Upgrade Redemptions

Old Dec 28, 2011, 10:54 pm
  #1  
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Upgrade Redemptions

Wondering how does it normally work for QR.

I tried to redeem Y - J Upg for SIN - DOH, and was rejected as there was no award availability.

Checked EF, and for revenue its all 7s. Awards don't seem to be listed on EF for QR.

Anyhow, I replied asking if there will be more coming up towards the departure date (3 weeks away). And still waiting a reply after 2 days.

Can anyone shed some light on how this system generally works with QR?

Thanks
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 8:05 am
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I can shed some light in the upgrade redemption process of QR having just redeemed an upgrade from C to F lately. Just before QR's redemption process is one of the worst systems i have ever seen. 5 stars in the air max. 3 star on the ground with regard to their Privilege Club.

I also tried to do things via the online process which is nothing else than a request as it does not show any realtime award availability. I tried for two months every week and respnse time normally is within 48 hours. Finally I got award confirmation 2 days before my flight and the got requested to go to the QR airline office to reissue the ticket - this was a first for me - this is so cumbersome, fortunately i live in Singapore near the QR airline office as it is in paragon - but beware the office is only open from Mo - Fr from 9 to 5 and there is no office at the airport. REason for issuance of the ticket is that taxes can changes - unbelievable in my case no change... i asked if they can process any charges over the phone? in Singapore not possible. Doha has the possibility to handle this.

Then i wanted to get another upgrade for my return flight - and there the problems started, there were not able to answer anything within 48 hours depsite sending various reminders - when i send a pretty nasty letter to customer service there response was oh it takes 72 hours to answer such requests which is nowhere written on the website and they invite you to process an online upgrade request until up to 48 hours before the flight.. really what unbelievable bull....... On top of that they have no Gold dedicated phone line such every decent airline for their status customers. In the end they are clearly overmatched on the ground - they growth in the air is not matched by any growth in admin support on the ground...

So my advice and my learning:

1) Always call Doha office of Privilege club try to call every two days, normally upgrades clear quite shortly
2) Doha office is also able to to let you make phone payments via CC
3) Keep in mind that you need to call often, as there is no such list like a waiting list for upgrades with QR

This is an unbelievable bad process... not worhty for such an airline which is so good in the air.
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 1:57 pm
  #3  
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Hey man,
Appreciate the reply.

Your post just reminded me of all the .... I went through with previous flights with QR. I generally enjoy the experience so long as I don't have to deal with ground staff. And it's just ridiculous that they can't accept payment over the phone in SIN.

I seriously don't know why I was interested in achieving gold with QR.

Anyhow, going down to Paragon just to pay is such a hassle. In your case, there was no difference in taxes, so why did they still make you go down?? They should have verified over the phone before making you come down!


When I call EK, I dont even get routed to the Gold desk automatically, but all my calls get answered immediately. And I can call a SIN number 24/7 (gets routed somewhere in India)

I once called QR USA hotline, and waited on the line for almost 2 hours before someone answered my call.

If this upgrade thing goes tits up, I'm just going to fly the minimum to maintain gold. Or maybe just silver.

I'm hoping I'll have more of a chance to get my upgrade through, since there are much more C seats than F.

Will update on how it goes.
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 2:02 pm
  #4  
 
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Originally Posted by ThWilmesi
I can shed some light in the upgrade redemption process of QR having just redeemed an upgrade from C to F lately. Just before QR's redemption process is one of the worst systems i have ever seen. 5 stars in the air max. 3 star on the ground with regard to their Privilege Club.
Exactly why I have left them - Gold isn't giving you any decent privileges and the miles are mostly useless since redemption availability is very rare. Ground staff quality is appalling.
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Old Dec 29, 2011, 7:48 pm
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Originally Posted by The Wolf
Exactly why I have left them - Gold isn't giving you any decent privileges and the miles are mostly useless since redemption availability is very rare. Ground staff quality is appalling.
Well i also had a couple of flights with QR - and i also managed to make Gold, it goes the same for me - i fail to see the real advantages of QR Gold i am anyhow only flying business - so Lounge access not needed, the rest which is described there, not really interesting... dedicated phone line missing, improved award availability not really, yesterday i had an interesting experience with LH M&M, i was booking a reward for my wife and online it showed only availability for Economy class, called Senator Hotline - they immediately initiated the Senator Waitlist and it got confirmed on the spot, this is what i call an interesting feature.

