kama123in
15th Mar 2006, 11:00
Passenger wants to share his experience
I and my wife bought two return first class tickets Delhi -Doha-Paris on Qatar Airways rather than travel on the excellent service of one of your competitors which we have used often.
We did this for 4 reasons. Your adverts, the travel agent recommendation, the flight timings and the price. The travel agent asked me for my comments but I do feel you need to read them too.
Check-in Delhi Airport.
Trainee on first class check in desk. No baggage handler to load luggage. Check in very slow. No card for I st Class lounge in Doha. An extremely rough baggage handler behind the counter literally threw luggage on the exchange conveyor belt.
No flight announcement at Gate. A small blue uniformed man just came through the glass door and shouted "Qatar" and caused a stampede for the door.
Delhi- Doha In flight ( QR 231. 25 Feb 06)
After take off , I was asked if I would like an aperitif. I ordered a whisky and soda. It arrived ready mixed - a vulgar amount of whisky and little soda. Before I could ask for another glass and some soda, food was served. The staff were running around busily serving people something- no menu- which someone had decided was good for us. Question - what is the point of offering an aperitif when no time is given to drink, let alone enjoy, it. Next question - do you think a no choice cafeteria style service which you get on economy is also appropriate for First Class? Does someone in Doha in middle management know what I want to eat?
Finally, I just happen not to eat fruit. Entirely my fault. I am sure your 100% fruit dessert choice is good for the rest of the world. But when I asked for some coffee and some chocolate, I was told there was no chocolate on board. (Wow, that man in Middle management really does know what people want and how to keep costs down.)
I was asked by the head cabin steward to to write to you because as she said her duty is to serve the dinner as fast as possible after take off since this was a short haul flight. The flight time was over 4 hours!!!. Plenty of time to have a civilised aperitif, a dinner of choice and sleep, read, or watch a movie. There is no excuse for this pre ordained, pre programmed eat- what- I give you- when I give you - service. If someone in Middle management is keeping statistics on how quickly the flight staff can close down the kitchen then |I hope they are happy. Personally I think you should fire them.
DOHA Airport.
An absolute ZOO. People sleeping on the ground everywhere , including in duty free. No free seating available, including in the Ist Class lounge which is TINY and packed. The size of the Ist Class lounge is a joke. So we went to the boarding gate early . Even a bigger joke. Seating for not more that 80-100 , yet a jumbo carries 3-4 times as many. It is a disgrace. When we tried to board the aircraft we were told to go back an wait. Economy passengers only. So one had to hang around in this hell hole of a departure area for what.? To be driven- 10 of us- in individual air condition cars for 3 mins to the aircraft. If somebody in middle management thinks this is plus for Qatar over the competition, they should try the competition. My message is simple. If the basics don't work, all this gimmickry is just wickedly bad taste.
Doha-Paris ( QR 21 26 Feb 06)
The best leg of the journey because one could sleep all the way. The flight staff were Ok - attentive and discreet. In term of style, the service manner is too simpering, servile and sweet. A little more confidence and humor would make the experience warmer and human. Miracle of miracles- breakfast had a menu and a choice! The menu looked as though it had been written by one of those snotty London restaurants who serve expensive and poor food. However the food was OK
Paris Luggage.
The luggage arrived quickly. No problem . Of the 3 bags checked in, two were damaged . One canvas bag torn and is irreparable. One suitcase had its retractable handle pulled out, bent and impossible to reinsert. Did I make a report or complain? No .
Frankly I had had enough.
Summary.
Your adverts and your opinion of your airline are one thing. Reality is different. The one thing Qatar airway doesn't not have is CLASS... and that is not something you can buy with serving Don Perignon, tarmac limousines and pretentiously written menus. At best you can cater to the nouveau riche wannabees but I doubt that also. I have been travelling since the days of the constellations and super constellations of the 1950.
I have lived through the jokes of 'Better on a Camel( (BOAC), Try walking across (TWA)
and Such-a-bad-experience-never again (SABENA). But Qatar 1 st class beats them .
all. I regret I have to make the return journey to Delhi but maybe I just throw the ticket away. I strongly suggest you buy your middle management and flight staff a 1st class ticket on Emirates or another leading airline to see how it is done.
