Qatar - the One World Emerald experience. 1.5 stars from me. Big fail.

[abstraction]

I had flown with Qatar many times before as a no status flyer, and once as silver. Apart from poor connections and being dumped in the Doha warehouse for hours, I was impressed. So I was looking forward to the five star treatment as an (economy) emerald frequent flyer. Tbilisi, Doha, Melbourne.

Seriously disappointing.

The 1.5 stars is for check-in at Tbilisi in the business queue (the only lone queue I avoided on the entire trip), a shadow seat & economy food is always superb on Qatar (ok, that has nothing to do with Emerald).

• No first class lounge access in Doha. Qatar emerald passengers get access to first class lounges with British, Qantas, Emirates & Cathay, but it isn't reciprocated by Qatar.
• Sent to the Doha economy warehouse instead, with long queues through immigration.
• When I asked about first class lounge access I was looked at strangely - "You only bought an economy ticket." "But on other OneWorld airlines I would have 1st class lounge access for Emerald." They thought it best to repeat their first answer in case I was slow of understanding. Another person said the same thing and took me to 'customer service' (the transfer desk) with another extremely long queue. It was obvious I was being fobbed off, and I'd had rude treatment before from the transfer desk. I get it - Emerald means very little to Qatar.
• Lounge access? A now seriously overcrowded business lounge with another long queue to enter and a seat was almost impossible to find.
• No priority boarding. No priority anything. More long queues. A cattle class experience.
• In the air the service was below par, frankly. The only difference from any other passenger was that I received an immigration priority form only because I specifically asked them for it, it wasn't offered. This from an airline that claims to be five star.

So the treatment was essentially no different to when I had lowly silver status with Qatar.

Summing up = Nowhere near the quality of treatment by Qantas, Emirates (though not part of OW) & Cathay, the three runaway best in OneWorld from my experience.
Even British give much better treatment of oneworld Emerald.
And then American Airlines & LAN - two airlines i consider poor - do more for emerald, although the overall experience on AA remains worst.

Qatar - I have better options in future for my very many flights each year through Qatar routes.

My big question is - should Qatar be in OneWorld if they don't deliver. OneWorld needs some standards.

 

[opusman]

Seems pretty poor, maybe a silly question but are you sure your FF number was on your booking? It seems like they didn't acknowledge your OW status at all.

 

[abstraction]

Yes, it was on the booking, and they did notice it at check-in and at the lounge.

 

[mannej]

Seems pretty poor, maybe a silly question but are you sure your FF number was on your booking? It seems like they didn't acknowledge your OW status at all.

From what I can see, Qatar don't afford First Lounge access to OWE.

P.s EK isn't in Oneworld, they partner with QF, that is about it.

 

[anat0l]

I believe QR have dedicated facilities in Doha for their Business and First Class passengers; possibly also for members of their own frequent flyer programme.

When QR was accepted into oneworld, I believe they specifically made it clear that oneworld elites could use the lounge facility in the non-premium terminal, but not that in the dedicated QR premium terminal. Or something along those lines. Sort of like the BA CCR situation, except a bit more obtuse.

Could you elaborate on the below par service in the air? You were in Economy, and I guess as an elite you don't expect a lot in Economy. You hardly get a welcome unless you're a member of the host FFP, or flying CX or (possibly) QF. You probably just expect to get a seat, some overhead space, a meal or two, and not to get slighted or spat on by the crew.

 

[zainman]

with QR, you get what you pay for. No status will get you into the premium terminal unless you are flying J/F. That is clearly mentioned on the one world website so nothing unusual there. Could change once they operate from the new airport but no one knows for sure.

I believe if you did get a shadow that probably was because of your status. Agree that the lounge in the economy terminal is pathetic.

Not sure how they can offer 'priority boarding' when they use buses to get you to the plane.

and EK isn't part of OW.

 

[abstraction]

Ok, a little research shows that Qatar appear to be at odds with OneWorld policy:
'According to oneworld, “members of oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status can use any lounge offered by any oneworld airline when departing on any flight marketed and operated by any oneworld member airline,regardless of cabin class being flown” (italics added for emphasis).“Emerald tier frequent flyers can use First Class, Business Class or frequent flyer lounges” while “Sapphire tier frequent flyers are welcome in Business Class or frequent flyer lounges” oneworld adds.' Qatar defends lounge access limits on Qantas, oneworld frequent flyers - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

I don't read every press release of every airline, no. I expected them to live up to OneWorld policy - a Qatar choice that directs my own choice away from their oft under-full flights.

Could you elaborate on the below par service in the air? You were in Economy, and I guess as an elite you don't expect a lot in Economy. You hardly get a welcome unless you're a member of the host FFP, or flying CX or (possibly) QF. You probably just expect to get a seat, some overhead space, a meal or two, and not to get slighted or spat on by the crew.

