Qatar Airways lounge access

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Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 142 total)

  • AleRomUY
    Participant

    Wolfman, u r right my friend!
    As an example, whenever I fly MH and transit thru KL, as OW Emerald due to my QR Platinum status, they immediately grant me access to the First Class Lounge on their Golden Lounge in KL. Very nice treatment by the way there.
    I guess that because I’m QR Plat directly and not from any other OW airline, it’s kind of easier to appreciate the treatment I may receive at HIA.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    I understand the OW angle but I thought there were two other lounges (the Oryx and the Qatar business class) that can be used for economy passengers.

    That leaves the Al Mourjan for people who are travelling in a premium cabin and not unreasonably expecting a premium experience. I honestly don’t think it’s unreasonable that silver members travelling economy are directed to the other lounges.

    As far a reciprocation is concerned doesn’t BA place restrictions of people using F lounges or CCR?


    Wolfman
    Participant

    SS1 – Prevented access to both the Oryx and the Qatar Business Class and directed, instead, to this new Lounge previously referred to. Which Lounge is disgusting from the self proclaimed 5 star airline. Very poor indeed.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    Not sure then, as that is not what is stated in the OneWorld lounge directory.

    Sounds like you ended up in some type of transit lounge.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I don’t fly QR much and have not yet been through HIA, but if the above posts are correct, and I’m sure they are, then the solution is simple, BA, MH et al should retaliate!

    As to QR leaving OW. I doubt this will happen. Being part of OW brings them prestige and that’s what they want.


    KSHaggag
    Participant

    Yeppp..Swiss is NOT Swissair but still has some heritage of swiss quality and values.They are still among the most civilized in the Airline Industry .

    Well,QR is not following exactly the OW policy of letting Silver and Gold OW members into their main AlMourjan lounge in DOH .They do maybe in some other airports .
    I cannot understand why in DOH they do this especially that there is NO real reason behind this ; space ????..never ..the Al Mourjan is larger than 6 Olympic size swimming pools if not more so it is not a matter of space or even seclusion :the airport is under utilized and feels too large for the actual traffic going through it .The number of foreign carriers flying to/from DOH is way below those flying to Dubai or of course any large hub in Europe or Asia .
    Having sampled the former premium terminal in DOH at the former facility ,I do confirm that the Al Mourjan is not up to the standard of the former facility from all points of view .
    I am curious to ask the Engineers who designed the HIA terminal if they knew that Qatar was a sunny state with lots of sunlight yearround ,therefore they could have leveraged this gift from God and made a terminal offering nice vews of the tarmac or other ,however it seems they preferred to use electricity for illuminating such a darkish facility ,good for playing hide and seek .


    SimonS1
    Participant

    The OneWorld policy is not cast in stone and there are always ways of establishing exceptions. Exactly the same as BA policy at Heathrow.

    The issue is not whether you are silver or gold, it’s which class you are flying. If in business or first then AFAIK you can get into Al Mourjan. It’s only economy passengers asked to use the other lounges.


    KSHaggag
    Participant

    I do understand BA is showing more generosity in this respect :as a Gold OW member you gain access to the Galleries First lounge at LHR T5 ,..right ??? you don t to the CCR since this is indeed a limited exclusive space .I would not compare the CCR at LHR T5 to the Al Mourjan lounge at HIA ..Al Mourjan is just offering biz class standards of service ,NOT FIRST CLASS ones .From the staff service ,to the food offer ,to the facilities ,etc..it is not that exclusive ,let alone huuuuuuuuuuuuge in terms of space .
    I recall being there last September on a weekay evening and could count roughly 30 pax all in all in that expansive space .
    I don t see really the exclusivity of the place ,based on the services offered there and their standard,not only the space .


    SimonS1
    Participant

    Yes you get access to LHR First lounges if travelling F or a gold card holder. However if you are a silver travelling business/economy (as per the OP) then there is a business lounge for you.

    I don’t see that is so different to Doha.

