Qatar Airways

[TheLocalYokel]

Due to the curvature of the upper deck of the A380, and the narrower fuselage of the 787, Qatar are developing a different QSuite for those aircraft that will supposedly still feature the same level of privacy as the 777 QSuite

I'm still not entirely clear about the 380 situation. Both Emirates and Etihad have their first-class suites at the front of the upper deck of their 380s - EK with a 1-2-1 layout and EY with 2-2. Why couldn't Qatar put its Qsuites on the upper deck of its 380s if they too are four-abreast? Are they bigger in area than the first-class suites that both EK and EY can fit into the upper deck of their 380s?

 

[Coathanger16]

I'm still not entirely clear about the 380 situation. Both Emirates and Etihad have their first-class suites at the front of the upper deck of their 380s - EK with a 1-2-1 layout and EY with 2-2. Why couldn't Qatar put its Qsuites on the upper deck of its 380s if they too are four-abreast? Are they bigger in area than the first-class suites that both EK and EY can fit into the upper deck of their 380s?

Whilst technically the seats are 1-2-1 making them 4 abreast, the way the seats are staggered means that 4 abreast takes up the room of 8 seats across the cabin.

Emirates and Etihad both have very similar layouts on the upper deck of their A380's but their seat widths are 18.5" and 20" respectively whilst the QSuite is 21.5". Qatar have stated they could fit the Qsuite on the upper deck of the A380 but that they'd have to reduce the seat width which they don't want to do.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Many thanks, Coathanger.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

QATAR airways displaying on the digital billboard by the ticket barriers at Cardiff Central station during rush hour. Great to see, if there’s any route worth plowing advertising money into, its this one.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Friend of mine has just booked for himself and his girlfriend to visit Kenya from Cardiff via doha in Business class. When I questioned him why he didn’t choose Heathrow, he said it would be a waste of time, effort and money even driving down there.

Hopefully there’s a few people thinking this way and as long as the fares are competitive things will hopefully run alright.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Friend of mine has just booked for himself and his girlfriend to visit Kenya from Cardiff via doha in Business class. When I questioned him why he didn’t choose Heathrow, he said it would be a waste of time, effort and money even driving down there.

Hopefully there’s a few people thinking this way and as long as the fares are competitive things will hopefully run alright.

aviatorconcorde

I've enjoyed your videos on a number of sites on F4A. Thanks again for posting them.

You are obviously a well travelled air passenger and I wonder if you've ever used a Qatar lounge, either at Doha or a dedicated Qatar lounge elsewhere. If so, what sort of standard does the CWL lounge need to reach to compare? I know that some of the lounges used by the ME3 around the world are sometimes shared lounges with another airline or even airport lounges and anecdotal 'evidence' suggests that some are not that great and provide only the bare essentials, and not what premium passengers would expect.

I only have experience of Emirates lounges in recent years and, although I believe that standards have slipped a bit over the past 3-4 years, they are in my opinion still a reasonable experience. My wife and I find them particularly valuable for a night flight when we can eat and drink our fill before boarding leaving more time to try to sleep on the flight.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

aviatorconcorde

I've enjoyed your videos on a number of sites on F4A. Thanks again for posting them.

You are obviously a well travelled air passenger and I wonder if you've ever used a Qatar lounge, either at Doha or a dedicated Qatar lounge elsewhere. If so, what sort of standard does the CWL lounge need to reach to compare? I know that some of the lounges used by the ME3 around the world are sometimes shared lounges with another airline or even airport lounges and anecdotal 'evidence' suggests that some are not that great and provide only the bare essentials, and not what premium passengers would expect.

I only have experience of Emirates lounges in recent years and, although I believe that standards have slipped a bit over the past 3-4 years, they are in my opinion still a reasonable experience. My wife and I find them particularly valuable for a night flight when we can eat and drink our fill before boarding leaving more time to try to sleep on the flight.

Thanks TYL, I’m glad you’ve liked watching them, there’s more to come!

I haven’t actually flown Qatar before! May will be my first time flying Qatar and all in Economy, but I have 4 flights on 4 different aircraft types so I will have good chance to road test them thoroughly. I’ve been through BA, Emirates and Iberia airline lounges plus various third party ones around the world through my Priority Pass card. I was in the refurbished Iberia lounge last week which was excellent.

I personally don’t think the Cardiff lounge is anywhere near where it needs to be to live up to what Qatar apparently offer in Doha. The Qatar Business lounge in Doha is supposedly massive with excellent facilities such as showers etc. I would certainly say the Cardiff lounge needs to offer at least some hot food, perhaps a mini Business centre with a printer and a better display of alcohol on offer. Currently the self service bar in the cardiff lounge is about 3 feet long in a dark corner, and while it does have some good drink options (e.g Penderyn whisky), i think more needs to need to be done. To put this into prespective the 3rd party lounge in Manchester T3 has a fully stocked, fully manned bar, and even though not all airline lounges have staffed bars, I think Cardiff needs to be above the rest moving forward.

