The QR STPC (stopover) policy?
 

I booked a flight on QR to IAD earlier this week CAI -IAD via Doha

both outbound and inbound have layover of around 14 hours each. Also they both arrive in Doha around 6pm (give or take) and connecting flights leave Doha 8am and 9am respectively.

QR is only offering hotel on the way back, claiming that because they offered hotel on the way back they wont provide it on the way out!

They also claim because there is an earlier connection on the way out than what I have selected they can only offer hotel on one journey. Note that this earlier flight still has a layover of 10hours instead of 14.

Im booked in J with wife & child, so If I have to, Ill book a hotel on my expense. Either way, is this really the policy, or are they trying to save themselves a hotel night?

Having dealt with the STPC issues over the last handfull of years with QR, the policy to be summed up by these three main points:

- Incoherent.
- Confusing.
- Highly dependent on the whim of who you talk to, no matter what your ticket's fare basis says.

-A

The policy as I understand it is based on the following points:

i) all passengers with a layover of 8:01-23:59 in either or both directions are eligible for either free STPC or paid STPC

ii) all passengers with a layover of 8:01-23:59 in either or both directions and who are not eligible for free STPC are eligible for paid STPC, which is charged at a supplement to the fare - it is not very much, just USD 100 or so per passenger each way but of course it does mean that those watching the pennies or travelling in large groups might just prefer to stay in the airport

iii) STPC is not really about the hotel, it's most important function is to provide a visa to people who do not hold a passport eligible for visa on arrival.

On some routes free STPC is never allowed, however these passengers can pay a supplement for paid STPC.

Furthermore, if there are a certain number of flights per week in the schedule offering connections with less than eight hours QR deems that a reasonable alternative exists and do not allow free STPC. This is the case even if the alternative flights with shorter connection times are more expensive or sold out at the time of purchase. Passengers on these routes can of course pay the supplement.

Hope that helps! :)

Glad to say, that after not getting much success with emails flying back and forth, one phone call , sorted out the issue.

I now have hotel stay booked on both outbound and inbound legs.

+1 for QR and go, go, go,....

Where did you call ?

Normally if you have earlier flight and you did not choose it because of price they are not forced to give you accomodation .

Because of a cancelled flight by qatar without notifying me i have to stay 14 hours in Doha and they refuse me stpc, transit visa, accommodation , meals, anything and i have no earlier flight.

Very confusing policy they have.

Do you have UAE passport?

I have UAE residency not passport, so I can get visa on arrival at Doha.

I called their Cairo office as that is where my ticket got issued from although I bought it online. Guess cause Im starting my Journey from CAI.

I suggest you call them by phone, you need to be very cool and pleasant. avoid sounding angry as that does not help.

Note that Im traveling in J so that makes it somewhat easier to get thm to say yes. Also there was an earlier flight, but even the earlier flight was with a 9 hour STPC, therefore they said yes cuz they would have had to offer me hotel either way.

First thing was to call them and be nice and understandable. They said No. I asked Why?? they said not possible. After that for about 4-5 e-mails i couldn`t thank them enough :) still NO . Then i told them about my rights and forwarded me to Customer Care :)

Hi,

If booking class of H, am I entitled to STPC?

As i understand Alex in prev post, booking class H, as it is the class directly above the promo clases V and W, should be entiteled to paid STPC.

According to information I received from QR customer service a while back, the booking codes NOT available for STPC are X, I, V and W.

As an exception to this purported rule I recently received a STPC being booked into I (an extremely cheap Promotional Business Class Fare). Received a written confirmation within minutes from Call Centre by e-mail.

Booking class I is eligible for STPC if all other criteria are met.

I hope you are right. Will try.

I got STPC twice with I as my booking class.