IAN-UK

Gosh - I'm rather thrilled to see myself discussed by third parties. I hold my hand up to being a tad sarcastic in my initial response to your question, but really it was playful rather than malicious. I hadn't realised you took yourself, and your question, so seriously.

To address your question: I'm an accidental F passenger in that I glory in the status only because QR puts me in that cabin for the regional flights connecting to long-haul J. There are an awful lot of us in that position. And while I can't speak for any of the others, what drives me to buy QR tickets is the price, membership of Oneworld, and the schedule. Lounge access is a given.

I expect the lounge to give me somewhere comfortable to park my bum while I wait for the connection, somewhere providing snacks and a drink. I don't give a tinker's about the name of the lounge. Honestly, I don't. Krug would be wasted on me - although i'm certainly tacky enough to ask for it if it's available

I look forward to the inauguration of al Safwa, but that's as much curiosity as anything else.

HB7

To address your question: I'm an accidental F passenger in that I glory in the status only because QR puts me in that cabin for the regional flights connecting to long-haul J. There are an awful lot of us in that position. And while I can't speak for any of the others, what drives me to buy QR tickets is the price, membership of Oneworld, and the schedule. Lounge access is a given.

I expect the lounge to give me somewhere comfortable to park my bum while I wait for the connection, somewhere providing snacks and a drink. I don't give a tinker's about the name of the lounge. Honestly, I don't. Krug would be wasted on me - although i'm certainly tacky enough to ask for it if it's available

I look forward to the inauguration of al Safwa, but that's as much curiosity as anything else.[/QUOTE]

That is exactly the answer I was looking for. I want to gauge if people were really bothered about the delay of the Al-Safwa lounge opening to the point they think it is unacceptable or were perfectly ok with no dedicated F (Al Safwa) lounge.

Phil the Flyer

I'm currently sat in an almost deserted Al Mourjan lounge, waiting for a QR F CAI flight.

My feelings towards QR and DOH QR F/J lounges are pretty much identical to yours - although in the old Premium Terminal I used to enjoy turning right at the top of the escalator, rather than turning left!

On the other hand, the current lack of a dedicated AUH EY F lounge does piss me off - when I have paid to fly EY F.

Now where's the Krug (not wasted on me!)?

msm2000uk

I travel QR F long-haul around once per month at present.

The fact that the Al Safwa has not opened, makes no difference to me because I do not fly on QR for their lounges. I fly because of the service offered (and the fact it earns me Tier-Points with BA).

As and when the Al Safwa opens, I predict that a few things will happen on FT:

1) People who NEVER fly Long-Haul F, will complain that the Al Safwa is too busy with Regional F.

2) Platinum QR card holders will complain that they are not permitted access, and moan that they are not being respected and valued.

3) People who NEVER fly QR F to any destination, will be the most vocal - despite having no first hand knowledge or experience.

4) The Al Mourjan will quieten and become the premium lounge experience that QR designed it for.

5) QR F prices will increase to reflect the improved offering available at HIA.

6) Global supplies of Krug will dry up as desperate FTers book cheap J tickets and intra-Gulf F tickets to experience the orgasmic powers of a relatively average champagne.

7) The Al Safwa lounge will not be 'The best lounge in the world', despite lots of people who will urgently try to compare it to other excellent F lounges across the globe.

Just my assumptions, or rather predictions, but lets see what happens.

Until then, there is nothing anyone can do. And, if you read through the larger thread, you will not find many who are genuinely aggrevied by the fact it has not opened.

If you don't want to travel QR F due to the lack of an F-only lounge, then so be it. However, I do not believe QR have lost even 0.01% of their F passenger numbers due to the delay in the opening of the Al Safwa.

BlueEgg

Well said! I truly enjoyed reading your comments about what would happen when the First Class Lounge opens. On a slightly different note, while reading about the criticisms directed at the Al Mourjan Lounge and the nostalgia expressed for the old Premium Terminal, I seem to recall that when the Premium Terminal was in existence, it was criticised for many things, including having to use the bus between plane and terminal, not finding somewhere to sit during certain times, etc.

HB7

Interesting. I agree with your comments in regards to your assumptions with what will happen once Al Safwa has opened. However I am surprised that there isn't a lot more who are upset that it is yet to open.

DreamTrip

Because life is too short to be upset about an F lounge not being open. There is more to QR than lounges.

