One cannot escape the media blitz of millions of dollars on the ads inserted by Qatar Airline as a 5 star airline. But you need to travel only once to find out, how the Tota ram runs its biz.
Way back in 2007, I tried the airline for one of my flights to Europe. After I turned 40, largely I fly only Biz Class, though being an avid global traveler, most of my early life was on the cheapest mode of transport. As much as that when I traveled in Kashmir, it was on the top of a bus from Pehlgam to Gulmarg.
But as you grow older, the basic comfort level , if affordable, then moves to higher class of travel. Now, having seen so many ads of Qatar, I thought of trying it against Lufthansa and British, which were other options at almost the same price band.
Being night flight, it had all the comforts of a flat bet etc and early morning it reached Qatar. Where you are driven away in a BMW to a lounge and from there to a connecting flight. So far so good. And then in the flight from Doha to Munich, the real test starts. The hostess, forgets to serve the main course. But that is also not a big deal as I am not a great fan of airline food.
On the return flight, which had a stop over in Doha for around 16 hours, I had requested for a hotel room as the IATA policy of giving a hotel for any stop over more then 8 hrs . And when you fly Biz class, it is all the more an embedded part of the trip. However, having reached Doha, early morning, I was told that I had to stay put on the lounge and no hotel room would be provided. This was shocking, so I fought hard for my right, but the airline turned a deaf air. I asked for a complaint book and lodged the complaint and took the email id of the CEO of the airline and from the lounge send a mail to him. But I was not alone in this mistreatment. Then came another flight somewhere out of Africa and there was a passenger, whose connecting flight was on the 3rd day and he was asked to be parked in the lounge. Yet another flight and similar issues with all the biz class passengers, who had flights as late as after 24 hrs to 48 hrs and they were all dumped there. This is how a 5 Star airline was treating its biz class customers.
Then came the Air China flight and the connecting flight from Air China was around 12 hours apart. Promptly the biz class passengers were driven to the hotel.
Here was an airline which is till date spending millions and millions on ads and proclaiming itself to be a 5 star airline, but was actually worse then the poorest airline of the world. Infact, when they refused to give me a hotel, I said, I am prepared to pay for additional 100$ and take a hotel room on my own. As much as I can pay 5000$ for the ticket, this will be small money for my comfort. But this also they turned it down stating that they cannot manage to get a transit visa for me. Though right in front of me, they did it for another passenger.
Well, I already have enough life experiences of sleeping on couches on railway stations to tents in a forest to other simple life options. Therefore, I managed it in the lounge. The so called lounge is again a very basic place with seats scattered around and view of the parking space. The view consistently hurts you, when you see that in the parking lot a Pakistani attending the parking lot, is managing the place at temperatures of 50deg C wearing a heavy uniform.
Next, after reaching Jakarta, I wrote again a mail to the CEO and also complained on their website. But never ever got a response from them. Is this height of shamelessness ? Does such an organization call itself a 5 star airline ? Will you fly such an airline after reading this?
These are typical Tota Ram managed companies. Who believe in making money by any means. Never again did I fly Qatar and so did I tell all my friends to avoid this airline.
Against, it my best experiences have been with Singapore Airline, Emirates and to my utmost surprise KLM. Infact, KLM was the most memorable experience, where the hostess, not only pampered you,, but had an uncanny wit and humor to keep you well engaged. The cute little Amsterdam house souvenir is another big attraction of KLM. Even Malaysia airline, where the hostess asked me to write a complaint as my veggie food was not on board, despite request Promptly came a reply to me within one week and they offered me to upgrade me next time on my upcoming flight. What a gesture. Which is 5 star now. Qatar or an underdog Malaysian ?
Way back in 2007, I tried the airline for one of my flights to Europe. After I turned 40, largely I fly only Biz Class, though being an avid global traveler, most of my early life was on the cheapest mode of transport. As much as that when I traveled in Kashmir, it was on the top of a bus from Pehlgam to Gulmarg.
But as you grow older, the basic comfort level , if affordable, then moves to higher class of travel. Now, having seen so many ads of Qatar, I thought of trying it against Lufthansa and British, which were other options at almost the same price band.
Being night flight, it had all the comforts of a flat bet etc and early morning it reached Qatar. Where you are driven away in a BMW to a lounge and from there to a connecting flight. So far so good. And then in the flight from Doha to Munich, the real test starts. The hostess, forgets to serve the main course. But that is also not a big deal as I am not a great fan of airline food.
On the return flight, which had a stop over in Doha for around 16 hours, I had requested for a hotel room as the IATA policy of giving a hotel for any stop over more then 8 hrs . And when you fly Biz class, it is all the more an embedded part of the trip. However, having reached Doha, early morning, I was told that I had to stay put on the lounge and no hotel room would be provided. This was shocking, so I fought hard for my right, but the airline turned a deaf air. I asked for a complaint book and lodged the complaint and took the email id of the CEO of the airline and from the lounge send a mail to him. But I was not alone in this mistreatment. Then came another flight somewhere out of Africa and there was a passenger, whose connecting flight was on the 3rd day and he was asked to be parked in the lounge. Yet another flight and similar issues with all the biz class passengers, who had flights as late as after 24 hrs to 48 hrs and they were all dumped there. This is how a 5 Star airline was treating its biz class customers.
Then came the Air China flight and the connecting flight from Air China was around 12 hours apart. Promptly the biz class passengers were driven to the hotel.
Here was an airline which is till date spending millions and millions on ads and proclaiming itself to be a 5 star airline, but was actually worse then the poorest airline of the world. Infact, when they refused to give me a hotel, I said, I am prepared to pay for additional 100$ and take a hotel room on my own. As much as I can pay 5000$ for the ticket, this will be small money for my comfort. But this also they turned it down stating that they cannot manage to get a transit visa for me. Though right in front of me, they did it for another passenger.
Well, I already have enough life experiences of sleeping on couches on railway stations to tents in a forest to other simple life options. Therefore, I managed it in the lounge. The so called lounge is again a very basic place with seats scattered around and view of the parking space. The view consistently hurts you, when you see that in the parking lot a Pakistani attending the parking lot, is managing the place at temperatures of 50deg C wearing a heavy uniform.
Next, after reaching Jakarta, I wrote again a mail to the CEO and also complained on their website. But never ever got a response from them. Is this height of shamelessness ? Does such an organization call itself a 5 star airline ? Will you fly such an airline after reading this?
These are typical Tota Ram managed companies. Who believe in making money by any means. Never again did I fly Qatar and so did I tell all my friends to avoid this airline.
Against, it my best experiences have been with Singapore Airline, Emirates and to my utmost surprise KLM. Infact, KLM was the most memorable experience, where the hostess, not only pampered you,, but had an uncanny wit and humor to keep you well engaged. The cute little Amsterdam house souvenir is another big attraction of KLM. Even Malaysia airline, where the hostess asked me to write a complaint as my veggie food was not on board, despite request Promptly came a reply to me within one week and they offered me to upgrade me next time on my upcoming flight. What a gesture. Which is 5 star now. Qatar or an underdog Malaysian ?
I LIKE UR WRITINGS SO ALWAYS KEEP IT UP I REMEMBRED UR TRIP TO KASHMIR AND SOME BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS SO I FEEL AND BELEIVE LIFE IS JOURNEY BUT THANKS TO TEKNOLGY WE SHARED
ReplyDeleteThanks Keshav. It is for you that I had a very nice and memorable time in Kashmir. I am now looking forward to come to Udaipur soon. Keep the palace booked .( winks)
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