Very Bad Experience With Qatar Airways

[mgacourt]

I would like to advise users of your website never to fly on Qatar Airways.

I originally booked a flight to Delhi and back, one part of which Qatar Airways simply dropped a few days before I was due to fly out. They never contacted me about this as I only learned about it when I phoned their Gatwick number to enquire about an unrelated issue about the flights.

As a replacement flight to the one they dropped (Doha to Gatwick), they put in place a flight that was supposed to fly out 11 hours later than the one originally scheduled. The result being that when I landed in Doha, I was denied a hotel room and had to contend with the dreadful food they give to passengers awaiting transfer in the Doha airport. The reason they gave for this is that the original booking I made never included a hotel room as the original transfer time in Doha was less that 8 hours. However, they, out-of-the-blue, canceled this flight and scheduled another one that was 19 hours after I landed in Doha, way over the 8 hours cut-off-point for a hotel. I tried enquiring about paying for a hotel out of my own pocket, but I was again even denied this information.

The upshot of all this is that I was forced to spend 19 hours staring like a mad thing at the floor of an airport terminal.

I had flown Qatar before this and thought their service was good. However, I, along with numerous friends, work colleagues and relatives to whom I have explained what happened to me, will not use this company ever again after the kind of appalling service I was subjected to. I hope you will agree and that your users should review any flight arrangements they have made now and in the future with this company based on my experience.

In short, stay well clear of this "airline".

[AjarnChan]

I would like to advise users of your website never to fly on Qatar Airways.

I originally booked a flight to Delhi and back, one part of which Qatar Airways simply dropped a few days before I was due to fly out. They never contacted me about this as I only learned about it when I phoned their Gatwick number to enquire about an unrelated issue about the flights.

As a replacement flight to the one they dropped (Doha to Gatwick), they put in place a flight that was supposed to fly out 11 hours later than the one originally scheduled. The result being that when I landed in Doha, I was denied a hotel room and had to contend with the dreadful food they give to passengers awaiting transfer in the Doha airport. The reason they gave for this is that the original booking I made never included a hotel room as the original transfer time in Doha was less that 8 hours. However, they, out-of-the-blue, canceled this flight and scheduled another one that was 19 hours after I landed in Doha, way over the 8 hours cut-off-point for a hotel. I tried enquiring about paying for a hotel out of my own pocket, but I was again even denied this information.

The upshot of all this is that I was forced to spend 19 hours staring like a mad thing at the floor of an airport terminal.

I had flown Qatar before this and thought their service was good. However, I, along with numerous friends, work colleagues and relatives to whom I have explained what happened to me, will not use this company ever again after the kind of appalling service I was subjected to. I hope you will agree and that your users should review any flight arrangements they have made now and in the future with this company based on my experience.

In short, stay well clear of this "airline".

It is sad to hear your tale, and I am sure we all wish it had not happened to you, or anybody else. But to try to 'blacklist' any Airline for your own personal 'vendetta' is infantile behaviour. Please grow up! Having to wait for long boring periods in airport lounges is all part of the routine for millions of people. In these troubled economic times it is a miracle that any airline manages to keep schedules running, they are facing numerous uncertainties.

I have flown with Qatar many times, they are a world class Airline and I will use them again

Finally this is a Thai based website, yet your posting has nothing to do with Thailand

[Carib]

So you became a member of thaivisa just to defame an airline?? I am sure there are other ways.

[Lucifer]

After that tantrum, I'll be flying Qatar Airways next time I fly to Bangkok.

[regfrancis]

After that tantrum, I'll be flying Qatar Airways next time I fly to Bangkok.

I'm not suprised, I flew with them last year but will go Qantas this year

[samui04]

I would like to advise users of your website never to fly on Qatar Airways.

The upshot of all this is that I was forced to spend 19 hours staring like a mad thing at the floor of an airport terminal.

well, you should have taken a sleeping pill

4 year stop over all paid, hahahahahahahahah.

Don't worry, i'll never fly Qatar even if they pay me

[geriatrickid]

Edited May 20, 2009 by geriatrickid

[apetley]

I would like to offer my sympathy to the OP for what appears to be very shabby service.

If the original flight was cancelled and replaced with one causing a delay of 19 hours the airline must surely have been aware that they would have been obliged to provide accommodation.

I for one would be seeking some form of redress.

Having said that all my experiences on Qatar have been very good and I would have no hesitation using them again.

