[nigelbrinklow]

On my outbound flight from LHR to AUH via Doha I was allowed access to the fantastic main Qatar lounge. However, on my return to LHR just 7 days later I was told to use a smaller lounge for oneworld frequent flyers. I was dissapointed with this change in policy, as were other passengers. The smaller frequent flyer lounge has uncomfortable seating and very poor selection of food. Not to mention the disgusting smell of stale smoke wafting out of the smoking room. Undermines the point of belonging to a frequent flier programme with lounge access. I went for lunch in the main terminal instead (very good meal). On my return to the lounge at 3pm I was told they had ran out of champagne and spirits apart from Bacardi. There would be no more until a store was to be opened at 9pm. I asked if they could get more spirits and wines from another lounge and I was told that they could not. The point of going for an indirect flight with Qatar was because I had thought I would be looked after in the lounge. It seems this is no longer the case. The FF lounge that we’re expected to use really is very poor indeed.

[OneA]

I was returning from DOH to LHR in May, BA Club with Silver status. I went to the “official” BA lounge reception and was told by the nice lady that I could use the Qatar Lounge up the escalator a short way away. I duly showed my boarding pass to the chap at the foot of the escalator which clearly stated BA, Club and Silver and he stepped aside and welcomed me. I found the lounge ambience quite nice; the food average; the choice of drinks good and the service excellent.
I wouldn’t rate it as the best lounge in the world and I never got to experience the BA suggested offering. I assumed that Qatar was trying to poach passengers on the DOH LHR route from BA by inviting them to use the Qatar lounge (which they felt superior) as both lounges were open and in use. All these airline alliances mean different things to different airlines, even reciprocally. I find the arrangements impossible to comprehend and hence I ignore them, thereby avoiding frustration and dwelling in cynicism!

[OneA]

I was returning from DOH to LHR in May, BA Club with Silver status. I went to the “official” BA lounge reception and was told by the nice lady that I could use the Qatar Lounge up the escalator a short way away. I duly showed my boarding pass to the chap at the foot of the escalator which clearly stated BA, Club and Silver and he stepped aside and welcomed me. I found the lounge ambience quite nice; the food average; the choice of drinks good and the service excellent.
I wouldn’t rate it as the best lounge in the world and I never got to experience the BA suggested offering. I assumed that Qatar was trying to poach passengers on the DOH LHR route from BA by inviting them to use the Qatar lounge (which they felt superior) as both lounges were open and in use. All these airline alliances mean different things to different airlines, even reciprocally. I find the arrangements impossible to comprehend and hence I ignore them, thereby avoiding frustration and dwelling in cynicism!

[MrDarwin]

QR do have some odd lounge rules. Put simply, the only way to access a QR branded lounge is to fly QR first or business. Otherwise at LHR they provide access to the Skyteam lounge, and at Doha they have now set up a dedicated OW status holder lounge. They were up front about this from the beginning, perhaps in allowing OW members access to Al Mourjan whilst the OW lounge was being built they have set the wrong expectation leading to many being disappointed now.

In terms of BA lounges, a OW Emerald isn’t allowed into the CCR because it’s only designed/big enough for BA First passengers. The Al Mourjan is the same, it’s only designed/big enough for the QR business passengers, and I’m sure the QR First lounge will be the same for QR First passengers.

That’s not the only oddity about lounges I’ve found in my travels as a OW Emerald. In the US for example, I have accessed both BA First and Business lounges, however within the lounge they have dining areas that are exclusive to BA First and Business passengers only – OW status holders are not allowed to eat in there. They are totally inflexible about this too; once my 5pm departure from Boston to LHR was delayed by 5 hours, and I was unceremoniously told that I had to go and use my $20USD voucher and have dinner in the pub upstairs (which didn’t even cover the cost of fish and chips and a G&T!) instead of allowing me to dine in the lounge where there were plenty of tables available.