I do like the Cardiff lounge however (I’m probably biased mind), it has a friendly atmosphere, wifi, power outlets, comfortable and plentiful seating, friendly staff and what food is on offer is of high quality. It’s also slightly different because the lounge provides massive boards in the lounge giving a display of Welsh goods and produce. The lounge gives a sense of a local, friendly experience. But like I said above, some sort of hot food and better drink display is vital in order to provide a good experience of Qatar business passengers who will then go on and use the flagship lounge facilities in Doha.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thanks for those observations. Hot food is probably what most premium flyers expect in a lounge although with the CWL flight timings business passengers can get a decent meal quite quickly into the flight when most would be looking to eat something anyway. A read of Skytrax shows that some so-called premium lounges around the world can be very poor with some, at certain times of the day, offering little more than crisps, although they are the exception in terms of Skytrax contributors' reports (who are invariably far more negative than positive about airports, lounges and airlines).

Our experience of Emirates lounges centres mainly around Gatwick and Melbourne. They are both joint lounges for business and first class passengers as well as for EK platinum, gold and silver members plus in recent times anyone else who wants to cough up the price of admission. They do provide hot and cold food but it is self-service. The drinks offer a reasonably extensive selection but it is usually self-service, although at times the staff who circulate to replenish the food and clear tables will offer to fetch drinks. I prefer to get ours myself. MEL's lounge has been moved to a different location in the past couple of years and LGW's was refurbished about three years ago.

When we first used EK the aircraft were B777s. When the A380 took over neither lounge was extended in size and it became noticeable how much more crowded they became, although they weren't unpleasantly overcrowded. MEL's lounge (new and old) gives/gave good views of the apron. LGW's has no outside view. The first time we used EK to Oz we flew from BHX. Their EK lounge (no first-class from BHX) was on a par with those at LGW and MEL.

When we reach DXB in either direction it's very early in the morning and we don't want to eat much, and certainly not drink alcohol at that time of day. Consequently we settle for a cup of tea/coffee and a biscuit before having a shower. The new EK lounges (separate first-class lounge as in the old section of terminal 3) in the A380 section of terminal 3 (Concourse A) are huge - almost like airports in themselves. Snag is that not all 380s park there and invariably we have to switch from Concourse A to the old part of terminal 3 (or vice versa) when we change aircraft. It involves a journey by train.

I look forward to see what improvements CWL makes to the lounge.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Can we expect BA to codeshare on this service? This may or may not of been mentioned before. If it has, i've missed it...

 

[Jerry]

Can we expect BA to codeshare on this service? This may or may not of been mentioned before. If it has, i've missed it...

No there isn't a BA codeshare. Maybe it will happen over time. I do know that Qatar are codesharing with Flybe on their Paris CDG flight.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

No there isn't a BA codeshare. Maybe it will happen over time. I do know that Qatar are codesharing with Flybe on their Paris CDG flight.

Ok i see. I know the LHR flights are part of the JV but I could of sworn EDI has the BA code on it too.

 

[Jerry]

Ok i see. I know the LHR flights are part of the JV but I could of sworn EDI has the BA code on it too.

BHX, MAN and EDI all have a BA codeshare on them so hopefully CWL will be included in that eventually.

 

[Bcn_boy]

Now if the airport could get Level to set up some long haul then you have the makings of a mini hub. Back in the real world , the codeshare will probably cover the flights to Doha. Connection opportunities for Vueling passengers surely.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

BHX, MAN and EDI all have a BA codeshare on them so hopefully CWL will be included in that eventually.

It would certainly make sense. Qatar are 20pc shareholders in IAG so they do have some influence over BA.

 

[Kestrel321]

Incorrect - BA2354/5

 

[Jerry]

Incorrect - BA2354/5

There is a BA codeshare? As when I looked on Skyscanner nothing came up.

 

[Bcn_boy]

Definitely a codeshare with BA. BA2354/2355 as stated above.

 

[Jerry]

Yep it's onsale on BAs website. Vuelings and IB Express routes aren't though which is a shame.
Hopefully the airport will advertise the BA codeshare as know doubt there will be passengers who will only book with BA.

 

[KARFA]

Y
Hopefully the airport will advertise the BA codeshare as know doubt there will be passengers who will only book with BA.

if that is the case the irony would be that you would not be on a ba operated flight.

 

[kraktoa]

are Qatar dropping a few flights on this route? what the reason if the rumour is true

Ahh found it on BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-42959775

hmmm....

has this been discussed on the forum.