Hopefully a one off.

[brianw]

Yesterday my wife was due to fly out with Qatar to BKK via Doha she was flying from Gatwick U K The night before she got a phone call saying her flight has been rescheduled to Heathrow and she could make her own way to LHR or turn up at LGW and get a coach. No real problem but they could not tell me about the return airport. They did say the rescheduling was because of empty planes

[julesandmartin]

Yesterday my wife was due to fly out with Qatar to BKK via Doha she was flying from Gatwick U K The night before she got a phone call saying her flight has been rescheduled to Heathrow and she could make her own way to LHR or turn up at LGW and get a coach. No real problem but they could not tell me about the return airport. They did say the rescheduling was because of empty planes

All part of the downside of cheap ticket prices I am afraid, no doubt when you booked Qatar they were the cheapest you could find?

On a flight from London to Dubai via Doha on Qatar they diverted the flight to Frankfurt to pick up German passengers for the reason that both the UK and German flights were only half full so they consolidated them. This caused us to miss our last connection that evening to Dubai so they put us up in a 4 Star Hotel with an evening meal, no complaints from me.

Qatar may be among the better Middle East airlines but remember Arabs don't usually do 'customer service', well only in the advertising anyway never at the point of delivery. Your refusal of accommodation was possibly management cost-saving enforced by an Indian member of staff who works 60hours a week for $400/month maximum sleeping six to a room the size of a shoebox.

[BigSnake]

I would like to advise users of your website never to fly on Qatar Airways.

I originally booked a flight to Delhi and back, one part of which Qatar Airways simply dropped a few days before I was due to fly out. They never contacted me about this as I only learned about it when I phoned their Gatwick number to enquire about an unrelated issue about the flights.

As a replacement flight to the one they dropped (Doha to Gatwick), they put in place a flight that was supposed to fly out 11 hours later than the one originally scheduled. The result being that when I landed in Doha, I was denied a hotel room and had to contend with the dreadful food they give to passengers awaiting transfer in the Doha airport. The reason they gave for this is that the original booking I made never included a hotel room as the original transfer time in Doha was less that 8 hours. However, they, out-of-the-blue, canceled this flight and scheduled another one that was 19 hours after I landed in Doha, way over the 8 hours cut-off-point for a hotel. I tried enquiring about paying for a hotel out of my own pocket, but I was again even denied this information.

The upshot of all this is that I was forced to spend 19 hours staring like a mad thing at the floor of an airport terminal.

I had flown Qatar before this and thought their service was good. However, I, along with numerous friends, work colleagues and relatives to whom I have explained what happened to me, will not use this company ever again after the kind of appalling service I was subjected to. I hope you will agree and that your users should review any flight arrangements they have made now and in the future with this company based on my experience.

In short, stay well clear of this "airline".

First time I have heard of bad service from this Airline, what's hope with mangement these days. Just info we all need to know when deal with any airline.

[syd barrett]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck with Qatar Airways old chum. I have had an isolated bad experience with almost every airline over the years, these things happen.

I had delayed baggage with British Airways, very long waits in Dubai, Doha, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi, it's not always the airlines fault.

Sure, if you have persistant bad service with an airline thenchange airline, but Qatar Airways are one of only 7 five star airlines in the world. That puts them in the top 0.01356% of worldwide airlines.

If you are stuck in Doha airport in economy class for ANY reason for 8 hours or more then presenting your boarding pass to a Gold or Silver lounge receptionist will give you free access to the lounge, then you have free internet, hot & cold foods and soft drinks and hot beverages. Blankets are also available in these said lounges. NO alcoholic drinks however in the Economy terminal.

Then following you (bad) experience, you can put your complaints in writing in a clear and concise manner to Qatar Airways customer relations in Doha and if, they consider you case to be genuine and unfortunate you will be credited a generous credit of airmiles to you Qmiles frequent-flyer account.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[expatman]

Then following you (bad) experience, you can put your complaints in writing in a clear and concise manner to Qatar Airways customer relations in Doha and if, they consider you case to be genuine and unfortunate you will be credited a generous credit of airmiles to you Qmiles frequent-flyer account.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Don't count on getting any response to a complaint letter. The only time I flew on Qatar airways it took me 2 days to get from Bangkok to Aden, and it was the worst air journey I have ever taken. See details in the complaint letter below, which I mailed to the Qatar airways Bangkok office, with a copy to the Doha head office. I received a reply from the Bangkok office saying they forwarded my complaint to their head office, but then I never heard from them again !

