Qatar Airways

[IanFarquharson]

My contacts have not heard anything about an aircraft change but an A350 would be great, Edinburgh loads aren't great but they support the larger aircraft.

 

[Nethercote2019]

Personally I would prefer extra flight (s) as whenever I’ve tried to use this service ive been fine going 1 way but not the other unless wanting long layover in Doha

 

[sheldonb114]

Personally I would prefer extra flight (s) as whenever I’ve tried to use this service ive been fine going 1 way but not the other unless wanting long layover in Doha

Same here, can never seem to get it to work for me both ways.

 

[RichL]

And same here too. One of the reasons I've never used the service sadly.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Apparently we were supposed to have seen an A350 over the peak summer this year but for whatever reason it did not happen. It seems to be a case of when rather than if.

I'd take a 10x weekly A350 any day

 

[Jerry]

This video shows what happens to the cargo that gets exported and imported on the Qatar Airways Doha route. The Doha facility is at the end of the video.

 

[nbdm]

Personally I would prefer extra flight (s) as whenever I’ve tried to use this service ive been fine going 1 way but not the other unless wanting long layover in Doha

Out of interest, does anyone know if there is a concrete reason for the mixed schedule or is it just how QR run their hub banks?

 

[SRDey]

787 to A350?

Would love to see them use a brand new A350 would look great but I don’t think it would be a great considering the airbridge didn't fit but then you never know they may change or upgrade it before a permeant A350 starts. But would really love to see a Qatar 777 as a replacement for the 787 at BHX.

 

[SRDey]

Personally I would prefer extra flight (s) as whenever I’ve tried to use this service ive been fine going 1 way but not the other unless wanting long layover in Doha

I agree they should operate an evening flight from as well Birmingham would help lots of people with connections. Also they really need to start a daily service rather than a weekly one I hope they will very soon.

 

[jfy1999]

I agree they should operate an evening flight from as well Birmingham would help lots of people with connections. Also they really need to start a daily service rather than a weekly one I hope they will very soon.

It is daily at the moment but I'm not sure an evening flight would be better than increasing the morning or lunchtime flights. Only London and Manchester see evening flights at the moment, and if I recall correctly Manchester's evening flight didn't start until pretty recently.

Qatar's primary onward connections for UK passengers probably depart from DOH at different times from Emirates' onward connections (Emirates have fewer morning flights to the UK than evening flights).

 

[Coathanger16]

Just having a quick look at connections in DOH for what are probably the more popular destinations (I'm no expert so sorry if I've missed any obvious ones). All times are local (layover is duration). There's a fairly even split between the morning and lunchtime flights. An evening flight from BHX around 9/10pm would arrive into DOH around 6/7am the next day. With a 2 hour layover minimum, the earliest departure from DOH would be 8-9am. There's probably only a few connections that would help to improve, so Qatar's efforts are probably better focused on expanding upon what they have already. Obviously the table below is one way so doesn't take into account the return journey.

View attachment 14482

Given EDI started a few years before BHX, its probably not a million miles off to look at what's going on up there to try and predict what might happen next at BHX (i.e. larger aircraft before frequency increase). As the A350 can't use the airbridge at BHX (epic fail!), it'll probably take a little longer before there's an upgrade as it would be to a larger aircraft than what EDI currently sees.

 

[SRDey]

It is daily at the moment but I'm not sure an evening flight would be better than increasing the morning or lunchtime flights. Only London and Manchester see evening flights at the moment, and if I recall correctly Manchester's evening flight didn't start until pretty recently.

Qatar's primary onward connections for UK passengers probably depart from DOH at different times from Emirates' onward connections (Emirates have fewer morning flights to the UK than evening flights).

I thought it was weekly I know QR33/34 & QR35/36 fly out on different days I think QR33/34 is Tuesdays & Thursdays whilst QR35/36 is Monday & Wednesday I know one of the flights also operate on Saturday but I can’t remember under which Flight number but then again I could be wrong. Of course I agree increases both the Morning and Afternoon flight if an evening flight is then required after that it would be a huge bonus. I suppose it’s also what works for the passengers and as well as connections for specific flights. I know for me Qatar Airways connections time for Birmingham to Kolkata is too long as well as they only have really have 1 flight to Kolkata that operates 4x weekly for me a evening flight from Birmingham to Doha would be a lot better as it would mean a shorter connection to Kolkata. But so for me for personally I would fly Emirates or Air India to Kolkata as Emirates has 2x flights a day to Kolkata as well there connections time from EK40
- EK570 & EK38- EK572 are much shorter (1hr 30mins-4hrs depending on the flights you have come on) as well as convenient and same for the return leg EK571 - EK37 & EK573-EK39. Air India is another connection that works great even though they cut back AI113/114 to weekly now but for me there connections form Delhi to Kolkata are great option as it’s a domestic flight as well they well 5x daily flights between the two cities as well flights are operated on 787’s & A321’s .

 

[Ray Finkle]

even though they cut back AI113/114 to weekly now

AI113/4 is still 3x weekly, as is AI117/8.

