availability on BA.com and once BA had generated the booking reference I was able to use this to select my seats on qatarairways.com. Qatarairways.com isn't the most user friendly of websites but it did what we needed it to do. We had originally selected seats 3K/4K 'solo' window seats on the A350 (config 1-2-1). Annoyingly when QR changed the aircraft to the A330 (2-2-2) they left us in our assigned seats so us separated and with strangers next to us. We were able to sort this out at the airport though.

Check in/departure process:
At Hamad International there is a separate drop off area for Premium passengers. We arrived at 22:30 for our 01:00 flight. When we pulled up in our taxi there were porters waiting who immediately offered to load our bags onto a trolley and escort us to the check in desks. We only had a wheelie bag each so declined. We didn't use online check in as we wanted to sort out our seating issue so used the check in counters. The check in area was impressive. No lines at all and seating areas where a staff member came and offered juices or water. We had our seating issue sorted out swiftly so were reallocated 4J/4K, issued our boarding passes and proceeded through the premium immigration/security area. Immigration and security took no longer than five minutes. This part of the airport was extremely quiet during this hour as despite being a peak time for QR flights most passengers are already airside in transit.

The lounge:
As many already know about QR and access to it's lounges it differs from other OneWorld airlines and the situation seems quite fluid. If I didn't know better I probably would have followed the signs to 'First Class' and 'Business Class' lounges. The newest and grandest of the QR lounges 'Al Mourjan' isn't all that well signposted however a member of staff airside pointed us in the right direction. The lounge entrance is located up an escalator from the departure level and there were a handful of staff at the bottom of the escalator scanning boarding passes to grant access. Despite reading online that QR restricts the Al Mourjan lounge to Business/First class passengers only there was a prominent sign at the bottom of the escalator welcoming OneWorld Emeralds and Sapphires. However I also noticed that the staff were redirecting some passengers to the 'First/Business Class' lounges. I'm not sure if access based on frequent flyer status depends on time of day and lounge capacity but there was definitely a sign there saying OW elites had access.
At the top of the escalator once passing a reception area we reached the main lounge. It is a huge and impressive facility but it was also extremely busy. To the right after entering is a grand staircase to the upper main dining area which surrounds a beautiful water feature. To the left are various seating areas with counters scattered about with drinks and snacks as well as the biggest business centre I've ever seen in an airline lounge. To the far left was another dining area, a deli kind feature which offered made to order sandwiches, antipasti, salads etc. We headed straight up to the main dining area to have some dinner and were lucky to nab the last table available. There was an impressive buffet spread that would satisfy most tastes. Drink orders were taken by staff and delivered to the table. We had a wander around after and I had a coffee while the other half made a bee line for the smoking room which he had discovered.

Boarding/pre-flight:
When our flight displayed as boarding on the screen we headed to the gate. There were two air bridges attached to the aircraft and we were onboard within minutes. Most of the other passengers seemed to be onboard and there only seemed to be the last row of J free. The mood lighting was set to a night setting and gave a relaxing atmosphere. Already at our seat were the leather bound menu's, washbags and earphones. Our crew member came and introduced herself and offered us a welcome drink, suggesting champagne. We begrudgingly (not) accepted and two full size flutes were delivered to our seats. PJ's were next followed by an order for post take off drinks and food. Minutes before the door was to be closed a middle eastern family boarded along with a loud toddler whom occupied the last row. However its seemed the toddler was meant to be in economy not Business and I was listening to the conversation going on between the crew and family. Father 'no, no, she cannot sit on her own in economy. She must stay here'. Crew: 'But you booked her a seat in economy. She cannot sit in Business Class. One of you will have to take her seat if you wish for her to remain'. Dad 'no no we must stay together'. The crew got one of the ground staff involved, a no nonsense eastern European lady. 'Sir, the child has 20A and her nanny is sat in 20B to accompany her. What is the problem?'. Within minutes little one was shuffled off to the miraculously appearing nanny. Welcome onboard PA's were made (no german, only english and arabic), safety demo played and we taxied off.

