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Qatar Airways - Crap Aircraft - DOH-BKK-DOH


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Any guys thinking of booking Qatar should be aware that they are operating an old, leased aircraft (A340-300) on the DOH-BKK-DOH routes. The seating, IFE and service on this one particular aircraft are well below what you would experience on their normal A330-300/A340-600 aircraft to LHR and MAN.

 

The affected flights are QR612 (DOH-BKK - 2030/0650) and QR613 (BKK-DOH - 0750/1125). All other Bangkok flights are operated on the newer A330-300 aircraft with their recently introduced upgraded service. The only upside is if you are travelling biz class as the first two rows are in a 2-1-2 First Class configuration.

 

Guys travelling from MAN should also note that Qatar will change their schedule from the end of March. Although there are still daily departures, there will only be 4 weekly lunchtime departures that will connect directly onto BKK. The other three days will involve a stopover of 7 hours plus.

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Thanks Tom. I was about to switch to Qatar and take advantage of the competitive fares ex Bangkok in Biz class. (After a long association with KLM who keep squeezing up the fares ex UK). I have had some confusion looking at transit times, I basically couldn't believe them. :finger A saving of a few hundred pounds does not justify a 7 hour layover so close to my old (much disliked) workplace, KSA. I may consider the KLM-China combination for my Manchester trips.

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I used qatar in Nov/Dec for the first time. I would aggree they are a poor carrier. The cabin service was poor. The long connection on outward flight (Doha) was a misery (no proper food/refreshment). Do not even consider the offered refreshment voucher :banana.

This is redeemed at what looked like a school dinner servery hidden at the back of the airport with constant cues of 100+ indian/asian passengers herded along a slow servery.

Doha is a new looking airport under development, with limited services unable to service the high number of transit passengers.

Hope this is of some use.

 

 

Still, all was forgotten when I arrived at Patts :finger :banana :sosad :lovee

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Thanks Tom. I was about to switch to Qatar and take advantage of the competitive fares ex Bangkok in Biz class. (After a long association with KLM who keep squeezing up the fares ex UK). I have had some confusion looking at transit times, I basically couldn't believe them.

 

jacko,

 

If you are in biz class and can book rows 1 or 2 it is a decent enough option ...... the seats are ex-SQ first class.

The (standard) biz class section is rows 11 to 16 (or thereabouts) ......11 onwards, anyway. The seats in that area have limited recline similar to China Airlines 747.

 

As an aside, SQ now fly daily non-stop to MAN and the Swiss/Thai codeshare via Zurich is good value on TG's newer A340s.

Edited by CheshireTom
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jacko,

 

If you are in biz class and can book rows 1 or 2 it is a decent enough option ...... the seats are ex-SQ first class.

The (standard) biz class section is rows 11 to 16 (or thereabouts) ......11 onwards, anyway. The seats in that area have limited recline similar to China Airlines 747.

 

As an aside, SQ now fly daily non-stop to MAN and the Swiss/Thai codeshare via Zurich is good value on TG's newer A340s.

If the layover is over 3 hours, along with the extra flying time going via the Middle East, I would not likely be impressed. My last journey via Emirates seemed interminable. At least the KLM connections and overall travel time (about 14 hrs) get it over with quickly.

 

So SQ no longer fly via Delhi then? Although my searches rarely pull up attractive prices in Biz class with them. (Better ex Bkk or ex Man??)

 

It has been a long time since I flew Swiss, I thought they were going bankrupt. Are the Thai codeshares easy to spot? Again are you booking ex BKK or ex Man?

Edited by jacko
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If the layover is over 3 hours, along with the extra flying time going via the Middle East, I would not likely be impressed. My last journey via Emirates seemed interminable. At least the KLM connections and overall travel time (about 14 hrs) get it over with quickly.

 

So SQ no longer fly via Delhi then? Although my searches rarely pull up attractive prices in Biz class with them. (Better ex Bkk or ex Man??)

 

It has been a long time since I flew Swiss, I thought they were going bankrupt. Are the Thai codeshares easy to spot? Again are you booking ex BKK or ex Man?

 

Jacko,

 

The Swiss/Thai flights are one stop via Zurich and are currently the shortest travelling time from MAN to BKK. I booked them ex UK through gold Medal Travel (Airline Network?) in Preston. The Thai flights are easy to spot as they have 4 digits after the LX prefix. I'll have a dig around and see what prices/timings I can come up with ex BKK.

 

SQ is daily non-stop to MAN from Changi on a 777-200ER. I've never used their biz class but the economy class on that particular aircraft is the best I have "endured" by a long way.

 

Qatar has a deal at the moment for DOH-LON using 50% miles so I've booked that in biz class for next month. It will leave me with 4 miles in my account and then I think I'll switch to SQ.

