Mar 8, 2017, 3:40 am

FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides

Last edit by: N1Rotate

Qatar have confirmed the presence of a policy whereby if a customer booked a QSuites flight and subsequently gets an aircraft type swap can you request travel on an alternative flight, subject to availability, see post #2709 Previously this included change of routing, now it only includes changing the date on the same routing. QR issued tickets only!

The Q Suite Master Thread

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Mar 27, 2019, 4:18 pm

#2116

ChocolateFactory

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: DXB

Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond

Posts: 2,811

Yes, absolutely mention the QSuites. There’s no way they’ll rebook you for free otherwise.
Good luck and please report back how it goes!
Btw, the first time I tried they told me they’d need availability in the same booking class to rebook me. That agent was misinformed. Just think about it, of course R space is long gone by the time you need to rebook. Rebooking into another booking class due to loss of QSuites should be no problem at all.

fender5787 likes this.

Mar 28, 2019, 5:08 am

#2117

FRoetzer

Join Date: Feb 2018

Programs: BA Silver

Posts: 39

depends on how fast the retrofit them, good luck looks like I be flying to Auckland non Qsuite :-)

Mar 28, 2019, 8:34 pm

#2118

callmedtop

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: BOS

Programs: AA EXP, DL PM, Hyatt Diamond

Posts: 2,028

Lost QSuites on DOH-SIN QR942 on 17 May - disappointed!

Mar 29, 2019, 1:57 am

#2119

dimitriyremerov

Join Date: Dec 2011

Posts: 210

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChocolateFactory

You don’t have to “think of a reason” - QR have done that themselves. ;-)

Their policy is as simple as it’s generous: You lose QSuites, you can rebook for free, no matter the booking class.
You can change both the date and the departure/arrival airport (within 500 miles).
For us this meant being able to change our I-class inbound flight from SIN-OSL to KUL-ARN one day later, where there only was D class availability. And we didn’t even get QSuites back that way, but we chose convenience over having to position back to SIN.
Had we booked that flight outright, it probably would have cost us several thousand dollars more.
But you can only rebook once, so make up your mind well.

Maybe it has something to do with the fact it was an award booking.
I did say all that (booking QSuites was the sole purpose of going on this trip, etc.) First they said they were going to look how much extra I would need to pay, then they simply said that there are no more award seats available on this flight and they can't help. I then tried twitter and got this:

Quote:

Redemption seats are limited and capacity controlled hence, there are limitations on the number of seats available for redemption on any given flight. Certain days/periods may have no award seat availability; this is a global industry practice and is a function of flight forecast.

when I explained about the QSuites and importance of this again, and whether they can open up 2 seats for award availability to make a booking, they simply stopped replying. After 12 hours I reminded them on whether I will receive an answer and they replied

Quote:

We understand and are sorry that the aircraft changed. We regret that we cannot make an exception for this.

When I asked on the phone whether they ever rebook anyone due to aircraft change and lost QSuites, they said they never do that and they wouldn't be able to anyway since the aircraft can be swapped even after the boarding and that happens all the time.

Mar 29, 2019, 2:01 am

#2120

ChocolateFactory

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: DXB

Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond

Posts: 2,811

To be honest, I find their policy very generous as it is.
It would really have surprised me if they had let you change an award booking. Opening up award availability isn’t something customer service can do, so it would have to go through revenue management. No way they’d do that for a simple award booking (where they probably didn’t make a lot of money anyway).

Mar 29, 2019, 2:26 am

#2121

Traveller999

Join Date: Mar 2017

Programs: QR Platinum, Star Alliance Gold (LH Sen)

Posts: 764

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChocolateFactory

Indeed it is very generous, if the "rule" is applied.
I got a change from Qsuite to non Qsuite for a flight in June 2019 and tried to get rebooked. The answer I got was "there was no equipment change"....so it means keep screenshots of the seatmap at booking time guys!
Two other equipment changes, happening within one week (!!), I could not even ask to change, as they were last minute changes, after OLCI. Got the information at the airport... :-(

Mar 29, 2019, 2:30 am

#2122

Ijones027

Join Date: Mar 2019

Posts: 773

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChocolateFactory

the question I have is the fact that so much flights qr switches, do you think they advertise qsuites to get people to book were in reality they don't nearly have that many planes with qsuites in the first place

Traveller999 and sambo150 like this.

Mar 29, 2019, 3:38 am

#2123

Dr. HFH

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2007

Location: BOS/UTH

Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT

Posts: 12,753

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ijones027

No, I don't think that they do it intentionally. You think that this is a lot? Try flying CX in either direction between BKK and HKG. The difference here is that everyone wants to fly in QSuites, so people are much more conscious of equipment swaps here.