The seat:
The A330-300 has five rows of angle flat seats in a 2-2-2 configuration. Depite being one of QR's older aircraft the cabin seemed immaculate and well maintained. The seats are similar to many other airlines angle flat products – AA's, Malaysian, Air France etc. But it seems QR has gone for an 'upgraded' version with a few extra positions and they are definitely better spaced out than on other carriers with similar product. The seats are upholstered in QR's signature burgundy cloth. The IFE screen is in the back of the seat in front and the large walnut finish tray table comes from the arm rest. Privacy as is usual with these seats is minimal as is storage space. The seat has five pre-set one touch positions although the seat back and leg rest can be moved independently to custom your position. There is also a massage feature. I don't like angle flat seats but this is definitely one of the better ones out there and I even managed to get a few hours kip.

In flight service/cabin crew.
The menu and wine list for tonights flight was extensive. Like most airlines these days QR has teamed up with some celebrity chefs for their signature dishes – there were Nobu Matsuhisa and Vineet Bhatia options. The menu items are dine on demand and available at any time you wish. However given a flight time of 6hr50min most people were eating straight after take off.

Dinner:
'Palate pleaser' of 'Chef Vineet' mushroom and rice fritters.
Soup: 'Chef Vineet' tomato and cumin soup with creme fraiche.
Appetisers: Classic arabic mezze – or – Grilled prawns with pineapple salsa
Mains: Paneer tikka masala with dal and coriander rice – or – 'Chef Nobu' chicken breast with antichucho dressing, japanese rice and green beans – or – seared beef fillet with thyme juice, horseradish mash and balsamic glazed onions
Cheese plate
Desserts: Laduree Vendome (dark chocolate biscuit, blackberry confit) – or – sorbet.

Breakfast:
Revivals – Freshly squeezed OJ – or – pineapple and coconut smoothie – or – healthy energizer
A la carte: Bircher museli – or – Greek yoghurt with bluebeerry compot – or – cheddar cheese omelette with beef fillet – or – 'Chef Vineet' chicken and potato rosti with sambhar.

Drinks: So Jennie 'luxury non alcoholic champagne', soft drinks, juices, non alcoholic beer, Amstel, Corona, Guiness, Heineken, Chivas 12 y.o, Glenfiddich 15 y.o, Jack Daniels, bombay Sapphire, Campari, Martini dry, martini rosso, baileys, bacardi, belvedere pure, camus XO elegance, cointreau, creme de cassis, kahlua, patron reposado. Americano, cappuccino, espresso, latte, macchiato, hot chocolate, teas.

WIne/Champagne: Billecart-Salmon, Tattinger Rose. Albert Bichot Meursault 2011, Saint Clair Marlborough sauvignon 2012, Mosel Valley riesling 2011. Chateau Monbousquet Bordeaux 2007, Bellingham shiraz 2011 Franschhoek, Cuvelier Los Andes malbec 2008.

I had initially planned on just having the grilled prawn starter and some cheese but the description of the Nobu chicken dish left me salivating so I ordered that also. Qatars' business class service is undertaken in a way most airlines serve in First. Table set up, dishes brought out individually – no trays, no trollies, no bread from a basket (individual bakery bowls instead). Service was slick and there was one cabin crew serving each aisle with I assume another running the galley. The starter was delicious although I was really disappointed with my main. Presentation was great but basically tasteless. The remains were cleared away and I reclined my seat and attempted some sleep. I only had the health energizer and coffee for breakfast.

The lady from Egypt serving our aisle was great. She was a lot more relaxed and engaging than I usually find with QR. A visit to the front galley in the middle of the flight though showed the crew attitude I'm more used to at Qatar. I smiled and asked if I could pass through to use the bathroom which was met without a syllable from the two girls up there, not a smile, total aversion of eye contact and the aura of mild annoyance. I've found this attitude more often than not on QR flights and am amazed when other rave about their service. Sure, the product is great but I find their crew usually fall short. As with almost every other flight I have taken with QR the in charge crew member was invisible.

I didn't use the IFE at all except to occasionally look at the map but the screen size and brightness was good with a wide selection of AVOD.

Arrival: We pulled on stand in FRA just ahead of scheduled arrival time and as usual QR closed the curtains between Business and Economy to allow Business to disembark first through the one open door. With no bags we made our way through immigration to then back through security to the Cathay lounge for our onward BA flight to London.

Verdict:
Despite being really disappointed with the aircraft change I enjoyed the flight and the visit to the superb lounge in DOH. The catering options and inflight dining experience is definitely a highlight of flying QR. We were fortunate to have a great member of crew serving our aisle although in my experience this is a rarity at Qatar. I generally find them stand offish and completely robotic.