I and my wife bought two return first class tickets Delhi -Doha-Paris on Qatar Airways rather than travel on the excellent service of one of your competitors which we have used often.
We did this for 4 reasons. Your adverts, the travel agent recommendation, the flight timings and the price. The travel agent asked me for my comments but I do feel you need to read them too.
Check-in Delhi Airport.
Trainee on first class check in desk. No baggage handler to load luggage. Check in very slow. No card for I st Class lounge in Doha. An extremely rough baggage handler behind the counter literally threw luggage on the exchange conveyor belt.
No flight announcement at Gate. A small blue uniformed man just came through the glass door and shouted "Qatar" and caused a stampede for the door.
Delhi- Doha In flight ( QR 231. 25 Feb 06)
After take off , I was asked if I would like an aperitif. I ordered a whisky and soda. It arrived ready mixed - a vulgar amount of whisky and little soda. Before I could ask for another glass and some soda, food was served. The staff were running around busily serving people something- no menu- which someone had decided was good for us. Question - what is the point of offering an aperitif when no time is given to drink, let alone enjoy, it. Next question - do you think a no choice cafeteria style service which you get on economy is also appropriate for First Class? Does someone in Doha in middle management know what I want to eat?
Finally, I just happen not to eat fruit. Entirely my fault. I am sure your 100% fruit dessert choice is good for the rest of the world. But when I asked for some coffee and some chocolate, I was told there was no chocolate on board. (Wow, that man in Middle management really does know what people want and how to keep costs down.)
I was asked by the head cabin steward to to write to you because as she said her duty is to serve the dinner as fast as possible after take off since this was a short haul flight. The flight time was over 4 hours!!!. Plenty of time to have a civilised aperitif, a dinner of choice and sleep, read, or watch a movie. There is no excuse for this pre ordained, pre programmed eat- what- I give you- when I give you - service. If someone in Middle management is keeping statistics on how quickly the flight staff can close down the kitchen then |I hope they are happy. Personally I think you should fire them.
DOHA Airport.
An absolute ZOO. People sleeping on the ground everywhere , including in duty free. No free seating available, including in the Ist Class lounge which is TINY and packed. The size of the Ist Class lounge is a joke. So we went to the boarding gate early . Even a bigger joke. Seating for not more that 80-100 , yet a jumbo carries 3-4 times as many. It is a disgrace. When we tried to board the aircraft we were told to go back an wait. Economy passengers only. So one had to hang around in this hell hole of a departure area for what.? To be driven- 10 of us- in individual air condition cars for 3 mins to the aircraft. If somebody in middle management thinks this is plus for Qatar over the competition, they should try the competition. My message is simple. If the basics don't work, all this gimmickry is just wickedly bad taste.
Doha-Paris ( QR 21 26 Feb 06)
The best leg of the journey because one could sleep all the way. The flight staff were Ok - attentive and discreet. In term of style, the service manner is too simpering, servile and sweet. A little more confidence and humor would make the experience warmer and human. Miracle of miracles- breakfast had a menu and a choice! The menu looked as though it had been written by one of those snotty London restaurants who serve expensive and poor food. However the food was OK
Paris Luggage.
The luggage arrived quickly. No problem . Of the 3 bags checked in, two were damaged . One canvas bag torn and is irreparable. One suitcase had its retractable handle pulled out, bent and impossible to reinsert. Did I make a report or complain? No .
Frankly I had had enough.
Summary.
Your adverts and your opinion of your airline are one thing. Reality is different. The one thing Qatar airway doesn't not have is CLASS... and that is not something you can buy with serving Don Perignon, tarmac limousines and pretentiously written menus. At best you can cater to the nouveau riche wannabees but I doubt that also. I have been travelling since the days of the constellations and super constellations of the 1950.
I have lived through the jokes of 'Better on a Camel( (BOAC), Try walking across (TWA)
and Such-a-bad-experience-never again (SABENA). But Qatar 1 st class beats them .
all. I regret I have to make the return journey to Delhi but maybe I just throw the ticket away. I strongly suggest you buy your middle management and flight staff a 1st class ticket on Emirates or another leading airline to see how it is done.