Qatar is clearly overmatched by their expansion, they cannot keep pace in particular on the ground services. On the way back from FRA I talked to the station manager about my failed upgrade experience and he promised me to upgrade me if the flight would be overbooked ... i would be the first on the list.. well all business class were occupied... he told me afterwards there was just one more needed to upgrade me, he just couldn't do it with this situation - F-Class was not 1 passenger... well I have to say i appreciated his effort - but with LH even in such a situation i would have been upgraded pretty sure.

It is a pitty - QR has such a fantastic onboard service and program.... but the rest oh boy...
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 1:30 am
  #6  
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Wow no op up on a full J, that's really unfortunate

I just tried calling the Sin line to see if I could get my upg redemption and check the taxes, waited 10 mins on the line only to hear an announcement "the agent is unable to take your call, please try again later, Good Bye"

W T F

How they get voted best airline is beyond me.
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 2:07 am
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Originally Posted by lsed
Wow no op up on a full J, that's really unfortunate

I just tried calling the Sin line to see if I could get my upg redemption and check the taxes, waited 10 mins on the line only to hear an announcement "the agent is unable to take your call, please try again later, Good Bye"

W T F

How they get voted best airline is beyond me.

Easy - because people look mostly only at the onboard product, this is where they shine... of course also the premium terminal in Doha is a nice concept, but outside of Doha it is really difficult.. think of Germany their only airport office is in Berlin none in Frankfurt - so how do you get an ticket reissued if you fly from Frankfurt.... i still think your best bet is to call Doha directly...
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 2:58 am
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Ok thanks for the advice.

How long do you normally have to wait on the line while calling Doha?
Calling Doha is not cheap, about a dollar a min on Skype.

Just tried sin line again and same message after 10 mins. Really frustrating. Can't believe they take up a location in Paragon but only operate till 5 pm. And not even on Saturdays.

Got an EK F flight booked 3 months out. My policy with QR is now to spend as little with them as possible, unless their fare is outright cheaper by a big margin. It's just ridiculous how they make us jump through hoops to get an award upgrade.
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 3:44 am
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I have been rejected three times in relation to an upgrade award, but I won't stop trying. I will continue trying, because I want to make sure this issue stays at the top of Qatar’s redemption policy. Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar al-Baker has already stated that, "Like other airlines we also have set a limit on the number of redemption seats in each flight. The demand for redemption tickets is increasing. We cannot fully cater to their demand with the existing capability." Qatar Airways recently made changes to their frequent flyer program including raising the mileage necessary to redeem upgrades. "When I have only eight seats in first class, how can I give away six seats to frequent flyers? What do I sell if I give away six of the total eight seats to frequent flyers?" al Baker asked. He continued on to say that the FFP is very important to the airline and that the changes were borne out of necessity. "As we grow in fleet strength we will be able to accommodate more frequent flyers in each of our flights. But the existing restrictions will have to continue until then."

So basically from what Mr. Akbar al-Baker comments when Qatar Airways starts to receive some of its 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 Family of aircraft, in the next twenty four months, the upgrade redemption in theory should go up. Of course this will not happen. However has in the past us Flyertalk members can put a lot of uncomfortable pressure on Qatar by saying us FFP have been patient for a long time now, but now you need to start practicing what you preach.

I initially think Qatar will need to think about, at the very least, introducing a Premium Class tier membership card that will give their most loyal FFP members the ability to redeem an upgrade award. After all if you always flying business class what is the worth of a gold card anyway? I think they are going to have to tinker with their Privilege Club scheme a lot more over the next 24 months has the fleet grows, but in reality just like their ground staff they will need to incorporate a more modernistic approach otherwise it will fail like other FFP programs.

So in a nutshell keep plugging away, because flyertalk does seem to be making a real difference to the way Qatar operates their Privilege Club program.
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 8:13 am
  #10  
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Originally Posted by lightyear40
I have been rejected three times in relation to an upgrade award, but I won't stop trying. I will continue trying, because I want to make sure this issue stays at the top of Qatars redemption policy. Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar al-Baker has already stated that, "Like other airlines we also have set a limit on the number of redemption seats in each flight. The demand for redemption tickets is increasing. We cannot fully cater to their demand with the existing capability." Qatar Airways recently made changes to their frequent flyer program including raising the mileage necessary to redeem upgrades. "When I have only eight seats in first class, how can I give away six seats to frequent flyers? What do I sell if I give away six of the total eight seats to frequent flyers?" al Baker asked. He continued on to say that the FFP is very important to the airline and that the changes were borne out of necessity. "As we grow in fleet strength we will be able to accommodate more frequent flyers in each of our flights. But the existing restrictions will have to continue until then."

