Staying on the plane queries???

So basically I have an interesting itenary coming up, basically I am flying to Tokyo from Karachi in Business. The flight was like 50% cheaper by flying from their then from my current base in Abu Dhabi.

Now getting from Abu Dhabi to Kharachi required some research, in the past I have done this before with Etihad, but last time on the return flight I had only 50 mins transfer time between two different airlines which was really really tight. I had to almost run to the plane, thankfully I think being in Business gave me some more added advantage. Anyway to avoid the same thing happening I have just decided to stay on QR for the flight from Abu Dhabi to Karachi.

So final routing is this

AUH-DOH-KHI-DOH-KIX-NRT-KIX-DOH-KHI-DOH-AUH, LOL i know its crazy but like I said I saved a whole bunch.

Anyway the question I have is does it really matter if I stay of the plane for the turnaround? Or would I have to deplane then get back on? I had no intention of visiting KHI other than using it as a place to arrive then immediately depart. I still have a 4 weeks left before I have to fly so its not too late to cancel anything.

Any help would be appreciated as I have never really turned around on any airline on any destination before.

I think you have to deplane and enplane again since the luggage willl be unloaded at your final destination.

Ok I don't have any clue regarding your question, but damn that is an interesting route.

How many Qpoints and miles do you reckon you'll accrue from that?

Hmm, not sure if I've got this straight but here goes...

Is this trip on 1 single ticket/itinerary or is it split into AUH-KHI return & KHI-NRT return (ie 2 seperate tickets)?

I suspect it's a little more involved than simply 'deplaning'. On the outbound trip I'm wondering if you'll have to collect your luggage in KHI, clear Immigration/customs & then check in again for your onward flights. Same problem when arriving in KHI on the return trip.

Assuming the KHI-NRT return is a single itinerary the connections in DOH will definately just involve deplaning.

Impeymac - this is 2 seperate tickets and as you correctly deduced it is AUH-KHI rtn and then the second KHI-NRT rtn. Hence I was trying to find out if anyone had done this before as that is exactly what I was trying to avoid, basically having to go through immigration in KHI and having to recheck in. I guess I will find out today from the Qatar Airways office but they might think im being a cheeky fella for doing this trip. Mainly I am getting the KHI-NRT rtn in D for $1500, from AUH-NRT it was going to cost me $3500, the AUH-KHI rtn is a mere 25,000 miles and $200 in taxes in I (business redemption). Otherwise I will just fly Etihad to KHI, which will cost more but save me miles and save me the hassle of not having to go through immigration at KHI.

lsed - Potentially I should be earning 150 qpoints, which would me into silver in one trip already LOL. Since im GOLD I should be earning a total of 24,000 miles for the KHI-NRT return.

AlexCm - As I mentioned above I dont mind deplaning its just whether I can just stay in the departure lounge or I have to like go through immigration and unload my luggage.

Basically I tried find other airlines to go from AUH-KHI but I just could not find a suitable connection time ever. Etihad arrives at a nice time giving me 2 hours in KHI before boarding QR, however on the KHI-AUH I only have a 50 min window in which to change airlines. Last time the chaps over at KHI made a big fuss to me for putting em through all that stress LOL

Now I really am confused. How will arriving in KHI on Etihad then flying out on QR stop you going through Immigration? Won't you still have to pick up your luggage & check-in for the QR flight as normal? Have I missed something (wouldn't be the first time)?

No because the final routing would be AUH-KHI-DOH-KIX-NRT, ie my final destination is Tokyo. So thats what the baggage tag would say. I would not have to leave the airport just have to collect my boarding passes for the QR part of the journey and just wait around the lounge till boarding time.

As I mentioned I did this journey before, except last time it was ICN as my final destination and I had no issues except on the way back due to the transdfer window being 50 mins on seperate airlines and the fact I didnt have my boarding passes yet, this time it would be only 30 mins unless i fly Qatar Airways their and back.

Check-in operators for Etihad in AUH will tag your bags all the way to NRT when you're changing planes in KHI & flying most of the way on QR via DOH?

I didn't know that was possible between Etihad & QR, very useful to know.^

Had a chat with the QR office here in Abu Dhabi, and it turns out that my luggage will be checked all the way to Tokyo. Still uncertain on whether I will get all my boarding passes in Abu Dhabi or I will still have to collect the second booking's boarding passes in Kharachi. Either way that is good news.