The Al Mourjan lounge is an excellent premium lounge until Al Safwa opens.

stargold

There would have been a lot more upset if they hadn't opened Mourjan and continued to send everyone to the First and Business Class lounges, but Mourjan seems to satisfy most people's needs in a reasonable manner and hence a lack of vocal complaints.

Besides, the nature of the region is such that things tend to happen when it will happen - there is just no point anxiously waiting for something like this.

DreamTrip

I think Al Mourjan lounge is absolutely fantastic for a business class lounge. They offer an A la carte menu, an extensive range of buffet options and a wide range of beverages. I recently had a steak from the A la carte menu, served medium rare and absolutely delicious. My champagne of choice was Veuve Clicquot Rose. No other business lounge (in my opinion) can compare to what QR offers.

msm2000uk

In my view, there are a couple of reasons why people on FT have not complained too much about the lack of an F-only lounge.

1) Travelling long-haul F on QR is rarely done on miles, therefore it is reliant on people booking revenue tickets. I am in a small minority of people who are fortunate enough to have clients that are willing to pay for F. While I also pay F for my leisure travel, I am in an even small minority for that. When I have flown F on QR, the cabin has never been more than half-full...namely no more than a total of 4 passengers.

However, on those occasions, the cabin has usually consisted of me, and a few Sheiks/Sheikas and their nannies. Unsurprisingly, they aren't members of FT so we don't hear their views. My guess however, is that they don't care.

2) Travelling Short-haul F on QR can be quite expensive, and booking QR to places such as DXB/AUH/BAH/MCT from the UK/US, tends to be quite expensive. Booking UK/US to DXB is more expensive than booking UK/US to BKK for example. As a result, many book with the home-carriers.

3) Of those who travel Short-haul F on QR, they tend to be connecting to/from a Long-haul J ticket. They are quite content with the Al Mourjan (for the most part), because there is no concrete proof that they would even be entitled to access the Al Safwa. Until the access requirements are confirmed, we know very little. Therefore, no point complaining about something you are not sure of.

4) QR is popular with FTers because of the cheap J fares (when compared to other airlines). The J fares are hugely intetesting for holidays and also Tier-Point runs. We all accept that QR J is very good, and some (perhaps 70%) would argue that the differences between QR J and QR F are so minimal, that why would they bother with the F cabin. With that in mind, those people would not have access to the Al Safwa, so don't complain.

QR F is exclusive. As and when the additional A380s arrive, QR F will remain exclusive, but more people will opt to fly the longer routes (JFK or SYD) in F, than a 6 hour hop to LHR/CDG/BKK.

Until that point though, there will be a low level of chatter about the Al Safwa because the hype has gone. As and when it opens, the number of FTers with first-hand experience of the lounge, will be a small number. Some will book F to experience the lounge, but never book it again.

The fact is simple. Those who travel QR F do so for far more than a lounge. While the QR lounge at LHR is very good, at CDG it is atrocious and at BKK it is average. None are excellent, and none meet the level of an F experience that one might be expecting. The Al Safwa will need to be the best QR lounge in their network, and I'm sure it will be. However, will F passengers be upset if it is very good opposed to excellent? No.

We pay for a level of service, not a lounge. The lounge is a bonus, and F passengers have more pressing matters and thoughts than to complain about having to sit with J passengers (who are usually far more charming and polite than those in F).

ph-ndr

Came off a flight on the whalejet this week and asked the fair maiden that insisted on escorting me to my next flight on the state of things regarding the mirage of the F lounge in DOH and she told me it was completed and due to open late next week.

When queried on access rules it would be strictly F class and no PCP's or any OWE's.

As with all staff chatter, no implied or expressed warranty of the verscity of the statement from my side, but at least it is some input in the long running guessing game of when it opens.

-A

msm2000uk

My next F flight is next Wednesday so will try and update.

Canuck2012

Awesome news, be sure to take pictures.

HB7

I genuinely hope I'm wrong, but I don't see this lounge opening before 2016.

I know some have dismissed this before, however I do believe QR are waiting on the AUH F lounge to possibly try and outdo EY.

I think it is important to note that HIA was supposed to open on the 12th of December, 2012. As it stands now, this lounge is technically almost 3 years delayed.

Unless there is a major structural or construction issue - what possible reason is there for this ridiculous delay?

iluvdoco

If the Al-Safwa lounge actually opens next week, I shall be very happy.