Inconsistent OWE treatment

[jamesakj]

Flying as OWE with QR was an inconsistent joke. Flew economy this time (personal trip for wedding). ADL-DOH-ESB.

ADL-DOH seats next to me pre-blocked off which was nice as flight almost full. No personal greeting or taking order first.

DOH-ESB flight virtually empty, tried to sell me an upgrade at a ridiculous price, declined. Personal greeting and meal choice, but not hard given flight was almost a ghost plane. Ditto for ESB-DOH

DOH-ADL (this is where it gets really interesting). Ask about having seats blocked off, apparently someone had selected the seats next to me... okay, is the plane full/ can you change my seat? Person in Ankara useless.

"First" lounge in DOH a laughable joke (did not even have cold drinks as no fridges in the lounge, WTF???). Asked for cold water and was bordering on the absurd to watch someone have to run to location-unknown to bring me such an incredible bespoke luxury for a first lounge.

Tried to ask about seat selections, no help whatsoever again. Get on plane, low and behold sitting next to father and sick four year old. Plane not nearly full, a number of other people have two empty seats, lots of empty singles. No greeting. Complain to the FA (at this point tired and losing patience so a bit of sarcasm), asked him if the Y cabin was full of OWE that I ended up with such a fantastic seating position? Apparently I was one of the only ones, so lucky me.

Overall poor experience compared to other OW options (Cathay, Qantas etc.). Only flew them Y due to great connection time to ESB from ADL, would never fly them below J again.

 

[clifford]

Overall poor experience compared to other OW options (Cathay, Qantas etc.). Only flew them Y due to great connection time to ESB from ADL, would never fly them below J again.

I agree entirely.

 

[moa999]

Sounds about as inconsistent as another airline starting with Q.

Seat selection is one of those * benefits (subject to airline policy). Were you not able to manage your seat online?
Greeting or meal selection isn't a oneworld benefits, although some Carriers provide it haphazerdly.

DOH lounges a known Issue if not in J or F, although the lounges offered are still better than UL or S7.

 

[Max Samuels]

Wow I am totally surprised as the PR/Propaganda that comes from Qatar makes it sounds like QR rivals EK in every way.....

Isn't DOH supposed to be the most amazing best ever airport ever in the world ever?

The only reason I have avoided QR is because of the poor SC earn rate - but it was on my list of "luxuries" to try..... thanks for the tip!

For my trip to France next year I think I will stick to my plan and give AF F a go....

 

[moa999]

I think the ME3 trade off their F and J reputations which is generally very good.

Whereas Y is Y. A little better as they typically have a more modern fleet but that's about it.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

The OP’s main issue seems to be the lack of seat blocking. That’s not a OWE benefit. Crew would have no co troll over this either, so asking them would yield little result.

As mentioned in another thread, those with status looking to score empty seats should proactively monitor the seat map prior to departure, and just before checkin closes, ask to be moved to an empty row. This can be done in the lounge.

 

[RooFlyer]

Flying as OWE with QR was an inconsistent joke.

Inconsistent applies to most OW Airlines.

"First" lounge in DOH a laughable joke (did not even have cold drinks as no fridges in the lounge, WTF???).

Agree, but you know it's not the actual First Lounge, I'm sure. QR is as we know strange for lounges. I wouldn't go near that lounge.

would never fly them below J again.

Very sensible. But once you get to J, it's the best in the sky.

 

[RooFlyer]

Isn't DOH supposed to be the most amazing best ever airport ever in the world ever?

The only reason I have avoided QR is because of the poor SC earn rate - but it was on my list of "luxuries" to try..... thanks for the tip!

DOH Is a very good, efficient airport.

Fly an airline for the experience, not the secondary benefits like SC. It's wonderful in J!

 

[Max Samuels]

DOH Is a very good, efficient airport.

Fly an airline for the experience, not the secondary benefits like SC. It's wonderful in J!

Confused? Doesn't the OP say the lounge is terrible? Isn't that the point (or one of them) when selecting a transit airport?

No fridges in the F lounge? I mean, how are they going to chill my caviar and champagne?
Let's put it in context - if I discovered that the QF F lounge in MEL (where I will be going tomorrow!) no longer had refrigeration for drinks, or ice for water, I would give it a big miss....

 

[Max Samuels]

Inconsistent applies to most OW Airlines.

The 2 OW airlines I have flown the most (CX & JL), easily 50+ on each, over the past decade, I have consistently had a very good experience. CX especially. I think I have had more OP upgrades on CX than all the other upgrades I have combined!

And even if we put the seat blocking aside, the other point raised was the coughpy condition of the lounge in DOH (which is the home port and therefore supposed to be the best?).... and I have to say that the CX lounges in HKG have never disappointed. And the JL lounges in HND or NRT? AMAZING....

