Castrated Business Fares
Oct 16, 2021, 6:42 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,815
Oct 17, 2021, 8:19 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SFOSJCOAK
Programs: AA-EXP & 1MM+, AS, MR-LTT, HH Gold
Posts: 7,581
I recently flew 4 segments in R fare. Seat selection and lounge access without any issue (in 3 airports, SFO, DOH, ATH) as oneworld Emerald (AA EXP).
Oct 17, 2021, 4:45 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
It's a messy business. Another own-goal by the airline's dysfunctional marketing team.
When QR rushed through this enhancement, it pegged the diluted business-class fare to the existing R-bucket: absolutely refused to call it a "lite" fare, insisting that it was in fact their "classic" business fare.
Of course that made no sense at all. Among other things:
- they had to deal with passengers who already held R-fares, purchased before the changeover, when that bucket represented business-class fares entitling holders to the expected business-class perks,
- for the world outside QR-Towers, "classic" means "typical, maintaining established value": which the emasculated new fare wasn't and didn't.
The R-bucket maintained its "classic business-class" title, but with lounge access restored.
So the long and the short of it is R fares are now fine in terms of lounge access, though they might, or might not, include seat reservations.
P-fares are the ones you need to look out for.
Oct 19, 2021, 2:41 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: BA Gold, Tesco, Nectar
Posts: 313
It's a messy business. Another own-goal by the airline's dysfunctional marketing team.
When QR rushed through this enhancement, it pegged the diluted business-class fare to the existing R-bucket: absolutely refused to call it a "lite" fare, insisting that it was in fact their "classic" business fare.
Of course that made no sense at all. Among other things:
So the solution they came up with was to pull in the new P-bucket, which they they decided to call ...(wait for it)… a "lite business-class fare".
The R-bucket maintained its "classic business-class" title, but with lounge access restored.
So the long and the short of it is R fares are now fine in terms of lounge access, though they might, or might not, include seat reservations.
P-fares are the ones you need to look out for.
When QR rushed through this enhancement, it pegged the diluted business-class fare to the existing R-bucket: absolutely refused to call it a "lite" fare, insisting that it was in fact their "classic" business fare.
Of course that made no sense at all. Among other things:
- they had to deal with passengers who already held R-fares, purchased before the changeover, when that bucket represented business-class fares entitling holders to the expected business-class perks,
- for the world outside QR-Towers, "classic" means "typical, maintaining established value": which the emasculated new fare wasn't and didn't.
The R-bucket maintained its "classic business-class" title, but with lounge access restored.
So the long and the short of it is R fares are now fine in terms of lounge access, though they might, or might not, include seat reservations.
P-fares are the ones you need to look out for.
A question is what happens if connecting in DOH, A to P and P to A. Would you get Al Safwa/Al Mourjan by virtue of the A legs?
Oct 19, 2021, 5:39 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
There's no "lite" version of first-class fares, so it's reasonable to expect full bells and whistles on the run up to your DOH DXB flight. But this is QR, and maybe they'll decide your P-ness colours the whole trip with the unhappiness of unfulfilled expectations.
Until recently long haul in J after a feeder flight in F wouldn't get you into al Safwa, but that seems to have changed - it's reported the arrival in short-haul F now triggers a welcome to al Safwa. The unknown is what logic QR has programmed into its system for the transfer from F to business-lite: your emasculated, P-designated boarding card shouldn't get you through the doors of al Mourjan, yet it seems the arrival in F now qualifies you for the luxe of al Safwa. Go figure, as they say.
I think they're making it up as they go along, but please report back...