rafajk

QR just canceled all PHL-DOH flights starting in November. I'm affected by this since I was supposed to be on one of these flights on November 22. Will I just be switched over to American? Any advice on if I can change my itinerary to stay with QR?

Stingyguy

If you already booked your flight then should QR not be responsible in rebooking you?

Penguinmoon

If you booked your flight thru QR and have a QR ticket number, they will reroute you to stay on their metal. If you booked thru AA on AA ticket number, they most likely will keep you on AA metal.

Lrob

Lrob

Nov flight on QR from Phl. Business ticket. They would not rebook on QR metal without significant change fee 700.00 per ticket.

Penguinmoon

Who wouldn't rebook? AA on AA ticket, or QR on QR ticket? I've NEVER had a trouble getting QR to switch me when a schedule change resulted in auto rebook on to non QR metal, or loss of Qsuite flight.

Lrob

QR ticket only. Live chat. USA call center and called Doha call center. Answer the same all three. A hard no on the rebook QR metal without fee.

Lrob

Maybe it is because there is no schedule change. QR is gone from PHL. I got same notice for a PHL to JNB in June. So not likely just a November issue. I was trying to reroute out of IAD or JFK.

Penguinmoon

When AA started JFK service, I got kicked off my QR flight that was cancelled and placed on the AA flight. I had no trouble changing back to QR metal. I'm guessing you are right, that since QR will not offer flights to PHL at all, your only choice is AA. I would be looking into cancellation fees on this one. No way would I willingly fly AA over QR UNLESS AA puts a 77W on the route with first class that I could upgrade in to.

Schwann

For those involuntarily moved from QR to AA, it might be worth waiting to see if QR offer a rebooking policy.

It really is woeful if you're rebooked on AA after specifically booking QR and told to pay extra to move back to what you paid for.

Technically the flight has been cancelled, which in the past would have triggered the rebook "within 500 miles or from another city in the same country" rule.

Lrob

Well funny you should mention that. I have elected to go with the change to IAD and pay the fee. However, when they tried to process the change I was put on hold for a long time. Agent then came on and said they would have to call me back as the change would not go through. I then got an email confirming my flight from PHL at the same time as the IAD flight. PNR currently says I am confirmed for both. So I called back - again. Call center advises IAD not confirmed even though it says so and that someone will call me back when they get it worked out. Hopefully they do. If I have to cancel and rebook the fare is much higher now. Currently in QR IT purgatory and hoping to get out without being scorched. Looks like I get to do all this again with the JNB June flight - good times 🫤

Lrob

Part of this problem may be a married segments issue. Doha is a stopover enroute to another destination. I wonder if this would not have been a problem if it was RT to Doha.

mandyaffogato

yeah, this has been a nightmare so far. Qatar wont rebook me on any flight back to the US, because there isnt reward availability. i'm flying to MLE to DOH to PHL (well, i WAS). DOH to JFK is available for cash, but not avios. their only option is to refund me avios (which i used to book). avios wont help if I can't even use them to book an alternative flight because there isn't reward availability. they will NOT book me on an AA flight from DOH to PHL; they're saying that isn't an option. i am surprised by this situation. either this means i will cancel my maldives trip altogether, or I'll need to pony up a couple thousand more dollars for extended hotel stays and/or cash flights home.

this was my first experience with Qatar. i get the schedule change. but is their customer service always this dense?

plunet

Whilst this is no doubt frustrating, hold your horses and don't rush to do anything....

Why:

• Qatar are poor at having a customer policy in place ready and waiting when they make schedule changes. The route specific policy usually follows a few days or so later. Your levels of frustration will be much less and you may have more options if you wait a few days until a rebooking policy is in place.
• You have one shot at a change due to an involuntary schedule change. Once you accept the change that's it, you are now subject to the fare rules again. So I suggest waiting until all the options are known, likely on this thread. Do not accept a change online or on the phone unless you are happy with it. If you have a phone call and do not agree with what is suggested it is important to say "please leave my original ticket unchanged today, I need to consider my options"
• It may open up possibilities to modify other segments as well (not guaranteed) outside of the fare rules.

mandyaffogato

that is good advice, thank you. I will wait a couple of days. I just got off of the phone with Qatar and, after 30 minutes, they told me they cannot rebook me on AA. I am surprised they didn’t just automatically rebook me on a comparable flight. Ugh. I will be patient.