I wouldn't proactively choose Qatar until they sort out and standardise their J product to flat beds on ALL aircraft. Substitutions seem all too common and I wouldn't be bothered if I ended up being switched from one full flat bed product to another but this is not always the case – you risk ending up sleeping on a ski slope. This particular flight was only a redemption of miles but I would have been more annoyed had I forked out a large amount of money for it.

Post flight customer service seems poor also. I contacted QR via their website to complain about this being the third time I've had my aircraft switched to an inferior product. The reply was swift but curt – the first paragraph basically stated that QR could switch aircraft as they wish as defined in their conditions of carriage. I'm fully aware of this – however the tone and bluntness of their reply left me feeling it really isn't professional. There was no apology whatsoever.

Sometimes the price of Qatars' flights in J class as well as their regular 2-4-1 offers make them irresistible. And if value for money is the name of the game I can see why they are so popular. Five star though? In my opinion far from it. On some of their aircraft with some of their crew, maybe. But more often than not, no.

Review courtesy of Seatplans.com. Original review by user rferguson can be found here

[business traveller]

In reply to: Qatar Airways A330-300 (Config.2)

Background:
I'd specifically chosen to fly home to London via Frankfurt instead of direct in order to experience the new A350. Alas, this was not to be. Checking 'Manage my booking' on the Qatar website three days before my flight I noticed that the aircraft had changed. And not just to any aircraft but to the A330-300 which offers one of Qatar's poorest hard products.
I was really disappointed as this was my third experience with aircraft substitutions on QR. The first time was only CAI-DOH which was subbed from a longhaul aircraft to a shorthaul one (which was no big deal). The second when a flight from DOH-LHR was switched from their flagship A380 to the A340 (MAJOR blow). And thirdly, this flight.

Booking:
This was part of a greater itinerary to Bali and Krabi. We booked our flights via different sources although this sector was a redemption using Avios. There was plenty of availability on BA.com and once BA had generated the booking reference I was able to use this to select my seats on qatarairways.com. Qatarairways.com isn't the most user friendly of websites but it did what we needed it to do. We had originally selected seats 3K/4K 'solo' window seats on the A350 (config 1-2-1). Annoyingly when QR changed the aircraft to the A330 (2-2-2) they left us in our assigned seats so us separated and with strangers next to us. We were able to sort this out at the airport though.

Check in/departure process:
At Hamad International there is a separate drop off area for Premium passengers. We arrived at 22:30 for our 01:00 flight. When we pulled up in our taxi there were porters waiting who immediately offered to load our bags onto a trolley and escort us to the check in desks. We only had a wheelie bag each so declined. We didn't use online check in as we wanted to sort out our seating issue so used the check in counters. The check in area was impressive. No lines at all and seating areas where a staff member came and offered juices or water. We had our seating issue sorted out swiftly so were reallocated 4J/4K, issued our boarding passes and proceeded through the premium immigration/security area. Immigration and security took no longer than five minutes. This part of the airport was extremely quiet during this hour as despite being a peak time for QR flights most passengers are already airside in transit.

The lounge:
As many already know about QR and access to it's lounges it differs from other OneWorld airlines and the situation seems quite fluid. If I didn't know better I probably would have followed the signs to 'First Class' and 'Business Class' lounges. The newest and grandest of the QR lounges 'Al Mourjan' isn't all that well signposted however a member of staff airside pointed us in the right direction. The lounge entrance is located up an escalator from the departure level and there were a handful of staff at the bottom of the escalator scanning boarding passes to grant access. Despite reading online that QR restricts the Al Mourjan lounge to Business/First class passengers only there was a prominent sign at the bottom of the escalator welcoming OneWorld Emeralds and Sapphires. However I also noticed that the staff were redirecting some passengers to the 'First/Business Class' lounges. I'm not sure if access based on frequent flyer status depends on time of day and lounge capacity but there was definitely a sign there saying OW elites had access.
At the top of the escalator once passing a reception area we reached the main lounge. It is a huge and impressive facility but it was also extremely busy. To the right after entering is a grand staircase to the upper main dining area which surrounds a beautiful water feature. To the left are various seating areas with counters scattered about with drinks and snacks as well as the biggest business centre I've ever seen in an airline lounge. To the far left was another dining area, a deli kind feature which offered made to order sandwiches, antipasti, salads etc. We headed straight up to the main dining area to have some dinner and were lucky to nab the last table available. There was an impressive buffet spread that would satisfy most tastes. Drink orders were taken by staff and delivered to the table. We had a wander around after and I had a coffee while the other half made a bee line for the smoking room which he had discovered.

