"Invasion" by Arab Gulf Airlines.
Dec 16, 2014, 12:32 pm
#211
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In sheer number of tickets, quite possibly not, but that's all economy travel. If you want to follow the TATL money look at who's buying business and first class. Large banks, organizations like the IMF, etc...
Dec 16, 2014, 12:36 pm
#212
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ii) when UA considered that the codeshare with QR was up they fraudulently booked for their FFP members hundreds if not thousands of business class seats under the redemption fare class to alleviate their mileage liabilities, knowing that QR was unlikely to catch them.
Dec 16, 2014, 12:45 pm
#213
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Once booked, there wasn't much QR would otherwise be able to do as it would be unlikely they would catch them in time to stop ticketing. And once ticketed, interdicting such travel becomes more problematic, especially if you are a carrier wanting to serve the US more and more.
Dec 16, 2014, 12:45 pm
#214
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Let's not of course forget that the US majors treat their middle east colleagues in a completely unprofessional manner.
i) when QR operated DOH<>IAD under a UA code, UA just did not care and filed fares far below the economic level - even their highest J fare was lower than QR's lowest J fare and we had to map all their fares to the lowest available inventory class
ii) when UA considered that the codeshare with QR was up they fraudulently booked for their FFP members hundreds if not thousands of business class seats under the redemption fare class to alleviate their mileage liabilities, knowing that QR was unlikely to catch them.
i) when QR operated DOH<>IAD under a UA code, UA just did not care and filed fares far below the economic level - even their highest J fare was lower than QR's lowest J fare and we had to map all their fares to the lowest available inventory class
ii) when UA considered that the codeshare with QR was up they fraudulently booked for their FFP members hundreds if not thousands of business class seats under the redemption fare class to alleviate their mileage liabilities, knowing that QR was unlikely to catch them.
Dec 16, 2014, 3:12 pm
#215
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I was in QR's revenue management team from 2007 to 2011 - I can prove this, my offer letter is attached to this post. I then moved to product development.
Monitoring some duty travel flights to check the loads (duty travel is J on a space-available basis, so you want to be sure you are on the flights characterised by both a forecast for empty J seats and with booked demand matching expected demand for a given point in the booking cycle closely) during 2011-12 I noticed extremely high numbers of people with firm bookings in I class, which at the time was the redemption class for the business cabin.
Many more than I would reasonably have expected given my background in revenue management and especially on the US routes. We were talking 10%-30% of seats on flights that departed full.
I resigned in August 2012 and was placed on a three month gardening leave. One of my pals from revenue management, the head of the operations research team, lived in the same building as me. I told him about the high numbers of people on redemption bookings after I resigned and he said he would take a look.
He told me what I have told you and I have no reason to doubt him. I don't know whether or not any action was taken.
FTAOD I had a great time at QR - I learnt a huge amount and had lots of fun with great colleagues.
Last edited by Sixth Freedom; Dec 16, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Dec 16, 2014, 4:37 pm
#216
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Dec 16, 2014, 9:30 pm
#217
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No. But on point (ii) here is what happened - you will have to take my word for it.
I was in QR's revenue management team from 2007 to 2011 - I can prove this, my offer letter is attached to this post. I then moved to product development.
Monitoring some duty travel flights to check the loads (duty travel is J on a space-available basis, so you want to be sure you are on the flights characterised by both a forecast for empty J seats and with booked demand matching expected demand for a given point in the booking cycle closely) during 2011-12 I noticed extremely high numbers of people with firm bookings in I class, which at the time was the redemption class for the business cabin.
Many more than I would reasonably have expected given my background in revenue management and especially on the US routes. We were talking 10%-30% of seats on flights that departed full.
I was in QR's revenue management team from 2007 to 2011 - I can prove this, my offer letter is attached to this post. I then moved to product development.
Monitoring some duty travel flights to check the loads (duty travel is J on a space-available basis, so you want to be sure you are on the flights characterised by both a forecast for empty J seats and with booked demand matching expected demand for a given point in the booking cycle closely) during 2011-12 I noticed extremely high numbers of people with firm bookings in I class, which at the time was the redemption class for the business cabin.
Many more than I would reasonably have expected given my background in revenue management and especially on the US routes. We were talking 10%-30% of seats on flights that departed full.
During the same period, the American points bloggers were heavily promoting the ability to redeem United miles on Qatar.
For example, around April 2012, Qatar award space becomes searchable on United.com:
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...-availability/
(notes that "business class award availability seems to be really good")
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....nited-website/
When the Qatar-UA relationship ends in September 2014, the same bloggers are encouraging people to book "now!":
http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.c...ageplus-miles/
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....-united-miles/
Dec 17, 2014, 3:07 am
#218
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Don't ask me how they did it though as I am not an expert on reservations and ticketing mechanics.
Dec 17, 2014, 3:31 am
#219
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Dec 27, 2014, 4:38 pm
#221
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We already knew the first part as well due to the actions that UA has taken towards their FF over the last 2-3 years.
Dec 28, 2014, 2:49 am
#222
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Yes and no. You need to have a broad idea of what the GDS does in order to set fares, monitor and change availability, but quite how it does it is handled by the GDS and revenue management systems specialists.
Jan 5, 2015, 11:42 am
#223
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http://pointmetotheplane.boardingare...80s-us-routes/
I for applaud them. The US Flag carriers should be ashamed of themselves for the lousy product they sell. Coach in EK is superior to FC on any domestic carrier. Having taken two long haul 16 hour flights on EK I am a fan, booking three more International flights and EK will be first stop.
Just tired of smelly planes, lousy attitudes of FA's especially DL and UA and really bad food, really bad!!!!!! I fly fc domestic and buy from the back better food.
Not a snob just well "experienced" older flyer and cranky
I for applaud them. The US Flag carriers should be ashamed of themselves for the lousy product they sell. Coach in EK is superior to FC on any domestic carrier. Having taken two long haul 16 hour flights on EK I am a fan, booking three more International flights and EK will be first stop.
Just tired of smelly planes, lousy attitudes of FA's especially DL and UA and really bad food, really bad!!!!!! I fly fc domestic and buy from the back better food.
Not a snob just well "experienced" older flyer and cranky
Jan 5, 2015, 11:54 am
#224
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I for applaud them. The US Flag carriers should be ashamed of themselves for the lousy product they sell. Coach in EK is superior to FC on any domestic carrier. Having taken two long haul 16 hour flights on EK I am a fan, booking three more International flights and EK will be first stop.
Just tired of smelly planes, lousy attitudes of FA's especially DL and UA and really bad food, really bad!!!!!! I fly fc domestic and buy from the back better food.
Not a snob just well "experienced" older flyer and cranky
I for applaud them. The US Flag carriers should be ashamed of themselves for the lousy product they sell. Coach in EK is superior to FC on any domestic carrier. Having taken two long haul 16 hour flights on EK I am a fan, booking three more International flights and EK will be first stop.
Just tired of smelly planes, lousy attitudes of FA's especially DL and UA and really bad food, really bad!!!!!! I fly fc domestic and buy from the back better food.
Not a snob just well "experienced" older flyer and cranky
Jan 5, 2015, 12:06 pm
#225
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OOPS your right about VX their product from the first was better than most others. And their a partner with EK! AS is my main "squeeze" and they have partnered with Emirates and that is great for "gathering" miles