totti

Dear all,

My wife needs to fly from Europe to Singapore and the best options with regards to schedule and price are QR and BR (Eva Air). She is an AC Super Elite but does not have status with Oneworld. The schedule is not the deciding factor as it is quite similar and both flights have 1 connection. Price is slightly better with BR but only by about 100 euros. BR allows her to credit miles to Aeroplan. On the other hand QR seems to have the better product, she could for example credit to BAEC and get Silver with only 2 more qualifying flights (she already has two flights there).

Any thought? How would you decide and how do the two airlines compare?

moondog

QR, no question, IMO.

mihaid

I expect most people would answer something like "definitely QR".
My opinion is different. QR might have slightly better food, slightly better entertainment and (if you get lucky) slightly better seats than BR.
But here are my reasons why I would go with BR in a heart bit:
1) I find QR flight attendants to be way too intrusive to my taste (arguably out of abundance of care for its customers, but to me it is just too much, way too much). BR flight attendants are caring and are always there, but they are trained to be very discreet and it is the customer who sets how much interaction he or she wants, not the flight attendant.
2) Connecting in TPE is for me a much better experience than connecting in DOH. DOH is something closely related to a flea market (I include here the lounge experience). I find connecting in TPE to be a much smoother and much better experience. In my view, DOH is just a thin layer of shiny kitsch sprayed over a thick pile of s..t.
Also, in DOH you get bussed very often (true, in a separate minibus just for business class passengers, but it still a bus) while in TPE I never had to use a bus.
Another point: if one needs to use a restroom outside the lounge, one would definitely want to find oneself in TPE, rather than in DOH. I won't give details...
3) In case of IRROPS or if one needs to change tickets or one needs to cancel tickets, it is much, much easier (and faster) to deal with BR than QR.
I could list a few other less important reasons. But just for these three, I would never pick QR over BR (unless QR's price would be much, much better).

nomadabroad

Did BR resume full in flight dining in business class yet? Saw a trip report couple months ago for BR J to Europe and the meal was still covid era wrapped in plastic type of thing.

mihaid

They did. I just flew KUL-TPE-VIE with them less than two weeks ago.

totti

Thank you for the feedback so far. That's super helpful. As much as I wanted my wife to potentially fly QR - hence I posted here and not in the BR forum - I just realized there is another advantage flying BR. The flight time is pretty much equal but with BR there is a long leg and a short one vs. QR with 2 flights each of which is about 7h. I think having a long leg is nicer given it is an overnight and one can actually get some rest.

Schwann

Depending on the fare lounge access might not be included on the QR fare if that was a requirement.

totti

Really? That would certainly be a requirement as OR involves a 4h layover. I'll go back and check this. The things you learn… Thank you!

qraec777

Yes, if you're booked under "Business Lite" fare, then there's no lounge access. Otherwise, you're good!

totti

Thank you! That's good to know.

Hipplewm

BR - I think they are much friendlier airline overall
QR - Great airline but gives you "My poop don't stink vibes"