 

[RooFlyer]

Confused? Doesn't the OP say the lounge is terrible? Isn't that the point (or one of them) when selecting a transit airport?

Confused? I am now! .

Yes the OP said that the 'First' lounge was bad, and I agree - but realising, as maybe some don't, that is not THE First lounge and known to be vastly inferior to the Business lounge. It's one of QRs known foibles.

I use DOH about 4 times a year, as QR is my favourite airline, especially their J product. It IS a very efficient airport for transiting and just getting around. Once I de-borded, went through transit security, and got to a distant gate in 20 minutes, to get my connection when the inbound was late.

Actually No, I don't select my airports for the lounges, but when I'm at an airport, I choose the best lounge available - and it would never be the 'First' lounge at DOH the OP unfortunately stumbled into.

 

[RooFlyer]

And even if we put the seat blocking aside, the other point raised was the coughpy condition of the lounge in DOH (which is the home port and therefore supposed to be the best?)..

Same comment here as I made just above. That IS a coughpy lounge; it's not an actual First lounge and it's unfortunate QR blocks it's real First lounge from OWEs. I once made the mistake of going into that 'First' lounge and once I'd had a look, I marched straight out again!

But inconsistency IS a feature across OW Airlines - you need to consider all of them in this comment, not just a couple. Ive flown em all, some like QR, QF, AA, JL, CX quite regularly. But also BA, AY, RJ and even S7!

 

[Max Samuels]

Confused? I am now! .

Yes the OP said that the 'First' lounge was bad, and I agree - but realising, as maybe some don't, that is not THE First lounge and known to be vastly inferior to the Business lounge. It's one of QRs known foibles.

Sure sure I get all that. I understand that for the "real" F passengers there is a different lounge. But in the context of OWE benefits, which is supposed to include F lounge access, that is pretty cough in my opinion.

The F lounges it seems are really designed for the premium pax these days, especially with QF - if they only let F pax into MEL F lounge then it would be pretty empty!!!

When I decide to leave the private jet at home, and do personal leisure travel, its usually in Y. With some upgrades. And I am happy to fly Y. BUT, the whole point of OWE is so that when one chooses to fly Y, they choose a OW carrier because of the perks, right? What a take away from this discussion is that the OWE perks on QR sounds pretty grim.

Anyway, sounds like more evidence to me that QR are getting ready to bail (or get kicked out of) OW (as the rumour mill has been suggesting)...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

QF - and to a certain extent BA - is/are no different to QR. Top-paying business class pax relegated to economy class lounges (Qantas clubs).

But is star any better? They have a weird system that star gold lounges - again essentially economy class lounges - are better than business class ones.

 

[Max Samuels]

But inconsistency IS a feature across OW Airlines - you need to consider all of them in this comment, not just a couple. Ive flown em all, some like QR, QF, AA, JL, CX quite regularly. But also BA, AY, RJ and even S7!

Ok - so you are talking about consistency across the whole membership? I cannot comment on the whole membership as I have not flown AY, RJ, S7 or QR.

But, the others that I have flown, have always been consistent i.e., CX, AA and JL have always been excellent. BA & QF have always been good too, actually. Although they might not be "great" airlines as per much user feedback, the OWE benefits they offer are consistent and good At least for me

 

[MEL_Traveller]

That’s because by and large, the AA (flagship first/business), CX and JL lounges (maybe not so much JL) cater for business class pax, and economy are allowed in. That’s a marked difference from BA/QF that cater to the lowest common denominator (economy).

 

[mannej]

QF - and to a certain extent BA - is/are no different to QR. Top-paying business class pax relegated to economy class lounges (Qantas clubs).

J Class pax on QF have access to the J Lounge do they not?

 

[RooFlyer]

What a take away from this discussion is that the OWE perks on QR sounds pretty grim.

Yeah, that's probably right, if your are OWE and flying whY. But I wouldn't know.

Anyway, sounds like more evidence to me that QR are getting ready to bail (or get kicked out of) OW (as the rumour mill has been suggesting)...

That's been the story almost forever. With LATAM going, I think that gives QR more leverage. If they went, that would be shame, but I think I'd stick with QSuites.

 

[dajop]

But is star any better? They have a weird system that star gold lounges - again essentially economy class lounges - are better than business class ones.

That’s not a Star Alliance “system” - that’s just for Lufthansa group airlines. You fly business through a SQ, TG or UA hub you will end up in a better lounge than a star gold flying economy. Which is exactly what QR do in DOH - they have separate lounges for F, J, OWE and OWS travellers, don’t they? (Haven’t been there but that’s what I remember reading).

 

[MEL_Traveller]

J Class pax on QF have access to the J Lounge do they not?

Only or domestic. International it’s the same same Qantas club, which primarily caters for eco pax.