Apr 13, 2016, 2:03 am
Last edit by: remdk
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
Ramadan is a holy month to Muslims and also a joyous and spiritual time. I am concentrating upon that which most affects Non-Muslim QR passengers during Ramadan.
When is Ramadan?
Because the Muslim´calendar is a lunar calendar the date in the Gregorian, or solar, calendar changes every year. Each year it is about 11 days earlier than the previous year.
Ramadan 2017 was 27 May to 25 June.
Ramadan 2018 was16 May to 14 June.
Ramadan 2019 was 6 May to 4 June.
Ramadan 2020 was 24 April to 23 May.
Ramadan 2021 was 12 April to 11 May.
Ramadan 2022 was 2 April to 2 May.
Ramadan 2023 wss 22 March to 23 April.
Ramadan 2024 is 10 March to 9 April.
Ramadan 2025 is 1 March to 30 March.
Ramadan 2026 is 18 February to 19 March.
Ramadan 2027 is 8 February to 9 March.
When does Ramadan actually start?
The Muslim day starts at sunset and continues to sunset. Sightings for the new moon are taken at sunset and when sighted the month of Ramadan has started. Fasting begins later in the Muslim day at sunrise. Thus if Ramadan starts on June 6th then it is the sighting of the new moon at sunset on June 5th that marks the official start. Tha actual start date may be different due to the fact that we live on a globe and it takes 24 hours to rotate on its axis! The dates quoted are for Qatar.
Are there exceptions to the rules?
There are exceptions to fasting rules such as the aged, sick, pregnant women, travellers, etc.
Some branches of Islam demand payment of a fine or a penance, such as feeding the poor, for breaking the fast whilst other branches do not. In some branches of Islam travellers may voluntarily choose to continue fasting whilst other branches forbid fasting whilst travelling.
When does Fasting take place?
Most agree that the times of fasting are from Sunrise to Sunset. Others use Dawn and Dusk. The latter could cause serious health problems for those who live at latitude 48.5 or greater. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight for an explanation.
How does Ramadan affect QR?
QR adheres to the rules of Ramadan as required by the State of Qatar.
Food is always available inside the airport and on all flights. This is because of the traveller rules.
Non alcoholic drinks are always available both in the airport and on all flights.
Alcohol is NOT available at Hamad International Airport either inside or outside the airport buildings, even at the Airport hotel. However in 2023 alcohol was being served in at least the Al Safwa and Al Mourjan airport lounges. At the moment it is not known if this also applied to other lounges. Pleas look at this years postings to see other lounges also served alcohol.
Alcohol is not available on most flights to/from muslim countries. Certain muslim countries, such as Malaysia, are regarded as multicultural countries and the in-flight alcohol ban does not apply. On all other flights to/from DOH alcohol is available after departure. The cabin crew decide when departure is. For some it is when you board the aircraft, for others closing the doors, others pushback and yet others after take-off. Where alcohol is permitted on the flight then it will be served by the glass, the bottle remaining in the galley. Pre departure alcoholic drinks as well as in flight drinks will normally be served on flights to/from DOH where alcohol is permitted. There may be exceptions. In 2023 AMM, AUH and SHJ served alcohol, on flights, at least some of the time. The AMM lounge also served alcohol. (See post 382)
In every respect, other than alcohol, service is unchanged throughout QR. BUT where alcohol is available it is not normally on display, but served by the glass from the bar or galley and sometimes needs to be requested..
Duty free alcohol is available at QDF. But there may be restrictions such as delivery to the aircraft door.
How does Ramadan affect The State of Qatar?
If you leave the airport during Ramadan please remember
1) the sale and public consumption of Alcohol is banned by law during Ramadan. In several, but not all, hotels alcohol may be obtained by residents from room service.
2) It is extremely offensive, and in some Muslim countries, including Qatar, a criminal offence, to be seen eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public during the period of fasting.
According to https://discoverqatar.qatarairways.c...madan/overview
"If you need to drink or eat, please do so in the privacy of your own room or in a place where you won’t be seen."
If you need to eat or drink please do it discretely and out of sight of others.
Want to know more?
If you want more information then http://marhaba.qa/ramadan-dos-and-donts-in-qatar/ is specific to Qatar. If you are also interested in health issues then A_guide_to_healthy_fasting is worth looking at, not only for health issues.
This Wiki and thread is about how Ramadan affects QR passengers.
