DYKWIA

Tumbleweed...

lax.sea.jnu

What are the odds that SFO and SEA will come back at the end of March as scheduled? I wonder if the new QR service to both cities will have any impact.

IntrepidAfrican2

DOH may be back on the EK list this year, following reports that KSA is reopening borders with Qatar. Other GCC countries and Egypt are expected to follow suit.

The end of dodgy routings through MUS and KWI from DXB is nigh.

DYKWIA

That's good news! I like the QR product - and it tends to be cheaper than a direct flight to DXB on EK.

IntrepidAfrican2

Yes, it does. Only letdown is DOH as a hub.

redeternet7

Never transited or visited DOH before, can you explain what makes it a let down?

IntrepidAfrican2

A letdown compared to DXB, I probably should have said. I’ll take it over LHR or JFK any
day. The new terminal that QR uses is shiny and new, so that’s in the positive column.

Many staff, though, don’t know what they’re doing and are borderline rude. Especially the locals at immigration. Ive been sent to wrong gates on numerous occasions, simply because someone can’t be bothered to update the board. Signage is chaotic. Duty free is expensive, and if you don’t have status or access to the lounge, so are food and beverages. WiFi is shockingly bad, even in the lounges. The queues are long, and can grind to a standstill for no obvious reason.

DXB handles more passengers, but is more predictable and mature (not without its problems, but you know what you’re getting yourself into with a morning departure).

DYKWIA

Sometimes, DOH can be a pleasure. I'm 4 from 4 for not having to re-clear security on a connection. Just off the plane and straight into the departures area and the lounge.

However, if you get sent to re-clear security, it can be a nightmare from what I've heard.

I wonder if the QR lounge in T1 at DXB is "mothballed" or completely gone?

ElJudioErrante

T1 is mothballed! However before it closed, I didn't see any QR lounge for a long time so I think it was closed, and possible "covered up" by hoardings. . It is/was illegal to wear Barcelona football t shirt in UAE as Qatar Airways is blazoned on it. And Al Jazerra is/was blocked from Internet in UAE so Qatar and co were taken from view.

NickRivas

Hopefully QR gets flights to Dubai soon and EK to Doha...as someone who earns more Oneworld miles, I'd be happy to redeem them on Qatar when going to Dubai...I personally think EK has the nicest F product and will fly them for that, but when it comes to J which I fly more often...I much prefer QR

Duck1981

a) flights from Doha to DXB so I can fly LHR to DXB w/ QR and I can avoid BA
b) any news when EK will cut the LHR rotation in the light of recent developments? Guess 4x 380 seems to be an expensive way to fly hot air (once all the Brits are back from their Xmas holiday)

D

ElJudioErrante

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The A380 also takes cargo.
And just because pax traffic arriving LHR is light, doesn't necessarily mean that departing pax traffic is too... and vv

IntrepidAfrican2

I think the 77W is far more efficient for cargo. And unless ex-LHR pax are willing to pay hefty premiums to cover the cost of heavy losses in the inbound leg, it’s more cost effective to have oversold outbound and partially full inbound flights on smaller aircraft, and park the larger aircraft.

There’s only a tiny number of EK 388s flying. When it stops making sense for them, they’ll stop.

Duck1981

Absolutely correct - but I believe the 777W is literally a freighter which also takes pax vs. the 380 who's supposedly rather lousy on carrying cargo (I think caused by the fact that the ceiling in cargo hold is quite low). On the other hand I've heard the 777 fleet is almost maxed out so if they re-route them to LHR it would be at the cost of other destinations.

ffman999

Yes the 777 is much better for freight than the 380. I have also heard the 777 is pretty maxed out in terms of both utilization and especially pilot schedule.