Boarding/pre-flight:
When our flight displayed as boarding on the screen we headed to the gate. There were two air bridges attached to the aircraft and we were onboard within minutes. Most of the other passengers seemed to be onboard and there only seemed to be the last row of J free. The mood lighting was set to a night setting and gave a relaxing atmosphere. Already at our seat were the leather bound menu's, washbags and earphones. Our crew member came and introduced herself and offered us a welcome drink, suggesting champagne. We begrudgingly (not) accepted and two full size flutes were delivered to our seats. PJ's were next followed by an order for post take off drinks and food. Minutes before the door was to be closed a middle eastern family boarded along with a loud toddler whom occupied the last row. However its seemed the toddler was meant to be in economy not Business and I was listening to the conversation going on between the crew and family. Father 'no, no, she cannot sit on her own in economy. She must stay here'. Crew: 'But you booked her a seat in economy. She cannot sit in Business Class. One of you will have to take her seat if you wish for her to remain'. Dad 'no no we must stay together'. The crew got one of the ground staff involved, a no nonsense eastern European lady. 'Sir, the child has 20A and her nanny is sat in 20B to accompany her. What is the problem?'. Within minutes little one was shuffled off to the miraculously appearing nanny. Welcome onboard PA's were made (no german, only english and arabic), safety demo played and we taxied off.

The seat:
The A330-300 has five rows of angle flat seats in a 2-2-2 configuration. Depite being one of QR's older aircraft the cabin seemed immaculate and well maintained. The seats are similar to many other airlines angle flat products – AA's, Malaysian, Air France etc. But it seems QR has gone for an 'upgraded' version with a few extra positions and they are definitely better spaced out than on other carriers with similar product. The seats are upholstered in QR's signature burgundy cloth. The IFE screen is in the back of the seat in front and the large walnut finish tray table comes from the arm rest. Privacy as is usual with these seats is minimal as is storage space. The seat has five pre-set one touch positions although the seat back and leg rest can be moved independently to custom your position. There is also a massage feature. I don't like angle flat seats but this is definitely one of the better ones out there and I even managed to get a few hours kip.

In flight service/cabin crew.
The menu and wine list for tonights flight was extensive. Like most airlines these days QR has teamed up with some celebrity chefs for their signature dishes – there were Nobu Matsuhisa and Vineet Bhatia options. The menu items are dine on demand and available at any time you wish. However given a flight time of 6hr50min most people were eating straight after take off.

Dinner:
'Palate pleaser' of 'Chef Vineet' mushroom and rice fritters.
Soup: 'Chef Vineet' tomato and cumin soup with creme fraiche.
Appetisers: Classic arabic mezze – or – Grilled prawns with pineapple salsa
Mains: Paneer tikka masala with dal and coriander rice – or – 'Chef Nobu' chicken breast with antichucho dressing, japanese rice and green beans – or – seared beef fillet with thyme juice, horseradish mash and balsamic glazed onions
Cheese plate
Desserts: Laduree Vendome (dark chocolate biscuit, blackberry confit) – or – sorbet.

Breakfast:
Revivals – Freshly squeezed OJ – or – pineapple and coconut smoothie – or – healthy energizer
A la carte: Bircher museli – or – Greek yoghurt with bluebeerry compot – or – cheddar cheese omelette with beef fillet – or – 'Chef Vineet' chicken and potato rosti with sambhar.

Drinks: So Jennie 'luxury non alcoholic champagne', soft drinks, juices, non alcoholic beer, Amstel, Corona, Guiness, Heineken, Chivas 12 y.o, Glenfiddich 15 y.o, Jack Daniels, bombay Sapphire, Campari, Martini dry, martini rosso, baileys, bacardi, belvedere pure, camus XO elegance, cointreau, creme de cassis, kahlua, patron reposado. Americano, cappuccino, espresso, latte, macchiato, hot chocolate, teas.

