Qatar "P" Class - It pays to check when booking flights

[nevstar63]

Purchased a business class ticket on Qatar SYD - LHR through flight centre, and found 3 weeks later there is no lounge access with these tickets!...its a P class ... I mean C'mon 9 and a half grand and no access how ridiculous is that. Ive done the exact trip before 3 years ago for 3 grand less with access... any one got any ideas on how to get them to change it!

 

[SYD]

Do you have any OW status? You can still use OW lounges with status ie SYD QF F/J and the QR Plat/Gold lounges in DOH.

The alternative is to pay more but the fare difference is probably going to be something like $500 each way (maybe more). Possibly made harder booking via FC. Online, direct with QR there‘s probably a “Change” button. But if you don’t have status, perhaps check out the cost of paid to visit lounge options - that might work out cheaper.

 

[Cynicor]

Yeah, it’s absolute nonsense. Business cards should come with bags, seat selection and lounges (except where lounges just don’t exist).

 

[SYD]

Yeah, it’s absolute nonsense. Business cards should come with bags, seat selection and lounges (except where lounges just don’t exist).

Unfortunately, these “unbundled” fares are becoming more common (QR and AY being quite the front runners). BA hasn’t provided seat selection for just a J fare for years.

But they’re great for OW status PAX (generally you still get the same seat, luggage and lounge benefits). The exception is QRs J lounges in DOH and outstations (LHR, SIN etc), but there are usually a OW lounge you can access (ie the same lounge whY PAX with status can use).

Booking them via a 3rd party, it might not but be obvious what’s included/not included. Booking direct, they make it clear what you forgo booking the cheaper option.

 

[Warragul]

The exception is QRs J lounges in DOH and outstations (LHR, SIN etc), but there are usually a OW lounge you can access (ie the same lounge whY PAX with status can use).

A revenue fare in business class on a OW carrier gets you access to QR lounge in Singapore. My experience a fortnight ago, travelling on AY ticket on QF2.

 

[elanshin]

A revenue fare in business class on a OW carrier gets you access to QR lounge in Singapore. My experience a fortnight ago, travelling on AY ticket on QF2.

I think he means if you're on an unbundled QR J ticket using OW status to cover the gap. In which case I believe you would be denied.

 

[Himeno]

For my first solo overseas trip (about a month in the US with a SYD-SFO return on NZ and a series of one way domestics), I booked what I could online (such as it was in early 2005) and booked other sectors as needed from travel agents.

I needed to get from BWI to BOS in the evening. I had a bus booked in the morning from State Collage, PA where I was staying with a friend for a few days, and was meeting another friend at BOS to stay with them for a few days. I already had the bus booked, but the flight... there were some options in the needed time period, but nothing available to book online, so off to the travel agent.
While talking to the travel agent, I detailed everything I needed and gave them the bus arrival time in Baltimore. They found a flight to BOS that met the time requirements and it was all confirmed with the correct times on the paperwork they printed at the office.
Then when I got home, and rechecked the emailed ticket confirmation, I saw that the agent had booked the morning flight, not the evening flight. ie, not the flight that we had talked about.
I quickly sent them back a rather annoyed email and got it fixed within a few hours.

Another of the US domestic flights that trip required a paper ticket (the majority were e tickets). The paper ticket had to be printed in Sydney, but there wasn't enough time to get it to Canberra to pick up from the agent before I left, so it was sent to the SYD NZ check in counter for me to collect there.

I still find what happened on the return flight of that trip to be a bit funny.
Landed in AKL from SFO for the connection on to SYD.
There was no one in the terminal when we got off the plane. A few minutes after getting to the SYD gate, there was PA announcement saying that staff may now reenter the evacuated terminal.
They allowed a plane load of people into a terminal that had been evacuated.

 

[SYD]

I think he means if you're on an unbundled QR J ticket using OW status to cover the gap. In which case I believe you would be denied.

Correct, but I wonder if the AY J fare had been “unbundled” would it still let you into the SIN QR lounge?

 

[Warragul]

I'm not sure how unbundled my AY fare was, baggage allowance was 1 X 23 and no seat selection unless OW status applied. From a vague memory it wasn't the 'bottom of the rung' fare, but the next one up.

 

[bam71]

Purchased a business class ticket on Qatar SYD - LHR through flight centre, and found 3 weeks later there is no lounge access with these tickets!...its a P class ... I mean C'mon 9 and a half grand and no access how ridiculous is that. Ive done the exact trip before 3 years ago for 3 grand less with access... any one got any ideas on how to get them to change it!

What you paid then has no relevance to what they are charging now unfortunately

 

[SYD]

I'm not sure how unbundled my AY fare was, baggage allowance was 1 X 23 and no seat selection unless OW status applied. From a vague memory it wasn't the 'bottom of the rung' fare, but the next one up.

Hmm, yes that sounds like something in between an AY unbundled fare and regular J!

This article, at the time summarises what’s in/out (I hadn’t realised that EK was leading the charge).

