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

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Feb 2, 2023, 3:07 pm

#4381

jah718

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: DUB / DOH

Posts: 693

Quote:

Originally Posted by BernardBlack

My aircraft has left DOH inbound to ADL, where I will board for the tag flight to AKL. So it's definitely a QSuites-equipped 77W (A7-BEP).

I'm in 10K, but 1K has opened up. It's not a flight time when I would intend to sleep, so galley/lavatory noise/light is not a big concern. Is it worth swapping to improve chances of first meal choice?

I would probably switch into 1K in that case, plus you won't have a lot of foot traffic during boarding.

Feb 2, 2023, 3:50 pm

#4382

BernardBlack

Join Date: Sep 2013

Posts: 233

Quote:

Originally Posted by jah718

I would probably switch into 1K in that case, plus you won't have a lot of foot traffic during boarding.

Thanks, I've done that now.

Feb 3, 2023, 3:06 am

#4383

lost_in_translation

Join Date: Apr 2015

Programs: Some

Posts: 5,251

Quote:

Originally Posted by BernardBlack

Thanks, I've done that now.

10K is also quite close to the bassinet position which is another reason to avoid the rear cabin to me.

1K will get you quite a bit of galley noise so be aware of that (I would generally go for middle of the cabin for a night flight), but for a daytime flight where I'm going to have headphones on for the flight anyway then 1A/1K are my first seat choices. In addition to lack of foot traffic as noted, you will also get a useful bit of extra storage space on the flat surface behind the seat for bedding that other rows don't have. I find it to be the most private / 'cosy' feeling seat also as you are positioned in the very corner of a cabin with no one behind you (the only other row that has that position is 8A/8K but they are right next to the bathrooms which I don't like). Plus you get row 1 on your boarding pass

Feb 3, 2023, 1:34 pm

#4384

happiest_at_40000

Join Date: Jul 2020

Location: So Cal

Programs: AA Platinum

Posts: 2,692

Quote:

Originally Posted by lost_in_translation

Agree on all your strategy there but on the A350's have you done 1K? I choice 3K for my 2 Q Suites flights as I was worried about 1K being so close/up against the lav. On the 77W I took 1K for an upcoming flight.

Feb 4, 2023, 3:57 am

#4385

lost_in_translation

Join Date: Apr 2015

Programs: Some

Posts: 5,251

Quote:

Originally Posted by happiest_at_40000

I did 1K on the A350 way back in 2018 so I don't really remember unfortunately! I'd be tempted to take a row further back just in case.

Feb 4, 2023, 4:28 am

#4386

Schwann

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: BRS

Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 4,992

I can't remember quite how close row 1 is to the bulkhead on QR but on a recent Finnair A350 flight (with toilets in the same place as QR), the toilet was literally in the face of the man in the aisle middle seat.

lost_in_translation likes this.

Feb 4, 2023, 9:31 am

#4387

Andrea Waters

Join Date: Jan 2013

Location: Chicago

Posts: 425

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeeBuyFly

Yet EY is cheaper...in short, there is no reason to book J on QR between ORD and anywhere in India.

This is exactly why I'm flying EY to the middle east in a few weeks rather than QR. I would love to try QSuites but I just don't want to risk having a 2-2-2 for a thirteen hour flight. I could position elsewhere but ORD is only term miles from my home. I guess I've gotten too old and lazy for positioning flights. 🙄

Feb 8, 2023, 6:15 pm

#4388

jmail1

Join Date: Jan 2000

Programs: Free agent

Posts: 1,296

I understand the occasional last minute equipment swap for Qatar, what I do not understand is what is happening with the Chicago route at the moment. It is listed as far out as you can book as a Qsuites route, but like clockwork it has been swapped 24 hours in advance 75% of the time this month. I have a Flightradar/ExpertFlyer alert setup and it comes across almost everyday. Why bother listing this as a Qsuites route when you know you’re going to swap it out for 2-2-2? It has to be simply to deceive the passenger.

Feb 8, 2023, 7:23 pm

#4389

rvlcr

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: Chicago

Programs: AA Gold, UA Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold

Posts: 342

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmail1

i am actually extremely peeved about this as i have noticed the exact pattern. ive flown this route many times since 2019 and have never experienced an equipment swap.

fly out at the end of next week (friday) and im just waiting for that seat map to swap to 2-2-2 as it looks to be inevitable at this point. the cherry on top is that the flight looks to be totally full so no chance of an empty neighbor for at least a bit of privacy. argh.

Feb 9, 2023, 7:27 pm

#4390

rvlcr

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: Chicago

Programs: AA Gold, UA Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold

Posts: 342

just like clockwork... another equipment swap for 2/10. got the expert flyer alert a few hours ago.... honestly this is so frustrating and i am so glad im flying EY on the way back.

Feb 9, 2023, 7:39 pm

#4391

DVDBob

Join Date: Aug 2009

Posts: 321

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvlcr

just like clockwork... another equipment swap for 2/10. got the expert flyer alert a few hours ago.... honestly this is so frustrating and i am so glad im flying EY on the way back.

any chance you’re seeing equipment swaps for ATL-DOH

Feb 9, 2023, 7:57 pm

#4392

rvlcr

Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: Chicago

Programs: AA Gold, UA Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold

Posts: 342

yeah seems to be in the same exact scenario. 7 swaps out of the last 8 days. this makes QR seem like such a joke.

what i really wanna know is why they are deprioritizing their longest routes and instead are operating q suite equipped birds on short to medium long haul flights. i know its not as simple as it seems but really they should try harder prioritize q suite on US routes as 16 hours in 2-2-2 (especially at today's cash fares) is just laughable.....

Feb 9, 2023, 8:06 pm

#4393

Global321

Join Date: Sep 2009

Location: Global

Posts: 5,998

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmail1

I can see your point on the second part - 'deceiving the customer' - but the first part is more understandable to me. Downgrade the plane consistently on one route is more predictable vs random down grades on multiple routes. But, to your point, it seems to me they should accept they don't have enough Qsuite planes and declare some routes non-Qsuite routes for now. If they picked 2-3 routes to the USA and made them non-Qsuite, they could probably keep the other routes close to 100% Qsuite. Fewer pissed off customers. And some people would be pleasantly surprised with a random Qsuite plane on that route.

Feb 9, 2023, 9:42 pm

#4394

DVDBob

Join Date: Aug 2009

Posts: 321

Any chance now that Qatar has settled with Airbus that more of those A350s go back into service? My flight isn’t until Sept, so hoping I get lucky.

Feb 9, 2023, 10:03 pm

#4395

Schwann

Join Date: Dec 2011

Location: BRS

Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond

Posts: 4,992

Quote:

Originally Posted by DVDBob

Any chance now that Qatar has settled with Airbus that more of those A350s go back into service? My flight isn’t until Sept, so hoping I get lucky.

Of course. I imagine they're working on it right now - once they repair the first one, we will know how long it takes and how long it'll be until they're all in the sky.