Here's the text of my complaint letter :

Managing Director, Qatar Airways

21st Floor P.S. Tower, 36/74 Sukhumvit 21 Road (Asoke)

Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Dear Sir,

Recently I booked a return flight from Bangkok to Aden, Yemen on Qatar Airways. The outbound flight on March 31 (QR613 / QRIY4454) was the worst flight I have ever taken in over 25 years of international travel. The service provided by Qatar Airways was far from the “5-star service” which you claim in your advertisements, and you certainly did NOT take me “more personally.”

Here is a history of what happened on that horrible journey :

1. The flight was late taking off from Bangkok, supposedly due to late arrival of the aircraft. (However, while checking in I noticed a sign from the previous day saying the same flight that day was late departing for the same reason.)

2. When the plane arrived in Doha it was even later (although the captain had promised to try and make up the time).

3. When the plane arrived in Doha there was an additional delay, supposedly because there were “no parking spaces available”. This is a pitiful excuse, as all planes were parked on the open tarmac.

4. When I finally arrived at the terminal building 15 minutes before departure of my connecting flight to Aden there was no customer service representative at the gate to assist passengers. Where was the personal service you claim to offer ? I had to push my way through the crowds to get to the transit desk, but by then it was too late, the flight to Aden has already left.At the transit desk they took my ticket and passport and said new flight arrangements would be made. For over 4 hours I was left without any information, although I repeatedly asked every hour or so. Finally I was given a hotel and transport voucher, told to come back the next day at 10am and told that I would be put on the 12 noon flight to Cairo with a connecting Yemenia flight to Aden.

5. When I arrived at 10am the next morning at the information desk there were no tickets there for the onward flights, and a representative from Qatar Airways could not be located. Again I waited and waited without any information being supplied. Finally a few minutes before twelve noon I was told there were no seats available on the Cairo-Aden flight (this should have been known the day before !). I was also told that I would be flown to Jeddah by Qatar Airways and from there I would take a Yemenia flight to Sana’a, stay in Sana’a overnight, and take a morning flight to Aden. I was not given any tickets, only a sheet of paper which appeared to be some kind of ticket requisition authorization. I was further told that I would be met in Jeddah and Sana’a where local representatives would take care of all arrangements.

6. On arriving at Jeddah Airport my passport and the ticket requisition was taken and again I was left alone without any information. Finally someone came back and I identified my suitcase (which I saw was tagged as being checked through to Aden). Then I was taken to the departure lounge and told to wait for the tickets. By the time last call was made I still did not have any tickets, so I went to the departure desk and told them they couldn’t leave as my suitcase was already on board, but I didn’t have my tickets yet. At the departure gate I was told I could only get a ticket to Sana’a but could pay cash for the Sana’a to Aden flight ! I refused this extortion attempt and said I would take the Jeddah-Sana’a ticket and deal with the manager in Sana’a. Finally I was allowed to board the plane, where my suitcase was waiting for at the foot of the boarding stairway.

7. On arrival in Sana’a there was no Qatar Airways representative to be found ! After I tracked down the Yemenia manager who allowed me to use his personal mobile phone to call the Qatar Airways representative who claimed to know nothing about my problem, although I had seen a copy of the telex sent by the Sana’a manager to the offices in Jeddah and Sana’a. Finally the Qatar Airways manager said he would call back, and after about 2 hours transport and hotel arrangements were finalized. The Qatar Airways manager promised to meet me the next morning at the airport to provide the ticket to Aden.

8. When I arrived at Sana’a Airport the next morning the manager was not there ! A clerk showed up about 30 minutes before departure time, but she knew nothing about my problem until she checked the telex machine. Finally after some frantic scrambling around and heated discussions between the Qatar Airways clerk and Yemenia Airways staff I was allowed to board the flight and arrived in Aden more than 2 days after departing Bangkok.

The return flight from Aden to Bangkok on April 21 was uneventful, but due to all of the above-listed problems caused by inefficiency of your staff I should be refunded one-half of the purchase price, representing the outbound portion of my trip. This amounts to Baht 35,329 / 2 = Baht 17,664.50. On this particular trip I was traveling on business for a short-term consulting assignment for a World Bank sponsored project in Aden, and since your incompetence caused me to miss one day of work you should also pay me USD 450 for the lost income.