So basically from what Mr. Akbar al-Baker comments when Qatar Airways starts to receive some of its 250 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 Family of aircraft, in the next twenty four months, the upgrade redemption in theory should go up. Of course this will not happen. However has in the past us Flyertalk members can put a lot of uncomfortable pressure on Qatar by saying us FFP have been patient for a long time now, but now you need to start practicing what you preach.

I initially think Qatar will need to think about, at the very least, introducing a Premium Class tier membership card that will give their most loyal FFP members the ability to redeem an upgrade award. After all if you always flying business class what is the worth of a gold card anyway? I think they are going to have to tinker with their Privilege Club scheme a lot more over the next 24 months has the fleet grows, but in reality just like their ground staff they will need to incorporate a more modernistic approach otherwise it will fail like other FFP programs.

So in a nutshell keep plugging away, because flyertalk does seem to be making a real difference to the way Qatar operates their Privilege Club program.

Sure I will keep trying but each failed attempt will just make me want me to fly with them more in the future.

I think there are 2 issues here that need attention. Basically the FFP, and ground operations.

Before we even talk about tweaking the FFP, I find it appalling that it is so difficult just to simply to contact a customer service representative.
Requests by email are also not responded to quickly enough.

How is that even acceptable for a No 1 airline?


Anyhow EF is showing:
C6 J2 D1 Z0

If no more C / J seats are sold during the next 20 days before my flight, how likely is my chance for an award upgrade?
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 10:16 am
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[QUOTE=lsed;17715469]Sure I will keep trying but each failed attempt will just make me want me to fly with them more in the future.

I think there are 2 issues here that need attention. Basically the FFP, and ground operations.

Before we even talk about tweaking the FFP, I find it appalling that it is so difficult just to simply to contact a customer service representative.
Requests by email are also not responded to quickly enough.

How is that even acceptable for a No 1 airline?


Anyhow EF is showing:
C6 J2 D1 Z0

Originally Posted by lsed
If no more C / J seats are sold during the next 20 days before my flight, how likely is my chance for an award upgrade?
I would request an upgrade four/three days before what ever happens in relation to those seats, because your success rate will be much higher than a request date of 5 days or more.

I agree with you on the other issues about their ground staff, all we can do is keep knocking on their door via flyertalk and hope they take notice of our comments in the foreseeable future.

Good luck with the upgrade and never give up because it ain't over till (or until) the fat lady sings which essentially means that one should not assume the outcome of some activity (upgrade award) until the bird has actually flown from its nest.
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 11:46 am
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Ground staff in OSL is realy good, inflight is 95% excellent, but the rest... The worst for our part is that trying to get any support, help or service by phone or web is a total waste of time. For my company/employer a trustworthy customer support-system is crucial.

And for us QR now is FAR below what we can accept. So just in december only, we have gone LH with 100+ bookings SEA and FA. Business lost for QR, but unthil we see real changes LH will continue getting our business.

As simple as that.

And what we read here at FT is realy taken as serious info when we decide where we put our business. Price and inflight are of course of importance, but as for now this is not enough.

But if QR do far better in the near future, we will be back.

Last edited by RUN4FUN; Dec 30, 2011 at 11:53 am
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Old Dec 30, 2011, 10:47 pm
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Originally Posted by lsed
Sure I will keep trying but each failed attempt will just make me want me to fly with them more in the future.

I think there are 2 issues here that need attention. Basically the FFP, and ground operations.

Before we even talk about tweaking the FFP, I find it appalling that it is so difficult just to simply to contact a customer service representative.
Requests by email are also not responded to quickly enough.

How is that even acceptable for a No 1 airline?


Anyhow EF is showing:
C6 J2 D1 Z0

If no more C / J seats are sold during the next 20 days before my flight, how likely is my chance for an award upgrade?

I made the experience with the upgrade with F Class from DOH-FRA it went through 48 hours before despite the fact there were no sold seats until that time, meaning i tried to get the upgrade for more than two months in advance. So I would guess if 48 hours before they are still 6 seats to be sold you may have a good chance to get an upgrade - it is better to a mileage upgrade than an operational upgrade - at least it allows the airline to decrease their mileage obligation for which they have to accruals in accounting.

My impression is that with QR you only will get the upgrade approx, 48 hours before which is ridiculous. They actually could install a program like it exists in the US with UA for their domestic flights tha upgrades clear a certain time before automatically based on status and availability within their rules. This would be a nice enhancement.

With your general statement i totally agree - i was lucky that i live 5 minutes away from Paragon in Singapore and also they open up at 9 am so i am a bit flexible with my working hours so i could go there. But I will one more time write a long email to customer service of privilege club to address all my concerns and really start putting more pressure - i know that i will get again a non-descriptive utterly stupid answer like the last times - but it will be read somewhere else i am sure. We have to keep bombarding.

