I've been Qatar'ed. Here's why you should think twice before choosing to fly Qatar business class
In the world of frequent flyers there is a neologism that is popular and is used to indicate when a company [...]
Qatar Airways
Oneworld
MXP
In the world of frequent flyers, there is a neologism that is widespread and is used to refer to when a company changes the aircraft used for a specific route to one with significantly inferior characteristics to the one booked: "I've been Qatar'ed"
Rights and duties of companies
In this article:
I have written it many times, thehe passenger has the right to be carried to the destination in the same class of travel purchased, however, he has no rights regarding the car used by the company. If you have seen the video account of my experience aboard ITA Airways' old A330/200 I explained well what happened and what was within my rights.
However, there are some situations that are even more "hurtful", because it is one thing to fly economy on a more, or less, modern aircraft and another to choose to fly a specific route with one airline over another only because you will have the opportunity to travel in what is the most beautiful business class cabin in the world.
Those who travel often know very well that these things can happen, but at the same time the companies play very subtly in their communications. Recently Emirates has been ordered to compensate a business class passenger precisely because the advertisement was misleading and the product used was not the one advertised. Qatar, for example, speaks proudly of its multi-world champion cabin except then put a little blurb explaining to the careful reader to the * that it does not guarantee you will fly in QSuite.
Did you get your flight cancelled, miss your connection, land late?
You could get up to 600€ compensation per person
Clearly highlights during booking when a route is operated with this cabin, it also says that there is no surcharge for those who choose these routes, because if that were the case then the passenger would be entitled to compensation. Then, however, with disarming regularity it changes the operations and with an email gives a cold "shower" to the passenger.
Of course, the opposite also happens, several readers in recent months have written to me about finding themselves "overnight" flying in QSuite when an unserved route was scheduled instead, and in such cases it is celebration.
Qatar's policy in these cases
The airline informs, often but not always, the passenger affected by this change with an email and automatically assigns the passenger a new seat on board. When I flew QSuite this spring, I went to Paris to be assured of flying aboard the 777/300 outfitted with this cabin; Paris and London are two markets where machine changes are very, very, rare.
If you would like to select your preferred seat in Business Class, click here. You can also take advantage of a free flight change if you wish to fly Qsuite on a different date.* To take advantage of this option, please contact us.
In practice, QR offers affected passengers the opportunity to change flights free of charge, including by changing the departure date (+/-21 days) and/or departure airport on a route operated with QSuite.
Our experience
Yesterday we left direct to Indonesia, with a stopover in Doha, and since we booked the tickets we have undergone something like 4 operational and aircraft changes.
Initially it was an all QSuite itinerary, then we were without QSuite altogether. In mid-September so I contacted the Qatar call center. to change our tickets, one paid cash (just under 3000 euros) and two booked with Avios points. A very patient assistant obtained all permissions and after nearly 60 minutes of phone calls we had recreated the entire itinerary in Qsuite except for one leg, simply because QR currently no longer flies QSuite in Italy.
The cold shower came 48h after the flight, virtually impossible to change vacation plans or find alternative arrangements, in Doha we flew with a A350/900 one of many that does not have QSuite on board.
Why Qatar cannot be trusted
Until the company resolves its fleet issues and redecorates all the planes stopped in the desert this situation will be the norm. You only have to search the internet to see how many posts on forums, facebook pages and blogs are published about this situation.
My advice, therefore, is to Consider very carefully whether or not to book Qatar by targeting the QSuite, especially if the ticket price is higher than what other carriers, for example to fly to Asia I prefer Oman to "non-QSuite" planes. Sure the biz cabin is still nice, but it doesn't compare in privacy, comfort and technology to the one awarded since its inception as the best business class seat in the world.
