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

[Warragul]

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".

Indeed, and QR at least must be able to tell the difference between revenue and award pax from scanning the QR ( not the airline) code on boarding passes as OW award pax in J class are not permitted in some of their lounges.

 

[encryptededdy]

Indeed, and QR at least must be able to tell the difference between revenue and award pax from scanning the QR ( not the airline) code on boarding passes as OW award pax in J class are not permitted in some of their lounges.

I don't believe this limitation exists? If you're talking about the Qatar "Premium Lounges" in Singapore etc., OW Award pax are allowed in (at least in my experience).

I know the rules make some reference to "revenue" pax, but I don't think that's enforced and/or they just mean to decline access to people on travel industry fares etc.

 

[SYD]

I don't believe this limitation exists? If you're talking about the Qatar "Premium Lounges" in Singapore etc., OW Award pax are allowed in (at least in my experience).

I know the rules make some reference to "revenue" pax, but I don't think that's enforced and/or they just mean to decline access to people on travel industry fares etc.

Award flights (including on QR) have lounge privileges included, although there have reports of QR PAX being incorrectly denied entry at some Premium Lounges, including at DOH.

 

[encryptededdy]

Award flights (including on QR) have lounge privileges included, although there have reports of QR PAX being denied entry at some Premium Lounges, including at DOH.

I believe the fare code letter is always encoded in the boarding pass barcode, so I assume that's how they tell apart award (U) and cash (P/I/J/whatever).

But my reply was more saying that I don't think it's Qatar's policy to deny access to award J customers (hence the comment that award pax are not permitted is wrong), even if sometimes the lounge denies entry erroneously.

 

[eminere]

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.

EK also has unbundled business fares without advance seat selection, lounge access or chauffeur drive (though the former two can be ameliorated with status).

 

[Warragul]

But my reply was more saying that I don't think it's Qatar's policy to deny access to award J customers (hence the comment that award pax are not permitted is wrong), even if sometimes the lounge denies entry erroneously.

I was just going off the oneworld lounge access website, where for SIN it states for QR revenue pax only from other oneworld carriers. Yet on the lounge access policy page of the same site it does not make mention of revenue pax only for access. Take your pick.

 

[Chrizztofa]

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

I'm thinking about testing this scenario next month (flying AY J from BKK-HEL).
My parents are full-fare so should get access to the QR lounge based on class of service.
My partner and I are on light tickets (I am OWE).

Anecdotal evidence (from 2 years ago) indicate that the boarding passes all just say "Business" so QR may not be able to tell the difference unless the back-end systems can do so...perhaps they've upgraded since AY moved to Avios? Does anyone have some updated guidance on this?

If that fails we'll go to the CX lounge where my partner and I can get in on status.

 

[encryptededdy]

My partner and I are on light tickets (I am OWE).

I *think* the way Finnair's Business Light works is that it's not a seperate booking fare code, so I'm not sure if other airlines can pick up on this information. Anyway, will be curious to hear what happens.

 

[Chrizztofa]

I *think* the way Finnair's Business Light works is that it's not a seperate booking fare code, so I'm not sure if other airlines can pick up on this information. Anyway, will be curious to hear what happens.

That seems correct. All four tickets have booked into "I" class.

There's this note on my partner and my tickets but there is no reference to lounge access as far as I can see.

Restriction(s)/Endorsements

: No Bag Incl/nonref-no Chng

 

[Princess Fiona]

Indeed, and QR at least must be able to tell the difference between revenue and award pax from scanning the QR ( not the airline) code on boarding passes as OW award pax in J class are not permitted in some of their lounges.

Have flown QR J multiple times on Awards and got J lounge access without any issues DOH/LHR/SIN.

 

[drron]

Last year we flew on an unbundled EK ticket in J. Mrsdrron was still QF WP so we could still access the EK SIN lounge even though the tickets were No Lounge access.

 

[Forg]

I wonder what the business case is for a fare like this?
Someone suggested it could’ve been $1500 cheaper … but nobody consumes near $1500’s worth of service or consumables in lounges, so they’d make more money without cutting out the lounge access … is this about making the more expensive flights appear more attractive or something?