I am responsible for a little bigger travel budget and i can decide within certain limits what myself and my people fly... I am currently weighing a New York flight - in March where i can fly SQ/NH/ or QR and i am not finally decided. We shall see.

But the poster here is correct first you have to correct your ground service - meaning a competent customer service 24/7 available ( at least through routing through different time zones, like other airlines do) then competent airline offices with decent opening times and competent personnel - at least here in Singapore they should be open every day right? they also have daily flights or? how stupid can you be. Or for heaven's sake install a ticketing facility on Changi Airport - oh i forgot this is contracted personnel. But I can tell you QR is not the only one who faults on this, i have had my issues with SQ - once i wanted to upgrade on the spot from FRA to SIN from C--> F and pay for the upgrade around 3000 SGD and i could not - the station manager would have loved selling me a ticket - but not possible, only the downtown office can do this and you have to do this 48 hours in advance in order that the correct fare can be calculated... well if you can allow yourself to fly empty suit yourself!!!!!

But back to QR i can only point to the situation in germany - the airline office of QR is in Berlin, no credit card facility selling over the phone....but on top their main base in Germany is in FRA and no airline office or ticketing facility is in FRA you must be kidding me, how stupid can you be. You cannot expect the people to call 24 hours to Doha, which is not good in matter of time differences as well as another poster has pointed out calling to Doha as it is in general to the middle east is bloody expensive... but then QR is too cheap to install a toll-free number at least not for their top status customers. And the least goes on and on... and the Gold status way to easy to achieve - and this dilutes the benefits ( the few which exist - The gold status is good for people who fly economy, but what does it do for business customers? not much right? and i could rumble on and on......
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Old Jan 1, 2012, 1:33 pm
  #14  
 
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Originally Posted by ThWilmesi
Well i also had a couple of flights with QR - and i also managed to make Gold, it goes the same for me - i fail to see the real advantages of QR Gold i am anyhow only flying business - so Lounge access not needed, the rest which is described there, not really interesting... dedicated phone line missing, improved award availability not really, yesterday i had an interesting experience with LH M&M, i was booking a reward for my wife and online it showed only availability for Economy class, called Senator Hotline - they immediately initiated the Senator Waitlist and it got confirmed on the spot, this is what i call an interesting feature.

Qatar is clearly overmatched by their expansion, they cannot keep pace in particular on the ground services. On the way back from FRA I talked to the station manager about my failed upgrade experience and he promised me to upgrade me if the flight would be overbooked ... i would be the first on the list.. well all business class were occupied... he told me afterwards there was just one more needed to upgrade me, he just couldn't do it with this situation - F-Class was not 1 passenger... well I have to say i appreciated his effort - but with LH even in such a situation i would have been upgraded pretty sure.

It is a pitty - QR has such a fantastic onboard service and program.... but the rest oh boy...
The only advantage I ever felt I had as a Gold was free Al-Maha Service in DOH on a stopover. Basically you get to slurp a Nespresso while two Asian girls take care of yr visa, and you get to be escorted between lines of "cattle". On the downside the idiot in CDG (on F counter, mind you) booked our luggage all the way to BOM, took us 2hr in the arrival terminal to get to it.
For a flight to MLE for me and my wife I wanted to upgrade from C to F, but it was a completely useless effort. Basically FRA office said DOH needed to do it, whilst DOH was saying the opposite. Both stubborn as hell. In the end F class had 4 empty seats.
For the bustransfer they put up a sign some yrs ago but previously I was also forced to be a staff member by informing people on a C transfer NOT to exit the bus as it would continue to the premium terminal. No information was given from anyone at that time.

They have grown too fast and too big for their capabilities.

Sorry for OT!
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Old Jan 6, 2012, 8:09 am
  #15  
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Originally Posted by lsed
Sure I will keep trying but each failed attempt will just make me want me to fly with them more in the future.
Opps too much alcohol when I typed that. Should be each failed attempt will just make me fly other airlines more in the future.

Originally Posted by lsed
Anyhow EF is showing:
C6 J2 D1 Z0

And checked yesterday and EF showed 0s for all categories.
But on QR.com there were 3 tickets left in total.

I'm guessing my chances are pretty slim now.

So my other option right now is to upgrade DOH - FCO. But I currently do not have enough miles, though I will when I fly the SIN - DOH and touch down in DOH. Will I be able to upgrade at DOH? I have an 8 hour transit and using the PT will be nice.

If it's possible, who would I look for in DOH?
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