Thanks are due to IAN-UK, Lobengula, RUN4FUN, sharp5flat9, SullyofDoha, VH-RMD and others for help in making this as accurate as possible.
Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar where Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset.
Ramadan is a holy month to Muslims and also a joyous and spiritual time. I am concentrating upon that which most affects Non-Muslim QR passengers during Ramadan.
When is Ramadan?
Because the Muslim´calendar is a lunar calendar the date in the Gregorian, or solar, calendar changes every year. Each year it is about 11 days earlier than the previous year.
Ramadan 2017 was 27 May to 25 June.
Ramadan 2018 was16 May to 14 June.
Ramadan 2019 was 6 May to 4 June.
Ramadan 2020 was 24 April to 23 May.
Ramadan 2021 was 12 April to 11 May.
Ramadan 2022 was 2 April to 2 May.
Ramadan 2023 wss 22 March to 23 April.
Ramadan 2024 is 10 March to 9 April.
Ramadan 2025 is 1 March to 30 March.
Ramadan 2026 is 18 February to 19 March.
Ramadan 2027 is 8 February to 9 March.
When does Ramadan actually start?
The Muslim day starts at sunset and continues to sunset. Sightings for the new moon are taken at sunset and when sighted the month of Ramadan has started. Fasting begins later in the Muslim day at sunrise. Thus if Ramadan starts on June 6th then it is the sighting of the new moon at sunset on June 5th that marks the official start. Tha actual start date may be different due to the fact that we live on a globe and it takes 24 hours to rotate on its axis! The dates quoted are for Qatar.
Are there exceptions to the rules?
There are exceptions to fasting rules such as the aged, sick, pregnant women, travellers, etc.
Some branches of Islam demand payment of a fine or a penance, such as feeding the poor, for breaking the fast whilst other branches do not. In some branches of Islam travellers may voluntarily choose to continue fasting whilst other branches forbid fasting whilst travelling.
When does Fasting take place?
Most agree that the times of fasting are from Sunrise to Sunset. Others use Dawn and Dusk. The latter could cause serious health problems for those who live at latitude 48.5 or greater. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twilight for an explanation.
How does Ramadan affect QR?
QR adheres to the rules of Ramadan as required by the State of Qatar.
Food is always available inside the airport and on all flights. This is because of the traveller rules.
Non alcoholic drinks are always available both in the airport and on all flights.
Alcohol is NOT available at Hamad International Airport either inside or outside the airport buildings, even at the Airport hotel. However in 2023 alcohol was being served in at least the Al Safwa and Al Mourjan airport lounges. At the moment it is not known if this also applied to other lounges. Pleas look at this years postings to see other lounges also served alcohol.
Alcohol is not available on most flights to/from muslim countries. Certain muslim countries, such as Malaysia, are regarded as multicultural countries and the in-flight alcohol ban does not apply. On all other flights to/from DOH alcohol is available after departure. The cabin crew decide when departure is. For some it is when you board the aircraft, for others closing the doors, others pushback and yet others after take-off. Where alcohol is permitted on the flight then it will be served by the glass, the bottle remaining in the galley. Pre departure alcoholic drinks as well as in flight drinks will normally be served on flights to/from DOH where alcohol is permitted. There may be exceptions. In 2023 AMM, AUH and SHJ served alcohol, on flights, at least some of the time. The AMM lounge also served alcohol. (See post 382)
In every respect, other than alcohol, service is unchanged throughout QR. BUT where alcohol is available it is not normally on display, but served by the glass from the bar or galley and sometimes needs to be requested..
Duty free alcohol is available at QDF. But there may be restrictions such as delivery to the aircraft door.
How does Ramadan affect The State of Qatar?
If you leave the airport during Ramadan please remember
1) the sale and public consumption of Alcohol is banned by law during Ramadan. In several, but not all, hotels alcohol may be obtained by residents from room service.
2) It is extremely offensive, and in some Muslim countries, including Qatar, a criminal offence, to be seen eating, drinking, smoking or chewing gum in public during the period of fasting.
According to https://discoverqatar.qatarairways.c...madan/overview
"If you need to drink or eat, please do so in the privacy of your own room or in a place where you won’t be seen."
If you need to eat or drink please do it discretely and out of sight of others.
Want to know more?
If you want more information then http://marhaba.qa/ramadan-dos-and-donts-in-qatar/ is specific to Qatar. If you are also interested in health issues then A_guide_to_healthy_fasting is worth looking at, not only for health issues.