Out of interest, does anyone know if there is a concrete reason for the mixed schedule or is it just how QR run their hub banks?

It's just how QR run their hub with each flight timed to connect into waves of departures to different parts of the world.

From peoples experiences posted on here it seems that there may be situations where flights in one direction offer suitable connections but the same cannot be said about the return so Qatar are missing out on business. An increase in frequency definitely seems to make more sense than a change of aircraft type.

 

[rollo]

AI113/4 is still 3x weekly, as is AI117/8.



It's just how QR run their hub with each flight timed to connect into waves of departures to different parts of the world.

From peoples experiences posted on here it seems that there may be situations where flights in one direction offer suitable connections but the same cannot be said about the return so Qatar are missing out on business. An increase in frequency definitely seems to make more sense than a change of aircraft type.

I'm sure when Qatar started it was a eight weekly service with a double daily on Saturdays and the speculation was that it was being set up for an eventual double daily which has not yet transpired and in fact the frequency was quickly reduced to a split daily so hopefully at some point eventually we will see an increase of some kind in either upgrading in equipment or increased frequency or even both he says living in hope.

The good thing about the Qatar and Emirates once they start a route they give it time and promote it effectively.

 

[Coathanger16]

First 787-9 for Qatar is almost ready. Currently doing test flights.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1169313853836005377

 

[nbdm]

It's just how QR run their hub with each flight timed to connect into waves of departures to different parts of the world.

From peoples experiences posted on here it seems that there may be situations where flights in one direction offer suitable connections but the same cannot be said about the return so Qatar are missing out on business. An increase in frequency definitely seems to make more sense than a change of aircraft type.

I have found this too, looking at going to Melbourne next year for a family event and finding either a 40hr total journey time with 1 stop in Doha for a long time (on the evening flight from BHX) or having the same problem in reverse.

The problem for Melbourne, unlike Sydney is that QR only fly once a day on these dates and the evening flight from BHX misses the connection by a couple of hours, meaning a long layover, whereas the morning flight connects almost seamlessly.
This leads to their booking engine suggesting some very odd or awkward itineraries, ranging from a connection in Sydney onto Qantas, which doesn't increase overall journey time by much but adds another stop which reduces QR appeal over someone like EK.
Or it even offers itineraries involving a train or coach to London Heathrow/Gatwick or Manchester! I am surprised and impressed this is even an option here, I know DB do it in Germany but have never seen an airline marketing combined train & plane journeys in the UK, that is a good idea generally I think (just hope they include some kind of protection if your train is cancelled/delayed!) and wish BHX could capitalise on it in reverse with the fantastic rail connections it has.

As I said before, doing anything but 1 stop in under 24 hours, instantly makes other airlines appeal more such as EK, I am sure I'm not alone in this. Personally I don't really care about the stops or journey time, but others in the party do.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I have found this too, looking at going to Melbourne next year for a family event and finding either a 40hr total journey time with 1 stop in Doha for a long time (on the evening flight from BHX) or having the same problem in reverse.

The problem for Melbourne, unlike Sydney is that QR only fly once a day on these dates and the evening flight from BHX misses the connection by a couple of hours, meaning a long layover, whereas the morning flight connects almost seamlessly.
This leads to their booking engine suggesting some very odd or awkward itineraries, ranging from a connection in Sydney onto Qantas, which doesn't increase overall journey time by much but adds another stop which reduces QR appeal over someone like EK.
Or it even offers itineraries involving a train or coach to London Heathrow/Gatwick or Manchester! I am surprised and impressed this is even an option here, I know DB do it in Germany but have never seen an airline marketing combined train & plane journeys in the UK, that is a good idea generally I think (just hope they include some kind of protection if your train is cancelled/delayed!) and wish BHX could capitalise on it in reverse with the fantastic rail connections it has.

As I said before, doing anything but 1 stop in under 24 hours, instantly makes other airlines appeal more such as EK, I am sure I'm not alone in this. Personally I don't really care about the stops or journey time, but others in the party do.

My wife and I fly to Melbourne most years to visit family. We live on the edge of Bristol and use Emirates, mainly from LGW or LHR but from BHX on one occasion. Their multi-frequencies offer so many alternatives including flying UK-MEL in under 24 hours.

We looked at Qatar's new service from CWL but, like you, found that the single daily frequency from there led to very long stopovers at Doha to change aircraft or flying at times that didn't suit us.

 

[Coathanger16]

First 787-9 for Qatar is almost ready. Currently doing test flights.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1169313853836005377

Update, in full colours now:



If we're not getting any A350's at BHX hopefully we'll see some of these soon.

 

[Jerry]

Update, in full colours now:

View attachment 14628

If we're not getting any A350's at BHX hopefully we'll see some of these soon.

Looks like they did the test at my favourite US airport Portland PDX in Oregon! Something different for there as they only get Delta A330s and 767s there and maybe some freight MD11s.

 

[Brum X]

I love the 787-9 much more than the 787-8 but still prefer the 787 of all variants to that thing Airbus came up with