No, I don't expect a lot in economy, but crews in both flight were generally towards the curt rather than friendly side, disappeared for long periods on a long haul flight rather than offering drinks as better airlines do, slow to respond to the buzzer during non-busy periods (myself once - gasping of thirst, and a couple of others nearby).

 

[abstraction]

with QR, you get what you pay for.

EK isn't part of OW

Debatable. Other airlines simply value more highly than Qatar my $30-$40,000 flying budget over a year of economy flights rather than a handful of first class or business flights.

EK not part of OW - yes, thanks, i've acknowledged that. As a qantas partner they are part of my platinum experience & choices, but this doesn't apply to all OW emerald.

 

[zainman]

Ok, a little research shows that Qatar appear to be at odds with OneWorld policy:
'According to oneworld, “members of oneworld airline frequent flyer programmes with the equivalent of oneworld Emerald or Sapphire tier status can use any lounge offered by any oneworld airline when departing on any flight marketed and operated by any oneworld member airline,regardless of cabin class being flown” (italics added for emphasis).“Emerald tier frequent flyers can use First Class, Business Class or frequent flyer lounges” while “Sapphire tier frequent flyers are welcome in Business Class or frequent flyer lounges” oneworld adds.' Qatar defends lounge access limits on Qantas, oneworld frequent flyers - Flights | hotels | frequent flyer | business class - Australian Business Traveller

I don't read every press release of every airline, no. I expected them to live up to OneWorld policy - a Qatar choice that directs my own choice away from their oft under-full flights.


No, I don't expect a lot in economy, but crews in both flight were generally towards the curt rather than friendly side, disappeared for long periods on a long haul flight rather than offering drinks as better airlines do, slow to respond to the buzzer during non-busy periods (myself once - gasping of thirst, and a couple of others nearby).

From the one world website: Lounge access - oneworld

1. Qatar Airways Doha International Airport Premium Terminal is excluded.
2. Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at LHR Terminal 4 is excluded.

 

[RooFlyer]

The fact that its buried on a web site that OW Emeralds are excluded from their premium lounge, might take away from any 'surprise'. But like the OP says - you shouldn't have to trawl an airlines web when this OW policy was UNIVERSAL (up to now).

Its still a policy that stinks.

I'm very glad of the OP to alerting me to this. I have 2 flights to Europe coming up (3 actually, but one already committed to LH) and QR do have some attractive J fares. But their lounge policy? - sod 'em.

And then there was this: http://www.australianfrequentflyer.com.au/community/open-discussion/qatar-airways-not-pretty-story-57663.html

 

[opusman]

I have 2 flights to Europe coming up (3 actually, but one already committed to LH) and QR do have some attractive J fares. But their lounge policy? - sod 'em.

I guess if you went J you would have access to the premium terminal anyway; the OP was travelling Y.

 

[sweens]

The next question here is what benefits do QR one world elites get when flying with other OW airlines...e.g. do QR OW emeralds get access to the QF FC lounges when flying with QF in Y?

 

[zainman]

The next question here is what benefits do QR one world elites get when flying with other OW airlines...e.g. do QR OW emeralds get access to the QF FC lounges when flying with QF in Y?

I believe they do.

 

[RooFlyer]

I guess if you went J you would have access to the premium terminal anyway; the OP was travelling Y.

My mistake. But I feel the pain of my brother AFFer And the policy still stinks.

But all this reminds me. I was in the QR 'premium terminal' last year, travelling QR J en route to MEL to Tunisia. Very under-whelmed. Packed to the gills, with food & bev about the same as Thai J lounge at BKK (ie not great). And no FX in the terminal! I had to get on a bus to the other terminal, find the hidden FX place, then bus back and talk my way back in past security and queues as 'I should be coming that way.'

Their new airport can't come fast enough.

 

[samh004]

I can see where they're coming from as the truly premium lounges are in a completely different terminal, and they don't even offer access to their own elites when flying in Y AFAIK... that said, in LHR their policy seems to be at odds with OW as it's the same terminal.

If you have morales and have read the recent staff horror stories about QR, and also care about extracting the most of your status, the answer seems clear, don't fly them

 

[smit0847]

I think OW needs QR a lot more than QR needs OW, so they are allowed to do what they like (just like SQ in *A)

 

[Isochronous]

I think OW needs QR a lot more than QR needs OW, so they are allowed to do what they like (just like SQ in *A)

Oneworld should court EK and then tell QR to get stuffed.

 

[anat0l]

Oneworld should court EK and then tell QR to get stuffed.

An old joke comes to mind in this case:

Secretary of the oneworld CEO: "Sir, the Pope and Tim Clark are here to see you."
oneworld CEO: "Send the Pope in first. At least I only have to kiss his ring."

 

[Sprucegoose]

Don't forget these guys are Bedouins with some coin. Cultural refinement can be generational.

 

[cmon0005]

I'm booked in F & J in a couple of months. After reading this I definitely wouldn't fly them in Y if I could help and even would reconsider future travel in F&J. It annoys me that airlines are allowed to join ow and not act in the spirit of OW. Cough(AB, QR)