Mar 30, 2019, 7:25 pm

#2124

frausflyer

Join Date: Dec 2013

Location: DOH

Programs: BA:GOLD

Posts: 213

A7-BEI (77W 42J) is now with QSuite

The last two 77L with the old-J are still flying.

Mar 31, 2019, 11:15 pm

#2125

Traveller999

Join Date: Mar 2017

Programs: QR Platinum, Star Alliance Gold (LH Sen)

Posts: 764

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH

Yes, sure I do want to fly on Qsuite on a, by QR, heavy advertised Qsuite route and then it is annoying if you got changed to non Qsuite 2 times within 1 week (!) - on a designated Qsuite route, or not?

sambo150 likes this.

Apr 2, 2019, 3:13 am

#2126

ngfan

Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: Stuttgart, Germany

Programs: Too many...and an Amanjunkie

Posts: 1,667

Pics of bassinet layout at seat 8B on QR's A350-900 QSuite

As I haven't found any pics of the bassinet layout in the QSuite, I took some photos of the bassinet installed at seat 8B on a recent flight with my little girl on the Oneworld-painted A350-900 A7-ALZ.
At first, it seemed that the crew had never installed a bassinet in the QSuite before, as they were unsure about the right seat with a bassinet position but quickly recognised by the hidden mountings that 8B was the right seat. The bassinet needs a special frame to be installed. The frame itself is quite massive and clamp-shaped. It took two crew members incl. the purser, a flashlight and some strength to install the frame in the suite but it worked out very well. My baby girl slept safe and sound in her flat bed. Overall, I think the bassinet location is quite good: easy access for the parent, visually and accoustically well separated from other passengers and still plenty of room for the parent to enjoy the QSuite. But one word of warning which applies to this bassinet type used by QR and other airlines like LH or SQ: If your baby is very active and can get up during the flight, it may sit up as the closed zipper latch of the bassinet may not stop that which may result in a potential risk of the baby falling down in a worst case scenario. So while your baby may sleep well, your own sleep may not be as relaxed as you may wish for

Here are the pics, FT exclusives:

baileysserpant, Steve_ZA, kaffir76 and 4 others like this.

Last edited by ngfan; Apr 2, 2019 at 3:29 am

Apr 2, 2019, 3:27 am

#2127

Traveller999

Join Date: Mar 2017

Programs: QR Platinum, Star Alliance Gold (LH Sen)

Posts: 764

Quote:

Originally Posted by ngfan

..... But one word of warning which applies to this bassinet type used by QR and other airlines like LH or SQ: If your baby is very active and can get up during the flight, it may sit up as the closed zipper latch of the bassinet may not stop that ehich may result in a potential risk of the baby falling down in a worst case scenario. So while your baby may sleep well, your own sleep may not be as relaxed as you may wish for

Our sweetheart was such an active one, she did sit up, so we did decide to take her on the "normal seat bed", were she slept 2/3 of the flight :-)

sambo150 likes this.

Apr 2, 2019, 10:22 am

#2128

fender5787

Join Date: Feb 2018

Location: Brooklyn, NYC

Programs: QR PC Platinum, TK M&S elite, UA silver, ITA Voltaire Executive (lol), Marriott Bonvoy Platinum

Posts: 1,163

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChocolateFactory

Hmm so I tried your advice about mentioning the loss of qsuites at the US customer service rep and they kept on stating they couldn’t waive the change fee. I tried again and they said now they could waive the change fee but I would have to pay a fare difference (which was like $6k lol) and even got the supervisor on who couldn’t help. I still haven’t tried the au office since it’s hard to catch them open being based in NYC. But hopefully I’ll have some time to try them!

Apr 2, 2019, 10:29 am

#2129

ChocolateFactory

Join Date: Aug 2015

Location: DXB

Programs: Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, BA Silver, A3 Gold, Sixt Diamond

Posts: 2,811

Sorry to hear that.

I've called their US office once and also felt they weren't very helpful or even friendly.
You could also try calling their Qatar office directly (or other countries, maybe UK?).

The Australian office consistenly gave me the same answer, different agents (the first time I just checked my options, the second time I actually made the change).

Apr 2, 2019, 11:03 am

#2130

anabolism

Join Date: Aug 2004

Programs: AA (EP), Hilton (Diamond), Marriott Bonvoy (Titanium)

Posts: 8,937

Did the Australian office make your changes without charging the service charge (presumably they would as they would process it as an involuntary change)?