    As far as Mourjan is concerned, right now I believe this doubles as their premier lounge for F passengers and I suspect they see a need to provide some premium treatment. Maybe that will change when the new lounge for F only opens and there will be some relaxation, maybe for golds/equivalent.


    KSHaggag
    Participant

    Thanks SimonS1 !

    It has always been QR policy even before joining OW to restrict access to their main Business Class lounge to thise booked in Business Class only .Gold members flying Eco had access to another smaller ,not-up-to-the standard lounge and Silver had access to also another ( primitive ) space dedicated to them should they be flying Eco .
    I could understand this when QR was operating from the former small airport terminal but now the new HIA lounge has much space for QR s own and OW carriers Gold members plus Business and First Class pax ,so why is the restriction ? to make the world believe that the space is Heavenly ?
    It does not ( in my eyes at least ) come even close to the superb CX lounges in HKG ,be them the Wing ,the Pier ,the Bridge ,etc…
    A lounge is not only about space or superlative food but it should exude some feeling of serenity and well being .Illumination is indeed a key factor in this .I feel claustrophobic in spaces that do not have windows or views .


    nigelbrinklow
    Participant

    At least the lounges at T5 LHR don’t run out of alcohol for 6 hours as was the case when I was shunted off to the OW Frequent Flier lounge in Doha recently. They ran out of everything except one red and one white wine – oh and Bacardi! Lol


    SimonS1
    Participant

    Why the restriction? I would have thought that was clear – QR wants to offer a facility dedicated to those people flying with the airline and paying premium fares. Right now it’s their flagship lounge and I doubt they are really that interested in people flying economy who have silver status with another airline.

    Lounges right now are not what they used to be. As well as QR there is a thread running about grotty Senator lounges, and the BA lounges at Heathrow regularly get panned (including the CCR).

    As stated earlier I think the real issue is so many economy passengers get access these days that the lounges have really become glorified canteens and an overhead to be managed, the food either snacks or slop and often hard to find a seat. I do understand if you are connecting off a long haul to economy or vice versa but I suspect in the next few years we will see restrictions start to come.

    The other thing is I’ve always thought the OW model could be modified so that you only get access to other lounges if there is no availability with the carrier you are flying with. In other words in Doha if flying with BA your access would be to the BA lounge. Otherwise there is no incentive for carriers to improve and QR will end up taking all comers due the BA facility being a dump.


    KSHaggag
    Participant

    BA has no lounge of its own in Doha ;it s rather the lounge used by all airlines flying from Doha ;the Oryx lounge .

    Nobody begged QR to join OW afterall ;they wanted to join an alliance and here they are syphooning off the Business Class traffic of BA from London to Australasia at a much cheaper fare .I don t call this customer choice coz when you are offered a fare 30% -40% cheaper in the same class of travel ,you will surrender ;in the same context ,BA has not yet granted QR any codeshare on any route across the Atlantic ,let alone the one daily BA operated LHR/DOH .


    SimonS1
    Participant

    Yes I meant the designated BA lounge which is indeed the Oryx. Nothing to stop BA opening its own lounge as in Dubai though (although that has regularly received negative comment).

    As far as the rest is concerned it’s just competition. QR might have taken business from BA but I’m sure it’s helped grow the market to Aus just has EK has done.

    Why on earth would QR want to codeshare on the BA flight? They have 6 flights a day of their own, usually cheaper, better hard product (IMHO) and go direct not via Bahrain. I can’t see many positives there.


    AleRomUY
    Participant

    Dear SimonS1, as I already stated above, I completely agree with you.
    The fact is that as a QR Platinum Member flying on paid Premium class full fare, I would expect some sort of differentiation and appreciation for my business and loyalty to the airline.
    Somebody said that Al Mourjan has ran out of everything one day. Yeah, maybe it was because of the bunch of “yellow taggers”, and sorry if I sound arrogant.
    Let me be clear, if tomorrow I’m flying Economy even being Platinum, I will NOT pretend the same treatment as my fellow passengers who paid much more for the travel. That’s the point!
    For the airline, the important thing and business is the people who pay Premium classes fares, that’s what I guess.

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