WIne/Champagne: Billecart-Salmon, Tattinger Rose. Albert Bichot Meursault 2011, Saint Clair Marlborough sauvignon 2012, Mosel Valley riesling 2011. Chateau Monbousquet Bordeaux 2007, Bellingham shiraz 2011 Franschhoek, Cuvelier Los Andes malbec 2008.

I had initially planned on just having the grilled prawn starter and some cheese but the description of the Nobu chicken dish left me salivating so I ordered that also. Qatars' business class service is undertaken in a way most airlines serve in First. Table set up, dishes brought out individually – no trays, no trollies, no bread from a basket (individual bakery bowls instead). Service was slick and there was one cabin crew serving each aisle with I assume another running the galley. The starter was delicious although I was really disappointed with my main. Presentation was great but basically tasteless. The remains were cleared away and I reclined my seat and attempted some sleep. I only had the health energizer and coffee for breakfast.

The lady from Egypt serving our aisle was great. She was a lot more relaxed and engaging than I usually find with QR. A visit to the front galley in the middle of the flight though showed the crew attitude I'm more used to at Qatar. I smiled and asked if I could pass through to use the bathroom which was met without a syllable from the two girls up there, not a smile, total aversion of eye contact and the aura of mild annoyance. I've found this attitude more often than not on QR flights and am amazed when other rave about their service. Sure, the product is great but I find their crew usually fall short. As with almost every other flight I have taken with QR the in charge crew member was invisible.

I didn't use the IFE at all except to occasionally look at the map but the screen size and brightness was good with a wide selection of AVOD.

Arrival: We pulled on stand in FRA just ahead of scheduled arrival time and as usual QR closed the curtains between Business and Economy to allow Business to disembark first through the one open door. With no bags we made our way through immigration to then back through security to the Cathay lounge for our onward BA flight to London.

Verdict:
Despite being really disappointed with the aircraft change I enjoyed the flight and the visit to the superb lounge in DOH. The catering options and inflight dining experience is definitely a highlight of flying QR. We were fortunate to have a great member of crew serving our aisle although in my experience this is a rarity at Qatar. I generally find them stand offish and completely robotic.

I wouldn't proactively choose Qatar until they sort out and standardise their J product to flat beds on ALL aircraft. Substitutions seem all too common and I wouldn't be bothered if I ended up being switched from one full flat bed product to another but this is not always the case – you risk ending up sleeping on a ski slope. This particular flight was only a redemption of miles but I would have been more annoyed had I forked out a large amount of money for it.

Post flight customer service seems poor also. I contacted QR via their website to complain about this being the third time I've had my aircraft switched to an inferior product. The reply was swift but curt – the first paragraph basically stated that QR could switch aircraft as they wish as defined in their conditions of carriage. I'm fully aware of this – however the tone and bluntness of their reply left me feeling it really isn't professional. There was no apology whatsoever.

Sometimes the price of Qatars' flights in J class as well as their regular 2-4-1 offers make them irresistible. And if value for money is the name of the game I can see why they are so popular. Five star though? In my opinion far from it. On some of their aircraft with some of their crew, maybe. But more often than not, no.

Review courtesy of Seatplans.com. Original review by user rferguson can be found here

[David]

In reply to: Another case of Not to Fly, and Not to Serve

You have my sympathies as well…

In the future I would suggest simply ending the phone call with the first customer service advisor and calling straight back again. You would be surprised how many times just by speaking with someone different, you will get a very different (and many times positive) resolution.

Too many cases to recount where I’ve had success doing this but have these have included short hauls in Europe (LHR to ARN, where I was told there would be a 2 day delay due to the hols) and longhauls from both the US and Asia return to Europe.

The most noteable ‘success’ was a longhaul flight (in Club World) from Europe to Sydney where there was an aircraft issue. The first representative offered a seat 24 hours later (I would have missed a full day of meetings), as I was half expecting. I said my ‘thank yous’ and called straight back. The second representative said that she could put me on a flight leaving 3 hours after the orginal flight, on Thai Airways (in Business as well). An absolutely excellent resolution knowing that Thai not only competes head-on with BA on the Europe-Sydney route but also is not even in the same alliance.

Regarding your attempt to get rebooked with Qatar Airways, it shouldn’t matter whether it was 1 or 2 sectors, QR (a One World member of course) fly them both…

Let us know how you get/got along.