Qatar Business: gripes and good shows.

[kluge]

Flew from London to HK via Doha the other day on Qatar Business.

Gripe 1
I am really surprised that babies are allowed in business class. When the baby starts screaming it is bedlam and unfair to the other passengers who have paid for these seats and do not expect have to put up with the noise.

I did ask for a comments form but was not given one. However the Qatar cabin crew relocated the family to a quieter part of business class. Whilst welcome I was surprised that I didn't receive a comments card anyway.

While I believe it is inconsiderate of the family in question to take screaming junior into business class in the first place I think it is also inconsiderate of the airline to sell the tickets in the first place. I pay for business class for the service, space and quiet (ear plugs don't drown out screaming babies).

Good Show 1:
Have flown Qatar a number a number of times from HK to London. Overall a really great service an I have been continually impressed by the in flight service and professionalism of the cabin crew.

Gripe 2:
The ground staff at Gatwick are TERRIBLE and rude. I think Qatar sub it out to a group called Serviceair. They are not knowledgeable of the checking in systems/procedures and their customer manner is generally very poor and in one instance at the gate quite rude. Similarly in HK , CX groundstaff handled Qatar check in and not very efficiently resulting in a Qatar staff member having to take over.


Qatar: great service but please note the above gripes. The saying "penny wise pound foolish" comes to mind.

Hope this helps.

[TFlyguy]

I think you'll find all airlines will allow babies in Business - however I stand to be corrected

[MrSoft]

Hmm babies eh? Totally normal, I'm not aware of any carrier who bans revenue earning humans of any description. I think you will find they also allow loud businessmen, drunks, and people getting up and down to go to the loos all the time too!

A lot of ex-pat management in the Middle East have family travel perks written in to their contracts so yes, you see plenty of kids in there. My record was 4 young kids travelling together in J on Etihad. Looking thoroughly bored.

[GroundedSLF]

Every airline that I know will allow infants to travel in any class. While it may be a bit of a disturbance to find yourself sitting next to (or near) a screaming infant, at least in the front end you have noise cancelling headphones :ok:
What you seem to be saying is that its OK for those "down the back" to have to put up with screaming infants - but not those that turn left on entering the aircraft - why? Not just because of the money paid surely, there are many airlines whose full economy fares are almost the same as consolidated APEX J class.