For all those who are bemoaning the 72 hour re-booking policy, I wonder how you would feel if QR re-booked you, and then you realised your original routing was actually flying.
Would you want to shlep your kids and baggage to another one or two airports, when you could have just waited and flown on your original booking?
QR are a pawn in the melee, and are simply following the instructions dictated to them by the Qatari authorities.
The flight ban, is part of a much wider dispute, as has been well documented elsewhere on FT and the general media.
The ban is costing QR substantially, and so it is only good business sense to add a 72 hour policy - or a refund. Incidentally, for those who have refunded, you ought to receive the refund within 7 working days, although there is a small backlog at present so it may take an extra couple of days.
The situation is a fluid one, and discussions and negotiations at the top of the State of Qatar, are ongoing. Until then, I would encourage those who have flights well in the future, to sit tight.
For those flying in July, look at other options and propose them when you speak to QR 72 hours before. Don't call up and expect them to have thousands of options - do your own homework and save yourself the time.
I have a number of flights with QR booked for July, and have noted alternative routings which would benefit me - and, in turn, cost QR less than otherwise, as they are on QR metal opposed to another airline.
I accept the argument of 'it's QRs fault and they should make me happy', but don't complain when they offer you a poor alternative. Do the work yourself, don't winge about it, and realise that this is not something QR have brought upon themselves!
M