Qatar isolated by neighbouring countries – what does this mean for QR?
Back to Forum- This topic has 65 replies, 27 voices, and was last updated 27 Jun 2017
at 14:25 by paulkaz.
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TominScotlandParticipantIt would be interesting to hear from other posters in the travel business whether this stand-off is having any effect on bookings? You would expect reluctance to book QR at the moment but I suspect risk-averse travelers may well be deserting Middle East stopovers across the board, impacting on the likes of EK, EY and, potentially, QF as well. Any thoughts and evidence?
7 Jun 2017
at 10:44
batterytravellerParticipantBetween Australia and Europe I am steering well clear of the Middle East right now, however it has always been my preference to go via Asia. This just makes it non-negotiable even if QF is our preferred carrier for work.
7 Jun 2017
at 11:43
Dominic EllisParticipantA story on the GCC rift & airline implications:
GCC rift: What kind of an impact are regional airlines facing?
7 Jun 2017
at 12:44
canuckladParticipantLike all things in the Middle East, it’s not black and white; it’s not even a murky shade of grey.
The complicated and often subtle dynamics of Arabic/Islamic politics are well beyond my remit and intellectual grasp.
Yet, sadly the implications and consequences of those plotting’s in faraway lands impact me on a day to day basis.Tom, to answer your question first, QR & EY are off my radar for now and I’ve just recently booked CX for my next trip to HK. But I do so, knowing that I’d rather thank QR/TK & EY for investing and taking a chance by adding EDI to their network, yet the recent political shenanigans in Turkey and now the Gulf makes it a no go zone.
As for rfergusons point, whole heartily agree. The Saudi regime, and it is a regime, blatantly flouts what we in the west consider BASIC human rights for all. As for accusing Qatar of supporting terrorists, well that might very well be the case, it’s just not Saudi Arabia’s terrorists.
I avidly listened to an expert on Islam, discussing recent tragic events here, and he corrected the other expert, who was toeing the PC line about it only being a tiny, tiny minority that agree with the actions of the few.
He argued, that in actual fact 50% of Muslims, driven by mainly Saudi led doctrine, passively absolve / understand why these nutters want to cause us liberal non-believers harm.But as I said I’m not an expert, nor do I really want to waste time learning about how to be obedient and subservient to a book, any book.
Finally, I do hope that the neighbours in the Gulf can work it out, otherwise I fear that my life will once again be impacted negatively, even if it’s just the price going up at my local petrol station.
7 Jun 2017
at 14:59
Charles-PParticipantThis spat with Qatar and Saudi Arabia / UAE and in particular the way Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has used Al Jazera to be critical of the Saudi Royal Family and Sheikh Khalifa Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi was always going to end badly. For several years the channel has run a talk-show, “al-Shariʿa wa al-Ḥayah” featuring the loony tunes Muslim Brotherhood Egyptian cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi
Once the news leaked out about the $1 billion paid to al-Qaeda as ransom for the return of twenty six Qataris including the cousin and uncle of Al Thani there was always going to be a problem.
8 Jun 2017
at 13:14
AMcWhirterParticipantInsightful piece in The Washington Post which displays some of the roundabout paths which QR must now take.
Doha-Khartoum used to take 3.5 hours but on June 6 the flight took six hours because it had to avoid Saudi airspace.
8 Jun 2017
at 14:55
PeterCoultasParticipantHave always avoided the M-E on routes from Europe to Aussi or Asia….see even more reason to avoid M-E carriers….but it would be a pity if Al Jazera was affected as they have ben a bit of fresh air….
9 Jun 2017
at 14:19
RegSpotterParticipantI flew 4 sectors with QR last week , not one with better than a 50% load factor by my estimate . The highlight being a flight on Friday morning BEY-DOH with just three other passengers on the A320. Doha airport on Friday was like a ghost town . I know it is Ramadan and that has an impact , but clearly this situation is hitting QR very hard.
11 Jun 2017
at 22:37
TominScotlandParticipantSleak76, I think that is what was originally announced and does not indicate any change – the Bahrainis agreed to one corridor in and one corridor out through their airspace.
12 Jun 2017
at 00:11
SenatorGoldParticipantOn Saturday 10 June I flew from LHR to DOH on the QR002. There were two free seats in business on the A350. We left on time and arrived on time. On arrival at Hamad International on 11 June at 06.20hrs the terminal was busy. The QR654 to Colombo (A330) had four seats free in business. The rest of the plane probably was full. We took off on time and arrived slightly behind schedule. I think we took a slightly longer route to avoid UAE, but otherwise it seems pretty much business as usual to me. I’m flying back on 15 June, so will be interested to see how things have developed.
12 Jun 2017
at 11:53
RedBaronParticipantFlew QR907 MEL-DOH on Fri/Saturday UK time – flight was full and left/arrived pretty much spot on time. QR007 DOH-LHR was on an old A330 instead of the 777-300 promised so not sure if the decrease in passenger capacity was due to unpleasantries with the neighbours or just an old fashioned load related switcheroo. Flight was full and although it had to follow that narrow corridor over the Gulf up to Iran it arrived at LHR fairly punctually.Qatar has been aggressive in flight prices from Oz to Europe and has forced Emirates and Etihad to follow suit, with sale economy prices of $AU1500 now common even in high season to keep loads high. I think in part this is due to the massive increase in capacity between the East Coast and China. I think once they get the layover time down to a minimum sub-$AU1000 economy flights to key European cities on Chinese airlines will be common provided fuel costs remain low.
12 Jun 2017
at 13:56
AMcWhirterParticipantRedBaron – Some QR flights are taking much longer than before owing to the routings they must now take. This must impact on aircraft availability.
It was reported last week that QR’s Khartoum flights were taking six hours (almost twice the previous timing) while the nonstop Sao Paulo services were having to stop in Athens for refuelling.
Today QR launched its Dublin service. Outside Ireland there has been little publicity whereas, normally, this would make the news in the UK.
12 Jun 2017
at 14:03 -
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