Flying Squirrel

I'm a BA Silver member for 7+ years living in Doha. QR’s route network is great for me, I’ve flown with QR well over 50 times and generally very satisfied.

I credit points to my BAEC account but regularly don’t get OW privileges.

I’ve been turned away from lounges and sent back and forth between different lounges in Doha.

Refused priority boarding multiple times in London and Doha. (always very embarrassing)

Refused to use priority check in. Refused to put priority bag tag.

Not got my choice of meal (where I understood Oneworld Sapphire are supposed to be asked first?)

I’ve even been bumped off to a later flight!

After a discussion once about not being allowed priority boarding it was clear that the QR don’t recognise the OW status. They claimed BA Silver was same as QR Silver

These issue are most common in Doha, the only problem I’ve ever had outside Doha was London (where they’re also QR staff) It actually seems that handling agents understand OW properly but the QR staff do not!

I appreciate that I am a regular passenger but it’s the consistency of the issue that makes it most noticeable. I notice it every other trip with QR.

I don't like to argue or make a scene, but I do enjoy the little privileges especially to save time when travelling.

Has anyone else experience the same with Qatar airways?

(Yes I do submit BA number at check-in and it’s on my ticket)

rossmacd

QR have recognised my BA Gold (OWE) status consistently recently. No issues to report (although I have not clocked up 50 QR sectors as you have).

sebanto2001

I flew with them last winter in Y and I was still BA Silver at that time,
status recognized on all 4 legs of my itinerary with blocked seats, first choice of meals, priority boarding, lounge access and adressed by name by the crew.

tmac100

I fly QR a lot on a round trip (some week ends) DOH-DXB.

I always get my Avios applied as well as my 10TPs per leg. I always have 1st Class (yellow) and Priority (orange) flags put on my baggage. Lounge access all the time in DOH and in DXB.

Never an issue. Did this RT this past Thursday and Sunday. I will get the same benefits next week end (June 30th). QR treats me well and I fly with them if they don't raise their RT fees above 650 QAR - otherwise it is with FlyDubai and less than 500 QAR.

Carry your BAEC SilVER card with you. The Sapphire color code will settle everything. The following is a summary of benefits wrt OW and QR.

http://www.qatarairways.com/Privileg..._alliance.page

Wozza2404

Never flown QR as a Silver, but as Gold/GGL the status recognition tends to be uncomfortably persistent. Certainly far in excess of anything I get on BA.

mattyw

I've flown QR in Y/J and am pretty sure I received the full shebang as OWE and a slightly cut down version as OWS.

I suspect the OP's experience is more cock-up than conspiracy.

flatlander

Perhaps if you are (perceived as) the upper crust then life is a polished bed of roses but if you are mid-status then you are ignored as hoi polloi ? As compared with BA where there are several tiers of status with commensurate graduations of good treatment or facilities.

msm2000uk

I've flown circa 70 sectors on QR over the past 9 months, and have always been recognised. Admittedly I'm usually in F, but I've been acknowledged in J, and even Y once too.

Furthermore, in the Galley, there is a sheet of passenger names and their seat position. On said sheet, the crew usually write the relevant OW status (and the QRPC status), so it's odd that you haven't been recognised.

In terms of being recognised at HIA, the QR Lounges (Al Safwa and Al Mourjan) are solely for Premium class (F/J) passengers, so OneWorld Status counts for nothing - as detailed on the QR Forum.

M

Prospero

I've moved this thread over to the Qatar Airways forum so that the discussion can be opened up to QR regulars.

Prospero
Moderator: BA forum

SullyofDoha

Strange because as msm2000uk notes, the passenger list the cabin crew gets should have your OW status.
Just out of curiosity, if you flew the QR flights as a QR Privilege Club member would you not possibly be Gold by now? If you are flying QR on a cheap ticket, is it possible that you would not be attributed points/miles with BA?

remdk

Flying Squirrel whilst I fully understand your frustration I feel that I must point out that Sapphires are not asked first, they are asked before non-status passengers. There is a big difference. Also I should point out that Al Safwa and Al Mourjan are strictly for QR first and Business Class passengers and are not available to OW status passengers. See https://www.oneworld.com/ffp/lounge-access.

remdk

It is interesting to note that OP spoke almost specifically about travel starting from DOH and most responses have referred to transiting DOH. It appears that DOH may be the cause of these problems.

sharp5flat9

A little bit late ? Maybe it doesn't work through the systems at such relatively short notice.

As a predominantly Y flyer, I find BAEC status recognition pretty consistent, two-tier lounge situation at DOH notwithstanding. I particularly value A380 upper-deck access and (usually) next seat blocking.

I have my gripes with QR (don't we all ? ) but this isn't one of them.

tmac100

I fly out of DOH often and have always had access to the lounges: all Business class lounges (Al M when we all had access to it - now only open to QR Business class), the HIA Business class lounge, and the Oryx. Last Thursday the HIA Business class lounge was closed and I was invited into the HIA First class lounge - along with others even though many of us were flying QR in Economy.

keitherson

BA Gold? That's like AA Gold, oneworld ruby, right?