The era of unbundled airfares from Economy to Business

More carriers are starting to separate out benefits across Economy and Business Class.

www.pointhacks.com.au

 

[CaptJCool]

IF i Had paid $9,500 for a Qatar J, I too would expect Lounge access

however, If for whatever that dream was thwarted, I would eat and drink and drink some more and be merry on board to "shove it up theres"

 

[Gold Member]

Sorry to hear about the lounge access situation @nevstar63. That’s far from ideal.

Count yourself lucky you weren’t flying with Qantas. You could have been denied boarding due to your ”bundle of rights” expiring due to legal reasons, or your flight being cancelled due to Qantas Management deliberately selling you a ghost flight with no lounge at all. The Qantas PR machine will quote all sorts of lies to get you back, but there’s no end to their fraudulent and dishonest behaviour.

Despite your experience, Qatar Airlines is miles ahead of Qantas in every respect. Armed with the knowledge of unbundled fares, I encourage you to give them another chance.

 

[jase05]

IF i Had paid $9,500 for a Qatar J, I too would expect Lounge access

however, If for whatever that dream was thwarted, I would eat and drink and drink some more and be merry on board to "shove it up theres"

The unbundled business fares can be around $1200 cheaper So in this instance a proper business fare may have been over $10k. Some people are happy to forego lounge access to save that kind of money especially if travelling as a couple or family.
Always important to check these things out when booking through a third party or TA

 

[SYD]

Sorry to hear about the lounge access situation @nevstar63. That’s far from ideal.

Count yourself lucky you weren’t flying with Qantas. You could have been denied boarding due to your ”bundle of rights” expiring due to legal reasons, or your flight being cancelled due to Qantas Management deliberately selling you a ghost flight with no lounge at all. The Qantas PR machine will quote all sorts of lies to get you back, but there’s no end to their fraudulent and dishonest behaviour.

Despite your experience, Qatar Airlines is miles ahead of Qantas in every respect. Armed with the knowledge of unbundled fares, I encourage you to give them another chance.

But you’d get lounge access with QF (and most other airlines booking J).

Thinking about it, it’s quite sneaky now that QR have those P fares. On searches like ITA Matrix, it makes them look “cheaper” than some others but it’s not a like for like comparison.

I have an upcoming QR booking ex-CGK P class to Europe and D class back - which I knew full well what that meant. Many wouldn’t.

Oh, and the one QSuite sector has been subbed for 2x2x2 J config which is pretty average.

 

[fly2earth]

I still find what happened on the return flight of that trip to be a bit funny.
Landed in AKL from SFO for the connection on to SYD.
There was no one in the terminal when we got off the plane. A few minutes after getting to the SYD gate, there was PA announcement saying that staff may now reenter the evacuated terminal.
They allowed a plane load of people into a terminal that had been evacuated.

I remember it was a rando November morning at 5am right? Happened at AKL

 

[encryptededdy]

Count yourself lucky you weren’t flying with Qantas. You could have been denied boarding due to your ”bundle of rights” expiring due to legal reasons, or your flight being cancelled due to Qantas Management deliberately selling you a ghost flight with no lounge at all. The Qantas PR machine will quote all sorts of lies to get you back, but there’s no end to their fraudulent and dishonest behaviour.

Despite your experience, Qatar Airlines is miles ahead of Qantas in every respect. Armed with the knowledge of unbundled fares, I encourage you to give them another chance.

If you're going to complain about other users defending Qantas on topics that don't even relate to Qantas, then you really shouldn't post your long complaint about Qantas in this thread which has no mention of Qantas before you posted.

Also as mentioned, the OP would have had lounge access had they been on a Qantas business class flight, regardless of the fare class booked.

Correct, but I wonder if the AY J fare had been “unbundled” would it still let you into the SIN QR lounge?

This is an interesting question. Does the oneworld IT system know of these unbundled fares? Would the Sydney Qantas lounge deny you access to the lounge on a QR unbundled fare, for instance? (or as you mention, an AY unbundled fare in the SIN QR lounge). Would they even know?

through flight centre

Was this just on their website, or through consultation with a travel agent? I'd say for the latter the blame lies somewhat on Flight Centre for not informing you on the limitations of this ticket.

 

[RooFlyer]

Would the Sydney Qantas lounge deny you access to the lounge on a QR unbundled fare, for instance? (or as you mention, an AY unbundled fare in the SIN QR lounge). Would they even know?

Knowing the relationship between QR and QF, I suspect someone would have gone to the trouble of specifically making sure a QR boarding pass, when scanned & shows up a P class would get an instant "Nyet".

 

[encryptededdy]

Knowing the relationship between QR and QF, I suspect someone would have gone to the trouble of specifically making sure a QR boarding pass, when scanned & shows up a P class would get an instant "Nyet".

As in trained the Lounge reception to reject Qatar P-class? Maybe
As in Qantas IT making the computer reject this case? Doubt they're capable of that

 

[Gold Member]

If you're going to complain about other users defending Qantas on topics that don't even relate to Qantas, then you really shouldn't post your long complaint about Qantas in this thread which has no mention of Qantas before you posted.

Two sentences contrasting the OP‘s experience to the woes of another airline is a “Long complaint”?