 

 

Edit in ....... these are the flight numbers/timings .....

 

 

Outbound flight: Bangkok - Manchester via Zurich

00:30 BKK - 07:35 ZRH LX 4301*Business

12:10 ZRH - 13:05 MAN LX 394

 

Return flight: Manchester - Bangkok via Zurich

08:40 MAN - 11:45 ZRH LX 391Business

13:30 ZRH - 05:30 +1 BKK LX 4300*

Edited by CheshireTom
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im back in the uk for 1 week to get new visa and i flew qatar buisness class, i booked seat 1a and i was very hapy with it and the service, at qatar were taken to an exclusive buisness lounge and from qatar to london the plane was a much nicer place and i was in 10 a , bassically the same seat as before but before you go in to first class, i was happy with both flights and would recommend qatar buisness to anyone, and im looking forward to flying back with them on sunday, my stopover eac way is 90 minutes

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Edit in ....... these are the flight numbers/timings .....

 

 

Outbound flight: Bangkok - Manchester via Zurich

00:30 BKK - 07:35 ZRH LX 4301*Business

12:10 ZRH - 13:05 MAN LX 394

 

Return flight: Manchester - Bangkok via Zurich

08:40 MAN - 11:45 ZRH LX 391Business

13:30 ZRH - 05:30 +1 BKK LX 4300*

Nasty time for me to drive to Manchester Airport, the motorway is stationary about then.. have to travel on a Sunday. :rolleyes: Long layover coming back from BKK too. I shall see how much SQ Biz can be had for... or perhaps I should save lots of cash and get into economy, last time I did SQ (BKK-SIN-DPK) they were good back there. Getting hard to justify ever increasing differential. Thanks for your efforts. Edited by jacko
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I have used that 0750 out of Bkk to Doha and to be honest it wasnt that bad.

 

The only differential was that the seat back avod was non operating and since the flight departed at 0750 and most people were asleep within 30 minutes it wasnt an issue.

 

I would use same flight again without question.

 

Chivas

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qatar are ok in business class, although if you read the airline review sites their approval rating seems to be falling all the time, but the ticket would need to be practically free before i would fly economy with them

 

Neil

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qatar are ok in business class, although if you read the airline review sites their approval rating seems to be falling all the time, but the ticket would need to be practically free before i would fly economy with them

 

Neil

 

Why ??

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Understand talks are at an advanced stage however AiaAsiaX problem is lack of a/c.

With EasyJet shortly to start some services from Manchester and the sponsorship of MUFC i am confident AirAsiaX will decide on Manchester as against Stansted. However cannot see service start until 2009.

 

Oasis HK Update

 

Expect an announcement soon on flights ex Manchester. Now expected to start in August via DUS. Tenders have been sent out for cargo contracts !

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I used Qatar airwats last year from The U K . Birmingham , they were as good as any i have been on , Air stewards were very efficient , and the aircraft was new . never had a problem with them . may be you were just unlucky

 

Unfortunately, Qatar Airways doesn't fly to Birmingham. :bigsmile:

Edited by CheshireTom
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Tom.

Serious question,I have paid 505 quid for Man BKK via Abu with Etihad on Sept 6th in economy.I am a fat fucker( 17 stone ) and never flown business class,always look for the cheap option.Flying is a bind for me,just a means to an end.

How do I get a free/cheap upgrade ?

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With EasyJet shortly to start some services from Manchester and the sponsorship of MUFC i am confident AirAsiaX will decide on Manchester as against Stansted. However cannot see service start until 2009.

 

AirAisa and AirAsiaX are two different companies.

 

Will be interesting to see what affect they have on the price of flights to Asia.

 

My only worry is how good the service is going to be, roll on next year when we can find out.

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Tom.

Serious question,I have paid 505 quid for Man BKK via Abu with Etihad on Sept 6th in economy.I am a fat fucker( 17 stone ) and never flown business class,always look for the cheap option.Flying is a bind for me,just a means to an end.

How do I get a free/cheap upgrade ?

 

soi unwise,

 

I wish I knew the answer to that .......... I'd be selling the secret. :bigsmile:

 

Without paying, either in cash or airmiles, there are a whole load of factors that have got to fall exactly right for you to get an upgrade on most of the major carriers nowadays. I would advise sticking to one carrier and accumulating miles in their FF scheme as there are sometimes good offers .......... a return biz class ticket between london and doha is currently only 37.5k airmiles until the end of May with Qatar.

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Just arrived home tonight,have to agree with Cheshire Tom the whloe trip DOH-BKK-DOH was on an older 340, also there were3 people on the LGW-DOH- BKK and 2 on BKK-DOH-LHR who all had printed confirmation of special meals, but none were onboard even though one guy checked in next to me and i heard them tell him that the meals were loaded onboard.

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