Business class DUB-DOH: no champagne until after take-off?
May 6, 2019, 12:18 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 212
Business class DUB-DOH: no champagne until after take-off?
Something that's been puzzling me since I got back from a trip to Singapore in early April. I flew DUB-DOH, DOH-KUL, SIN-DOH and DOH-DUB. All served me a nice glass of champagne before take-off except the DUB-DOH flight. For that flight, I had to wait for us to hit cruising altitude. As it was my first flight on QR, I assumed it was an airline policy and didn't question it, but when the next 3 flights happily served me while on the ground, it's puzzling why DUB-DOH had this sort of restriction. Just out of interest, anybody know why this might be?
May 6, 2019, 1:25 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LON
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 3,916
It depends if the airline wants to pony up for the taxes on the bottles of alcohol that are opened whilst on the ground, and also what the level of those taxes are.
No duty paid booze, no pre-flights drinkies.
No duty paid booze, no pre-flights drinkies.
May 6, 2019, 10:36 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Kuwait
Programs: BA Gold, Qatar Platinum
Posts: 173
May 7, 2019, 4:02 am
#5
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NBO, MEL
Programs: QR Platinum, TK Elite
Posts: 1,357
Also at NBO no PDB Champagne. The ground manager explained that the taxes are exorbitant, and a few times they have tried to sneak a glass, they've been reported to the Kenya Revenue Authority. Now they just don't risk it, nor want to pay.
May 8, 2019, 4:01 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 212
Makes sense, tks all, but the taxes on alcohol on Ireland are about 42 euro per litre. Not an exorbitant amount I would think in relation to the amount paid for biz class tickets. But at least there's some sort of reason. What this means that I'll now need to travel biz class on a bunch of other airlines ex-DUB to compare and contrast.
May 8, 2019, 4:44 am
#7
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: DUB / DOH
Posts: 693
Have flown a couple of times in J on QR ex DUB and if my memory serves me correctly, Champagne was available on boarding. I do know that on the morning departure it may not be on the tray but can be requested. I didn't think DUB was one of the destinations with no Champagne on the ground, but could be wrong.
May 9, 2019, 6:47 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 212
) - I may have been offered something instead of champagne, more along the lines of prosecco, and I said I'd wait...
May 9, 2019, 1:37 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,925
I do not understand the tax argument for drinks on board. Tax would surely be calculated on the quantity of alcohol not the price of the bottle. So, tax on cheap Prosecco is the same as on £100 a bottle Champagne as their alcohol content is the same.
May 9, 2019, 3:00 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 178
It might be where you're from I don't know, but ex-DUB tax is per price of bottle.
May 11, 2019, 2:28 am
#14
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum; Accor Le Club Platinum
Posts: 1,077
May 12, 2019, 2:13 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
Ireland has the highest alcohol excise in Europe and is the highest for wines. On average it is 175% of the EU average excess
In Europe, there are essentially 4 countries that charge high alcohol excise rates Ireland, UK, Sweden and Finalnd. The remainder of countries charge low amounts.
However, for wines, Ireland is definitely the highest even of these four, for example 64% of a €7 bottle of wine is tax, A sparkling wine that in Northern Ireland (UK still high taxes) costs €12.74 (of which tax is €5.31) whereas in ROI, the same bottle costs €16.45 (of which tax is €4.14 higher at €9.45)*.
I will not mention Brexit (damn I just did) but you can see why many buy their booze in NI who live close to the boarder.
*Prices and tax rates of NI will vary in € by exchange rate.
In Europe, there are essentially 4 countries that charge high alcohol excise rates Ireland, UK, Sweden and Finalnd. The remainder of countries charge low amounts.
However, for wines, Ireland is definitely the highest even of these four, for example 64% of a €7 bottle of wine is tax, A sparkling wine that in Northern Ireland (UK still high taxes) costs €12.74 (of which tax is €5.31) whereas in ROI, the same bottle costs €16.45 (of which tax is €4.14 higher at €9.45)*.
I will not mention Brexit (damn I just did) but you can see why many buy their booze in NI who live close to the boarder.
*Prices and tax rates of NI will vary in € by exchange rate.