The QR lounge at LHR was designed and built long before QR joined OW, it’s very small and is barely big enough for QR’s own passengers. It’s a fabulous lounge, but if they allowed all OW status passengers in it would be akin to standing on a tube during rush hour, and the complaints about not being allowed in would change to not having anywhere to sit or anything to drink/eat.

[esselle]

I used the QR lounge in T4 earlier this week and found it very comfortable, but would agree it is only large enough for their own F and J pax. They had a very good white burgundy on offer.

I had overlooked it being the month of Ramadan, and consequently the whole of HIA, lounges included, was dry on my return journey.

[KSHaggag]

From the very beginning ,QR has been banning access to Oneworld members ,Silver or even Gold to their HIA new Al Mourjan lounge ,unless flying Business or First of course ,which is not in line with OW policy but apparently BA,CX,RJ,UL which are the other fellow OW members flying from DOH could not object or even open their mouth …
I am astonished ,Mr Wolfman that you were given access .
Even in the good old days ,when QR used to have a Premium Terminal with lounges for F and J ,Oneworld Gold did not have access unless flying F or J .
Why is OW tightlipped on this ?..I doubt very much it s a matter of space coz the Al Mourjan is very large ,except the restaurant area ,and the whole airport itself is way too huge for the actual traffic there .
I wonder why it is so much dark with limited let alone practically NO tarmac views from anywhere you might be .A big prison ???

[SimonS1]

I can’t see the problem with QR wanting to give premium travellers a premium experience. That seems to be what BA do at Heathrow – only F travellers can access the CCR.

Provided provision is made for silver and gold members flying economy (which I believe it is) that makes sense to me – looking after your most valuable clients.

[MrMichael]

It has been stated in other pages on BT that QR may come out of OW.

It seems clear from reading this thread that from a lounge point of view for you gold/silver/emerald etc holders that QR never wanted you cluttering up their lounges in the first place. Fly QR J or F and in you go, if not…..naff off……2nd class lounge for the likes of you is down the corridor round the corner underneath the pub.

[KSHaggag]

Frankly I won t miss anything if QR does not allow me into their Al Morjan lounge .I can see their former Premium Terminal facility as a muchhhhhhhhhh better one that the current HIA with their Al Morjan which is a lounge that offers just space but it is darkish ( day and night ) and the food offered is reminiscent of the QR food in Eco on board but served on a buffet instead ; the same taste …mass production food from a school canteen rather than a refined serving for a Business Class lounge of an airline claiming it is a 5 star one !.
Swissair was a BIG glorious story in the 70s,80s ,90s as attested by all air travellers around the globe ,however they never called themselves ” 5 stars ” or anything else .
BT UK surveys in the 80s and 90s attested that Swissair was the TOP in the Airline Industry without this misleading fuss we come across today .

[esselle]

Pub?

Is there a pub in HIA?

[MrMichael]

@esselle, my post was not to be taken literally, and I was not referring specifically to Doha.

[LuganoPirate]

KSHaggag. +1

Well said.

[NTarrant]

The only buffet in Al Mourjan is for starters, all the main meals are off the menu. In the sandwich bar you choose what you want and it’s brought to to you, that’s my experience, all very civilised.

Swiss was a big and glorious in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s but that was Swiss Air which went bankrupt. But in another thread MrsLP tells how poor the Swiss lounge is!

[AleRomUY]

I completely agree with you SimonS1.
In my case, I’m QR Platinum and always fly QR Business Class.
So I guess I would expect to receive some extra care from the airline to which I am loyal and on which I always honor full fare Premium tickets.

[Wolfman]

Ale

The point is that OW members are meant to reciprocate whatever airline within the OW group they show allegiance to. However QR clearly do not. Given that QR owns c10% of BA one would have thought that the least they could do would be to allow BA eligibles the same courtesies. But, being Qatari, its their way or no way. Five star airline – my ar****

[Author]

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