J Passengers can pay for Al Sawfa Access - Now 600 QAR

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Jan 10, 19, 1:10 am

#16

clubeurope

Join Date: Jul 2017

Location: DPS, CGK

Programs: Cathay Diamond, SAS EBGold, Flying Blue Gold

Posts: 2,340

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abyssin

Surprised with this thread.....seems most of you guys prefer to pay to enter a lounge just to drink than buying a very good champagne or wine and have it at home .....this is just weird for me

not so much when you see how much Krug Clos du Mesnil 2003 retails for.

Skink, GalaxyChris, chitink and 3 others like this.

Jan 10, 19, 5:44 am

#17

jmeselby

Join Date: Mar 2013

Programs: Skywards Gold

Posts: 85

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abyssin

Surprised with this thread.....seems most of you guys prefer to pay to enter a lounge just to drink than buying a very good champagne or wine and have it at home .....this is just weird for me

A bit of a pointless comment, if you’re transiting in Doha then buying a very good wine or champagne to enjoy at home isn’t a viable option in that scenario and I’m sure people who are prepared to pay extra to enter a lounge to enjoy premium drinks, would also spend the money at home as you suggest. It isn’t an either or scenario.

If someone is prepared to pay extra to acces an upgraded lounge to drink enhanced champagne and wine during their layover then good for them, I’d be doing it myself if I didn’t only have a two hour layover together with an infant and a two year old in toe coming up.

And isn’t this a forum for travel enthusiasts? The kind of people who do exactly what you’re saying is weird??!!

NoY, TravelManBiz and ATCOlad like this.

Jan 10, 19, 9:42 am

#18

Abyssin

Join Date: Sep 2014

Location: Spain, France, Sweden

Programs: Not stuck with an Alliance anymore, Krysflyer, Iberia+ and Emirates Skywards

Posts: 122

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmeselby

A bit of a pointless comment, if you’re transiting in Doha then buying a very good wine or champagne to enjoy at home isn’t a viable option in that scenario and I’m sure people who are prepared to pay extra to enter a lounge to enjoy premium drinks, would also spend the money at home as you suggest. It isn’t an either or scenario.

If someone is prepared to pay extra to access an upgraded lounge to drink enhanced champagne and wine during their layover then good for them, I’d be doing it myself if I didn’t only have a two hour layover together with an infant and a two year old in toe coming up.

And isn’t this a forum for travel enthusiasts? The kind of people who do exactly what you’re saying is weird??!!

I'm a travel enthusiast for more than 50 years now.....the Al safwa is a beautiful lounge but for me not the best place to drink my favorite wine or champagne as it looks like a luxury empty railway station hall, nothing very intimate there. Prefer to have it in the A380 lounge as the crew bring the champagne bottle there if you are in F.
May be it's just because I don't like the Clos du Mesnil that much

Jan 10, 19, 10:20 am

#19

tav1989

Join Date: Jan 2017

Programs: qr

Posts: 255

Quote:

Originally Posted by Abyssin

whilst we all have differing view of Al Safwa lounge I personally welcome the idea of being able to “upgrade “ lounge access if traveling paid b/c . It’s a choice that one can excessive depending on their own views and requirements. I certainly would think about it next time I travel , but it would depend on transit time so I could get the value of paying for the lounge rather than a rushed visit. IT has its faults , but then most lounges do. It’s going to be interesting to see reports on FT as to wether this initiative takes off or not and the enevitable comments that the lounge is now too busy and service / products have dropped

ATCOlad and clubeurope like this.

Jan 10, 19, 3:12 pm

#20

Dr. HFH

FlyerTalk Evangelist

Join Date: Jan 2007

Location: BOS/UTH

Programs: AA EXP, LT PLT; QR PLT; Bonvoy LT TIT

Posts: 12,602

I am most definitely against this. It's going to put a real strain on sleeping room availability.

Also, have I missed something, or is the price for AS access less than the price for AM access?

Jan 10, 19, 4:04 pm

#21

cheung.chunyuenc

Join Date: Aug 2017

Posts: 203

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH

I am most definitely against this. It's going to put a real strain on sleeping room availability.

Also, have I missed something, or is the price for AS access less than the price for AM access?

AS access is for full fare paid business class passengers given you have AM access.
so the price of AS is the amount on top of AM

Jan 11, 19, 5:09 am

#22

Join Date: Mar 2000

Posts: 918

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheung.chunyuenc

AS access is for full fare paid business class passengers given you have AM access.
so the price of AS is the amount on top of AM

As reported here, it appears to be for any revenue business class pax, not just for those on full fare (booking class C, J) tickets.

watersign likes this.

Jan 11, 19, 5:14 am

#23

lost_in_translation

Join Date: Apr 2015

Location: London

Programs: BAEC GGL (Gallium Guest List), QRPC Molybdenum, Skywards Zirconium

Posts: 4,656

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH

I am most definitely against this. It's going to put a real strain on sleeping room availability.

Also, have I missed something, or is the price for AS access less than the price for AM access?

I think this policy will not last very long in its current form, either the price will go up quite substantially from QAR 250 or they will restrict access further. In typical QR fashion no one really appears to have thought through whether this change as implemented really makes any sense. For starters it has the potential to massively cannibalize sales at the overpriced airport hotel. Secondly, the price is set at far less than EK charges for access to a much bigger lounge and where only materially cheaper drinks are on offer, with EK's offering also restricted to certain status passengers on top of that. As soon as they start getting some complaints from important Qatari passengers I'm guessing the rules will change.

Jan 11, 19, 5:23 am

#24

BlueEgg

Join Date: May 2013

Programs: PC(QR), IB, CX Marco Polo, SAA Voyager

Posts: 200

Can those in the know please confirm that paid access to AS is only for revenue Business tickets of any class? What about redeemed Business Class tickets (not upgraded from Economy)?

chitink likes this.

Jan 12, 19, 8:36 pm

#25

makrom

Join Date: Sep 2016

Posts: 776

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH

I am most definitely against this. It's going to put a real strain on sleeping room availability.

Perhaps so, but as it is (and probably will be for as long as the embargo persists), the lounge is extremely underused, so it's not too absurd to monetize unused capacities. It will be all about finding the right balance. Whether QR will find that right spot is a different question though.

Jan 13, 19, 3:14 am

#26

Traveller999

Join Date: Mar 2017

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

Posts: 716

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH

I am most definitely against this. It's going to put a real strain on sleeping room availability.

I tried it today shortly after midnight and could access Al Safwa after paying 250 Riyal. But it seems to be somehow capacity controlled as the staff at Al Mourjan first called Al Safwa staff, before sending me there.
I did travel in paid business “I” .
@Dr. HFH: don’t worry about the availability of sleeping rooms, there were just 5 other guests beside me, in the whole lounge.....

Crisu69 likes this.