Inzaghi22

Just tried to upgrade a QR ticket. "Checked availability" first, it does not show Q2, otherwise I would not have booked. Now, after booking, I tried to upgrade online and only sector 1 and 2 are available, sector 3 and 4 are not :-( Why? Booking class is V and I have enough miles. Does anybody know what could have happened here and what could be done?

Flying Bosun

There is nowhere to read that you are automaticly entitled to use miles for granted upgrades on a QR flight. The QRPC website does let you know if you need to pay standard or double amount of Q-miles for a complimentary flight.
Personaly i would accept the upgrade offer for first and second leg even if i know the yellow button will evaporate from my dashboard afterwards, resulting in zero chance to online upgrade of the return journey.
During my (6-7) four legtrips with QR since end of May they have never ever opened up availbility for upgrades if it was not there right after the booking was processed. But you can bet they do disappear so better to act fast ;-)

Inzaghi22

Thanks for your answer. Let's assume you're right, does that then also mean there won't be a chance to upgrade the return legs at the airport too?

Flying Bosun

I just know that the onlineoption goes away but it sounds a bit to strange that it would affect upgrades at the airport.

Cheers

makrom

Well, if you don't use QRPC, you automatically avoid a lot of the issues with QR, so it's probably not so much luck but rather that you don't fit the profile. In my experience, the main issue is remote customer service. Something that often isn't required as long as everything works according to plan, but QRPC in particular has been a weak spot that requires customer service ever so often. Trying to reschedule award tickets is a perfectly legitimate use case, especially if QRPC explicitly allows it. Or what about those poor sobs who bought into QR's promise that every economy fare except for promo fares is upgradeable, and then discover that their economy saver fares were in a bucket that shares a code with promo fares and therefore doesn't qualify? A clear cut case of false advertising, but QR will just say sorry and send you on your way. I think for many, the latest "enhancements" were simply the last straw.
Personally, I have a pretty pragmatic approach to the whole QRPC situation. I do consider it to be very audacious how they handled these changes - not just the fact that it was a devaluation per se or that it was completely unannounced, but the sheer amount, as it was an almost 100% hike for most of my desired redemptions. I am far from an expert on FFP history, but I cannot remember a similar case with any other big program. But from then on, I simply adjusted my expectations, and with QRPC, I expect very little these days. Whenever people come up with new issues that originated after the enhancements, they have my sympaties, but at the same time, the warning signs about QRPC's lack of reliability were loud and clear - not just in places like this forum, but just by looking at how QRPC acted.

Dr. HFH

I have been using QRPC for the past few years, but am now reconsidering. My next revenue flights aren't until February, so I have some time.


Apart from the onboard service, I've also had extraordinarily good luck with customer service. Granted I haven't had to reschedule an award ticket, but CS has always done right by me including that BKK/HAN J error fare a few years ago.


For U.S. customers, won't the FTC get involved in demonstrable and clear false advertising or bait-and-switch situations?

makrom

In theory, but they won't become active on their own, and I don't know if economy saver booking codes ex US were affected. And then there's the question of juristidction for a foreign FFP.

celtic_warrior

Is it me or are we getting way less multiple mileage offers/promos since the new changes?

Dr. HFH

Doesn't matter where the business is. If they advertise in the U.S., then they're subject to the FTC. If QR was fined and refused to pay, U.S. could suspend permission to fly to the U.S. That would get AAB's attention.

makrom

Bud did they advertise in the US? Just because thoey put it up on some homepage doesn't necessarily mean they did. But I am far from an expert on that subject.

mpkz

The only ones they have had have been targeted "Win Back" offers (no joke, that was the name of the promo in "My activities")

purple1addict

celtic_warrior

We used to get them all the time before. Hopefully they will start releasing some more and or some reasonable sale offers.

makrom

You should still be able to upgrade if availability changes, both online as well as at the airport. But online you have to use a different approach. When you log in to Privliege club, use My Account -> Redeem my Qmiles/Qcredits -> Upgrade on Qatar Airways. There you can enter your PNR and check for availability.

Kwanger

Agreed - seeing barely any offers these days. The ones I do see seem to be specific destination ones which are pretty worthless to me as they aren't where I'm flying.

Also, the near permanent double miles redemptions (including on a route I fly where traditionally J is a fairly empty cabin), in tandem with the 'enchanced' extra miles required is really irking me. Have considered starting to credit to BA/AA, but in reality 90% of my flying is on QR metal so guess I'll just have to stick in with Privilege Club (especially should QR quits OneWorld of course!). Despite these annoyances I'd sooner do that than switch to Emirates.