Qatar Airways have announced that theyโre launching new fare structures. Sadly, thisโd appear to be bad news for flyers.
Qatar Airways proudly boasts about its business class product. To be fair, they do so for good reason. Innovations such as the Qsuite have changed the way airlines approach their business class offering and have genuinely enhanced travel. Sadly, Qatar Airways are now set to follow the trend being set by many others. Theyโve announced new fare types. This will mean a new Qatar Airways Unbundled business class fare.
There will now be three business class fare categories. These are โClassicโ, โComfortโ and โEliteโ. If you book a โClassicโ fare youโll no longer receive the โclassicโ service you might associate with a ticket in business class. You will no longer be able to gain lounge access, nor will you be able to choose your seat in advance. Once onboard, however, you should notice no difference.
Thoughts
This is a disappointing development from Qatar Airways, and weโre still to find out the finer details. Particularly how frequent flyers will be impacted. From what we know at the moment, in order to access the Al Mourjan business lounge in Doha or any other โQatar Premium Loungeโ youโll need to pay an additional fee. Itโs currently not clear how much this will be.
Of course, there are other lounges at Doha which Qatar Airways already sends oneworld Sapphire and Emerald members to if theyโre in economy. You can find our review of the First Class lounge here. Likewise, in locations such as Bangkok, Sapphire and Emerald members travelling in economy are used to being unable to access the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge Bangkok.
As it stands, Iโm not a huge fan of the Al Mourjan lounge in Doha, which I find impersonal and lacking the understated luxury of the Cathay Pacific lounges in Hong Kong. Likewise, Iโve always preferred the Cathay Pacific lounge in Bangkok to Qatarโs. Still, if travelling in business class, it is not unreasonable to expect to be able to use flagship business class lounges, regardless of ticket type.
Logical?
I question the logic of this. The cost of providing lounge access is marginal. The Al Mourjan lounge is huge. How much money is really being saved by denying all business class passengers the ability to access it? Likewise, Qatar Airways have a problem. Itโs far more convenient to fly from Europe directly to Southeast Asia. Often, Qatar Airways is a cheaper option. but it can come at the cost of inconvenient transfer times. Without lounge access Qatar Airways will be a less attractive option.
No doubt Qatar Airways will claim that this will allow them to offer โbetter valueโ fares which are โoptimisedโ to meet traveller needs. Iโd be highly surprised if the new โClassicโ business fare is any cheaper.
With passenger numbers expected to take until at least 2023 or 2024 to recover, I canโt help but question this move. Qatar Airways have long focussed on their reputation as a premium carrier. Sadly, unbundled business class fares donโt really fit the brief.
Letโs see what the details are when they emerge in full.