Copy to :

Managing Director, Qatar Airways Head Office

Qatar Airways Tower, Airport Road

P.O. Box 22550, Doha, Qatar

[cuddleypete]

We had a bad flight with qatar airways 2 years ago and only fly with thai airways or ethaid now,but if qatar came up very cheap then we would fly with them

[syd barrett]

Then following you (bad) experience, you can put your complaints in writing in a clear and concise manner to Qatar Airways customer relations in Doha and if, they consider you case to be genuine and unfortunate you will be credited a generous credit of airmiles to you Qmiles frequent-flyer account.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

Don't count on getting any response to a complaint letter. The only time I flew on Qatar airways it took me 2 days to get from Bangkok to Aden, and it was the worst air journey I have ever taken. See details in the complaint letter below, which I mailed to the Qatar airways Bangkok office, with a copy to the Doha head office. I received a reply from the Bangkok office saying they forwarded my complaint to their head office, but then I never heard from them again !

Here's the text of my complaint letter :

Managing Director, Qatar Airways

21st Floor P.S. Tower, 36/74 Sukhumvit 21 Road (Asoke)

Bangkok 10110, Thailand

Dear Sir,

Recently I booked a return flight from Bangkok to Aden, Yemen on Qatar Airways. The outbound flight on March 31 (QR613 / QRIY4454) was the worst flight I have ever taken in over 25 years of international travel. The service provided by Qatar Airways was far from the “5-star service” which you claim in your advertisements, and you certainly did NOT take me “more personally.”

Here is a history of what happened on that horrible journey :

1. The flight was late taking off from Bangkok, supposedly due to late arrival of the aircraft. (However, while checking in I noticed a sign from the previous day saying the same flight that day was late departing for the same reason.)

2. When the plane arrived in Doha it was even later (although the captain had promised to try and make up the time).

3. When the plane arrived in Doha there was an additional delay, supposedly because there were “no parking spaces available”. This is a pitiful excuse, as all planes were parked on the open tarmac.

4. When I finally arrived at the terminal building 15 minutes before departure of my connecting flight to Aden there was no customer service representative at the gate to assist passengers. Where was the personal service you claim to offer ? I had to push my way through the crowds to get to the transit desk, but by then it was too late, the flight to Aden has already left.At the transit desk they took my ticket and passport and said new flight arrangements would be made. For over 4 hours I was left without any information, although I repeatedly asked every hour or so. Finally I was given a hotel and transport voucher, told to come back the next day at 10am and told that I would be put on the 12 noon flight to Cairo with a connecting Yemenia flight to Aden.

5. When I arrived at 10am the next morning at the information desk there were no tickets there for the onward flights, and a representative from Qatar Airways could not be located. Again I waited and waited without any information being supplied. Finally a few minutes before twelve noon I was told there were no seats available on the Cairo-Aden flight (this should have been known the day before !). I was also told that I would be flown to Jeddah by Qatar Airways and from there I would take a Yemenia flight to Sana’a, stay in Sana’a overnight, and take a morning flight to Aden. I was not given any tickets, only a sheet of paper which appeared to be some kind of ticket requisition authorization. I was further told that I would be met in Jeddah and Sana’a where local representatives would take care of all arrangements.

6. On arriving at Jeddah Airport my passport and the ticket requisition was taken and again I was left alone without any information. Finally someone came back and I identified my suitcase (which I saw was tagged as being checked through to Aden). Then I was taken to the departure lounge and told to wait for the tickets. By the time last call was made I still did not have any tickets, so I went to the departure desk and told them they couldn’t leave as my suitcase was already on board, but I didn’t have my tickets yet. At the departure gate I was told I could only get a ticket to Sana’a but could pay cash for the Sana’a to Aden flight ! I refused this extortion attempt and said I would take the Jeddah-Sana’a ticket and deal with the manager in Sana’a. Finally I was allowed to board the plane, where my suitcase was waiting for at the foot of the boarding stairway.

7. On arrival in Sana’a there was no Qatar Airways representative to be found ! After I tracked down the Yemenia manager who allowed me to use his personal mobile phone to call the Qatar Airways representative who claimed to know nothing about my problem, although I had seen a copy of the telex sent by the Sana’a manager to the offices in Jeddah and Sana’a. Finally the Qatar Airways manager said he would call back, and after about 2 hours transport and hotel arrangements were finalized. The Qatar Airways manager promised to meet me the next morning at the airport to provide the ticket to Aden.

