Qatar. On the ones Im seeing they are using MAS to get into SA. So via KL. The direct ones using QR are mega expensive. Right now I'm seeing flights into UK and return in Y with a mix for 3 pax for $9500 total. Booked on QR. Also can book through MAS but longer transits.
Well done on tracking down an acceptable route/fare: just leaves the tricky 'last mile' including ground transport and home quarantine on return....
I too have been looking at QR (though for J seats to/from UK) and reached the same conclusion about them being uncompetitive. QR is continuing to make available only Elite fares for DOH-SYD, so that even with a Lite fare for outbound (the new unbundled P fare bucket) you are still up for $10-11K for the round trip. No thanks.
This is the case for SYD-DOH-LHR-DOH-SYD on QR for a sample of dates in
all months from Dec 2021 until end of QR booking availability in Oct 2022. Looking on EF you see most fare buckets zeroed out and the seat maps show only a handful of allocated seats.
Presumably QR (among others) is still proceeding as though stringent caps on inbound loads will go on indefinitely. As Australians are making 2022 bookings now, particularly for the northern summer, QR must know they are losing business. All caused by the stand-off over inbound caps or are there other factors? A possibly hopeful sign – as flagged on another AFF thread – is a bit more Y inventory being offered in Jan.
Context for my interest is planning for several UK/EU trips from Q2 2022. I’m sitting on a QR credit voucher which must be fully expended by June 2022: if lower fare buckets in J don’t open up soon I will be taking my business elsewhere, cashing in the voucher and losing the 10% ‘bonus’ on the loan I advanced to QR last year. And yes – before anyone comments – this is rather a First World Problem compared with the situation of those seeking affordable availability for inbound travel in the more immediate future.