cesc

Booked on a JFK-DEL flight for tomorrow evening. The booking was made nearly a month ago hoping that India will open its airspace to flights from Qatar by the beginning of August. That hasn't happened and Indian aviation ministry hasn't allowed QR to operate any flights to India yet. However QR is still showing my flights as being on-time!

This despite the fact that they stopped accepting booking for any US-India flights 2 weeks after I made that booking. They are currently not taking bookings for the JFK-DEL route for my travel dates - or for at least 2 weeks either side of that booking date. The earliest date that someone can book JFK-DEL route with them is now 14th August.

I called them today and they say said my flights are still scheduled! I may be missing something but I am shocked as they are leaving me hanging in an environment like this. I am sure they can operate the JFK-DOH leg but am pretty sure they can't operate the DOH-DEL leg. I dont want to be getting on that flight not knowing whether I will be getting to my final destination. I have made back up travel plans with United for next week but am not sure how to approach this current booking with QR. Any advice?

realgaga

Are any of your flights showing as 'not confirmed' on the booking or have they emailed you that they're cancelled?

cesc

Both legs showing as confirmed and no cancellation email - yet.

Often1

Until and unless QR cancels, you are not due a refund. They still show the flight as scheduled and likely want as many passengers to rebook as possible, thus reducing the cash outlay for refunds.

cesc

I get that's what they are doing - that's why I titled the thread as them playing chicken. But its absolutely unethical to do so. People flying international at this time are largely doing so due to exigencies. To keep them in the dark till the nth hour is horrible.

They aren't marketing JFK-DEL route at all. You can't book that route on QR's own website and Skyscanner shows no direct DOH-DEL flights for 1 August which is when my current flight is scheduled for. Even then they are not formally cancelling. They may not cancel even till my boarding time in which case they will treat me as a no show. I am booked in J so have over 4k USD at stake. I don't want a voucher either as I am already sitting on USD 5k+ worth of vouchers from QR.

However much we bash US based carriers, United sent me a cancellation email for the same route 10 days in advance when I had booked with them for mid-July. That's when I booked QR for end of July. I may take my money and loyalty to United for good.

realgaga

Looking at the QR Travel with Confidence policy, DEL airport is only closed until 31st July, thus making it a possible reason to why they haven't cancelled the flight.

Often1

Or they have more than enough cargo to perform the flight profitably or some combination of the same for the return.

cesc

Per India's aviation ministry QR is not allowed to operate any flights to India yet. The fact that QR themselves aren't selling any tickets to India till 15th August is further proof that they cant fly there. I don think I can get on that flight tomorrow with this kind of uncertainty.

ISTFlyer

Currently in DOH and there is a QR operated Delhi flight departing at 00:45 and that flight is delayed until 06:15
It's flight QR 8360 and it doesn't seem like a scheduled flight.

realgaga

Just a thought - are you affected by any of these? They count as involuntary changes.

realgaga

From the flight no. it seems like a cargo flight

ISTFlyer

It's really interesting as it shows up on the FIDS in the passenger terminal.
There might be somebody traveling as passengers on that aircraft however the gate is C25 ( a bus gate ) which reduces the possibility of passengers being transported on that flight

cesc

Thanks for that info. Even with the rescheduled timing this will land in India on 31st July itself. Surely that can't be a passenger flight.

So far - no I am not impacted. I can travel to India - the questions is more about whether QR is authorized to carry passengers to India at this time. Per authorities in India they can't - and QR's current booking schedule reflects that. It's just that for some reason QR thinks they can operate the flight that I am booked on - even though they haven't allowed booking on even that flight for well over 2 weeks.

cesc

Thanks for the real time info. Last time I traveled JFK-MLE, I boarded a bus for the DOH-MLE leg from one of the C gates. So that plane may be carrying passengers. Can't understand why this is all so secretive though.

cesc

The status of the DOH-DEL flight switched to 'Cancelled' with my overall trip status now showing as 'Not Confirmed'. They still haven't sent even an email to me regarding the cancellation though.

Pathetic for QR to hold out pretty much till the very last day. They have known for at least 2 weeks that they weren't going to operate this flight.