SFU? NFW!

By way of an update, even the cupboard at MAN has now been done away with.

Instead, premium passengers now receive a £12.50 voucher valid at either Frankie & Benny's or Spinning Jenny (not even Caffé Nero). You have to order in one go (no change / credit), and it doesn't go very far either at airport prices...

Even though QR is handled by Swissport, there's no access to their lounge (perhaps due to size?). Overall, not a very premium experience. I guess this will remain the case until the Escape Lounge reopens in April.

lost_in_translation

As great as they are usually in the air, QR just don't seem to 'get' service on the ground outside DOH, do they? Last time I flew QR from OSL there was a four hour plus delay due to a late incoming plane. As a J passenger, I received a 150 NOK voucher (about £12) to spend in the terminal, which as anyone who's spent any time in OSL recently will testify just about buys you a sandwich!

giommm

Hi,

I booked a trip from Penang to Paris with the first leg from Penang to Singapore marked as business class. When I booked online, the Penang to Singapore flight was shown as business class in both the travel itinerary and in the confirmation email. I decided to go back through Singapore instead of Kuala Lumpur because of this.

However, when I arrived in Penang, I was informed that the flight did not in fact have any business class seats. I've contact Qatar Airways but all their response has been was that it was a bug in their system and that they will fix it in the future.

I've answered their email back, telling them that while I booked in good faith, I did not get the service I booked far and that just telling me it was a bug does not absolve their responsibility. So, far no response.

I feel cheated since I chose this specific return flight because of the business trip, I paid a different higher price because of this.

What legal actions can I consider using? I bought this ticket in France so I should be covered by the EU laws.

QatarA340

Qatar Airways does not fly from Penang to Singapore.

You can still fly the route through an airline partner that does fly that route: Air Asia, Jetstar Asia, Silkair, and Tigerair. All of them are Low Cost Carriers (with no Business Class), except Silkair.

Which airline did you fly?

msm2000uk

The late arrival of the aircraft is unfortunate.

If you were delayed by 4 hours, why not claim EC261?

The QR belief, is that the 'Experience' begins once you board the aircraft - not before. While I don't agree with their belief, until they see passenger numbers drop, they are unlikely to change.

lost_in_translation

Well, it's not just QR, the other ME3 and various other European airlines have the same attitude it seems.

I was connecting onwards to HKG and after being rerouted via BKK the eventual delay in final arrival time was 'only' 3 and a bit hours, which under my understanding of the regulations means I'm not entitled to compensation given the length of the itinerary (unless the rerouting affects things somehow).

msm2000uk

I would disagree in terms of the Experience - purely based on the reports from other FTers.

EK, for example, collect J and F passengers from home in an Executive Car. They then take care of their Check-In, and lead them to the lounge (via Security). EK lounges, at outstations, tend to be better than the relative lounge offerings of QR.

EK have admitted their Experience, begins when you leave home - opposed to QR for whom it begins at the aircraft door.

lost_in_translation

I've heard some complaints about EK, but likewise my knowledge of them is from what I've heard from others so can't judge too harshly.

giommm

It was through Jetstar but that doesn't change the fact that I bought the ticket on Qatar Airways website which indicated that it would be a business flight.

I actually hadn't flown Jetstar before so had no idea that it was a low cost carrier.

msm2000uk

Hi giommm,

Welcome to Flyertalk, and specifically the QR Forum.

I can understand your frustration towards QR, and appreciate the website may have misled you.

As has been pointed out, QR do not fly between Penang and Singapore, and hence you were booked onto Jetstar through their Codeshare Agreement (presumably).

You mention that you paid a higher price for the fare, because it was in J. However, the higher price was likely reflected due to the QR operated sector of the ticket. Was there a specific option to book the Penang-Singapore legs into Economy? If so, what was the price difference?

M

giommm

Hi,

Well I understand that it's not operated by QR and that it's a codeshare. It doesn't change the fact though that they sold that ticket. It would be different if I bought the ticket through a travel agent, in that case I'd turn myself against the travel agent.

As an analogy, it's like if I bought some item on a website like Amazon and the item didn't match the specifications on the website. It's not Amazon that manufactured the item but as a seller it's their responsibility that what they sell matches what they show on the website and on their email confirmation.

When flying from Penang to Paris, I can either fly through Kuala Lumpur or through Singapore. Since I saw that the flight from Penang to Singapore was business class I decided to fly back through Singapore.

I don't remember the exact fare difference when I decided to go through Singapore instead but it was around 80 euros for both of us. It's not so much for the amount, it's the principle. QR made a clear mistake selling something that didn't exist and when I first talked to the customer service when I arrived in Singapore they didn't really take responsibility for it. At the end, the only answer I got from them is a non apology telling me that they had a bug that misidentified the class of service in that sector and that they will fix it in the future.

FlyerTalker37

Hi giommm,

Did you sent them screen shot of what you booked, on your itinery, the website shows the segment SIN-PEN in eco when you book the trip in Buisness, if this is a glitch and you have proof that you booked knowing the segment was in business you may try to ask for miles compensation if your are a PC member. But sadly I don't think there is much more you can expect/do.

MeltingAlf

IIRC Amazon doesn't need to take responsibility unless they have some Amazon guarantee thing that doesn't apply for all retailers.

Similarly, your fare was sold as Business on the entirety - your failure to ensure that PEN-SIN was not on Qatar was not Qatar's fault entirely. BA sells Business UK on UK domestic sectors on dom-intl tickets, yet they serve you economy class service and seats on them. Does that make it cheating? - no, because that is the service.

If you were thinking spending 80 more Euros is cognizant in getting your Biz seat - get this right - it isn't. That extra 80 probably was only to pay your Air Passenger Duty and other ancillary costs that flying into/out of SIN entails versus, say, KUL.

giommm

Amazon takes responsibility for items that are sold directly by them. In that case, Qatar Airways sold the flight on their website and indicated on their website and on the emails. They sold me the flight and they misrepresented the class of the flight.

The simple fact there is I booked on http://qatarairways.com/ a flight. Both on the website and on the confirmation emails they clearly wrote that the class would be business class. Once I arrived, it wasn't the case. As I said, I don't care that much about the extra money I paid. What I care about is that if I, as a customer, go and buy something, I expect to receive what I have bought.

giommm

Thanks, I didn't take a screenshot at the time of the booking, but the email confirmation and the email I received when I selected my seats all show the PEN-SIN segment as Business.