8. When I arrived at Sana’a Airport the next morning the manager was not there ! A clerk showed up about 30 minutes before departure time, but she knew nothing about my problem until she checked the telex machine. Finally after some frantic scrambling around and heated discussions between the Qatar Airways clerk and Yemenia Airways staff I was allowed to board the flight and arrived in Aden more than 2 days after departing Bangkok.

The return flight from Aden to Bangkok on April 21 was uneventful, but due to all of the above-listed problems caused by inefficiency of your staff I should be refunded one-half of the purchase price, representing the outbound portion of my trip. This amounts to Baht 35,329 / 2 = Baht 17,664.50. On this particular trip I was traveling on business for a short-term consulting assignment for a World Bank sponsored project in Aden, and since your incompetence caused me to miss one day of work you should also pay me USD 450 for the lost income.

Copy to :

Managing Director, Qatar Airways Head Office

Qatar Airways Tower, Airport Road

P.O. Box 22550, Doha, Qatar

Thanks for sharing this experience. It sounds like a nightmare. But the problem was a delayed flight from Bangkok.

If you ever miss a connection in Doha, NEVER accept an alternative airline. Stick you feet on the ground and demand the next available Qatar Airways flight. You have the right to do this even if the connecting flight is weekly. They will just have to put you up in a hotel in Doha.

[Spee]

Yesterday my wife was due to fly out with Qatar to BKK via Doha she was flying from Gatwick U K The night before she got a phone call saying her flight has been rescheduled to Heathrow and she could make her own way to LHR or turn up at LGW and get a coach. No real problem but they could not tell me about the return airport. They did say the rescheduling was because of empty planes

All part of the downside of cheap ticket prices I am afraid, no doubt when you booked Qatar they were the cheapest you could find?

On a flight from London to Dubai via Doha on Qatar they diverted the flight to Frankfurt to pick up German passengers for the reason that both the UK and German flights were only half full so they consolidated them. This caused us to miss our last connection that evening to Dubai so they put us up in a 4 Star Hotel with an evening meal, no complaints from me.

Qatar may be among the better Middle East airlines but remember Arabs don't usually do 'customer service', well only in the advertising anyway never at the point of delivery. Your refusal of accommodation was possibly management cost-saving enforced by an Indian member of staff who works 60hours a week for $400/month maximum sleeping six to a room the size of a shoebox.

Whether we care to acknowledge it or not, purchase of an airline ticket constitutes a contract and that contract often includes an awful lot of fine print. I'm sure if you and the OP read the fine print of your contract, you will notice that the airline is allowed to make these sorts of changes.

I'm not saying that I wouldn't be as frosted as you with these kinds of changes, rather that these sorts of things should be considered when choosing an airline and paying for a ticket.

As for the OP not being offered a hotel for an extended layover, when in Qatar or elsewhere in the Middle East, you're "not in Kansas any more." You can't go to a hotel because you don't have a visa to clear immigration and enter the country. This is a government rule, not an airline rule.

There can be some long layovers when going via the Middle East on so-called cheaper flights. What is your time worth? Thirty GDP/Euro/USD per hour? More? IMHO, the value of your time should be taken into consideration when choosing a long haul airline.

Personally, on the LHR-BKK route, I've always preferred BA or Qantas. Usually more expensive, but also non-stop and runs over night on the outbound and arrives early AM on the inbound, thereby minimizing the effects of jet lag.

[jeffer]

I would like to advise users of your website never to fly on Qatar Airways.

In short, stay well clear of this "airline".

It is sad to hear your tale, and I am sure we all wish it had not happened to you, or anybody else. But to try to 'blacklist' any Airline for your own personal 'vendetta' is infantile behaviour. Please grow up! Having to wait for long boring periods in airport lounges is all part of the routine for millions of people. In these troubled economic times it is a miracle that any airline manages to keep schedules running, they are facing numerous uncertainties.

I have flown with Qatar many times, they are a world class Airline and I will use them again

Finally this is a Thai based website, yet your posting has nothing to do with Thailand

So you became a member of thaivisa just to defame an airline?? I am sure there are other ways.

After that tantrum, I'll be flying Qatar Airways next time I fly to Bangkok.

mgacourt probably won't be back as they are very busy on the internet.

I imagine Qatar are glad to see the back of him