This Wiki and thread is about how Ramadan affects QR passengers.
Thanks are due to IAN-UK, Lobengula, RUN4FUN, sharp5flat9, SullyofDoha, VH-RMD and others for help in making this as accurate as possible.
Ramadan Master Thread - 10 March 2024 to 9 April 2024
Jun 8, 2016, 9:20 am
#61
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Another data point - I travelled DEL-DOH-BHX yesterday (in the early hours of the morning). No alcohol served pre-departure, however, alcohol provided in-flight discreetly. I think I was the only one consuming alcohol on DEL-DOH, and it was not served from the bottle as it normally is, but poured in the galley and delivered by glass. Same again on DOH-BHX, I only had one Bloody Mary near the end of the flight.
Jun 8, 2016, 10:08 am
#62
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
rossmacd this is one of the exceptions hinted at in the Wiki. "Where alcohol is permitted on the flight then pre departure alcoholic drinks will normally be served on flights to DOH. There may be exceptions." It is not surprising since the population of India is 11% Muslim.
What the Wiki does not say, because no one has mentioned it, is that how alcohol is served during Ramadan is up to the cabin crew. Some flights will have the discrete service you experienced whilst on others service is unchanged.
I have heard, but have been unable to confirm, that Muslim crew members may personally refuse to serve Alcohol during Ramadan.
What the Wiki does not say, because no one has mentioned it, is that how alcohol is served during Ramadan is up to the cabin crew. Some flights will have the discrete service you experienced whilst on others service is unchanged.
I have heard, but have been unable to confirm, that Muslim crew members may personally refuse to serve Alcohol during Ramadan.
Jun 8, 2016, 1:06 pm
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,046
Between 2007 and 2012 that was definitely not true and I would be surprised if anything has changed. However flights within the Islamic world typically did not offer alcohol during Ramadan although others elsewhere on the network did.
Jun 9, 2016, 8:38 am
#66
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
Crisu69 if you look at the Wiki on this thread you will see "Alcohol is NOT available at Hamad International Airport either inside or outside the airport buildings, even at the Airport hotel. Nor is it available on most regional flights. On all other flights from DOH alcohol is available after departure. The cabin crew decide when departure is. For some it is closing the doors, others pushback and yet others after take-off. Where alcohol is permitted on the flight then pre departure alcoholic drinks will normally be served on flights to DOH. There may be exceptions."
That means that the answer is NO for most regional destinations and it depends upon the cabin crew for other destinations. As is pointed out there may be exceptions.
That means that the answer is NO for most regional destinations and it depends upon the cabin crew for other destinations. As is pointed out there may be exceptions.
Jun 9, 2016, 8:58 am
#68
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Washington DC
Programs: QR: Gold; Marriott: Amb; UA: 1K; Taj: Silv
Posts: 254
I was surprised to see a couple of J passengers on DOH-IAD with glasses of champagne before the doors closed 2 days ago. This was the first time I'd seen that.
After take-off, full service, and as noted by others, drinks are poured in the galley and brought to the seats.
After take-off, full service, and as noted by others, drinks are poured in the galley and brought to the seats.
Jun 9, 2016, 10:13 am
#69
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: QR Gold, BAEC, Marriott Rewards Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,142
According to the lady who served me this is QR policy during Ramadan.
Jun 9, 2016, 11:52 am
#70
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Middle Earth, and often worse
Programs: BAEC Silver, A3 Gold
Posts: 2,217
Jun 9, 2016, 12:13 pm
#71
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, UA Mileage Plus 1K, AA Executive Plat, Marriott Ambassador Elite
Posts: 2,344
I'll be through DOH next week for a few days. Will be interesting to see how all is served. All my travel through the ME, have never been during Ramadan.
Jun 9, 2016, 12:15 pm
#72
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 7,464
Jun 9, 2016, 5:21 pm
#73
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: London
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 2,644
Jun 9, 2016, 7:03 pm
#74
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,188
Jun 10, 2016, 1:26 am
#75
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Atlanta, GA / San Francisco, CA
Programs: BA Gold, TK Elite Plus
Posts: 1,150
I'm not changing my travel patterns because of alcohol, I changed them because QR kicked Y Emeralds out from Al Mourjan into the Emerald holding pen. So I don't fly QR Y anymore. In J, QR is great.