Why is Qatar Airways a 5 star airline?

[Cliff]

This morning I came back from a three week trip to Thailand. Because my friend and I didn't want to travel on a staff ticket, we both booked a ticket online on Qatar Airways: AMS-LHR-DOH-BKK. The flight from AMS to LHR was on BMI, the other two flights were on Qatar Airways.

My friend and I had high expectations when we started our trip from LHR to BKK as we had read many stories about Qatar Airways online and in different aviation/travel magazines.
We were actually very disappointed about the service in economy class on both flights and think other airlines like BA, Air France, SAS, KLM, Qantas, China Airlines, Thai Airways and Lufthansa, are much better in economy class than Qatar Airways.

We wonder why on earth Qatar Airways is rated a 5 star airline. Is it because of their First and Business Class product?
I really don't understand the 5 star rating! What do you think? What is your opinion?

[loc22550]

Indeed you are right ..Qatar airways has been rated 5 stars but only for the first Class (not sure about business), so basically this concern only a minority passenger Q.A. is carrying.....
The rest is all about propaganda, your post is here to prove it....
Cheers.

[Coppertop]

I flew twice with Qatar Airways into Doha, both times we left Johannesburg 4 hours late and mssed the connection to Abu Dhabi.
At the time Doha airport was a disaster to say the least, thank goodness Etihad is now a direct flight from JHb to Abu Dhabi

[cavortingcheetah]

:hmm:
Flown Qatar a couple of times in business and first. The young have flown in economy. Economy was reported as not being up to much. In both first and business it was all show and not much else. A five star airlne is not created by handing out sweet little track suits in first class. The cabin crews were either terrified of everything if they were Malaysian or little dictators if they were Arabs. It didn't help much being of the same persuasion as them either. The personnel at Doha were really and seriously quite ghastly, although the first class lounge was excellent. It was the women in particular who were vile. Got to say though that some of their prices are hard to beat and will be using them again soon albeit with a grimace. Please make sure you familiarise yourself with the emergency evacuation drills with this operator. The general impression given by so many of the staff is that disembarkation from Qatar Airways is so uppermost in many minds that passengers might get lost in the rush.
Qatar airways is by no means a five star airline, not even in first class to and from London. Mr Akbar Al-Bakr, the CEO, has a terrible reputation with his cabin crew in particular. That is a matter between those parties but you will never, ever have a five star airline if your crews are unhappy!:ugh:

(edited to read: really and seriously unhappy)

[qatarcrew]

Sad but true. I always feel nervous for every flight because I don't know if I will get reported or terminated even for literally.. nothing at all.

Like, if Catering catered an unequal amount of meal choices (more of those that pax dislike and lesser of those that are preferred) and you have to apologise and offer the rest of the passengers, who don't get the meal of their choice, the choice that they don't like. Sometimes, they understand. But for the not-so-understanding ones, they end up hollering at us in front of the other passengers.. :sad:

In such a case, I understand how they feel, but there's really nothing more that I can do after running up and down the whole A/C trying to get them something that they want. It's upsetting because it makes you look incompetent and inferior. Yet at the same time, I cannot be rude or say 'No' to their requests because they have the right to ask for something more when they did not get what they want especially so when they have paid for the trip.

What I'm trying to get across is that, sometimes, it's really not my fault (as a crew) for not being able to offer them the food of their choice.

And alot of issues.. Like some crew, who don't practise teamwork or are not alert/initiative enough, can actually get you into trouble as well.

Little things like these worries the hell out of me. The feeling I get here is, no matter how well I prepare and/or equip myself, there will surely be something that will go wrong. It doesn't have to be a perfect flight, what I don't like is when individuals allow little mistakes to happen, which adds up to become a horrible flight not just within ourselves, but within the A/C, the passengers, and the company..

I appreciate all the passengers who came up and thank me personally, for all the hardwork that I've put in. I'm glad they appreciate my service. For all the tough trainings and restraints I receive prior to flight, it was all worth it..