DECEIVED BY QATAR AIR
I am member of Qatar Air loyality programme.I purchased return ticket Ahmedabad-Doha-Ahmedbad before two monhts of travel using my qmiles,for my Son.He came schedule flight and then he suppose to go as schedule.I reconfirmed tkt prior 72 hours of dept.I reported 3 hours before in airport and they refuse to board saying me your seat has been cancelled.They have my mobile number,email and land line and fax number.they never boathered to inform me. I argued but officer on duty said we can do it any time.
when I complained they threw some peace of bread to me which I dont need in fact.one officer on duty told me we book you other day,I told him what gurentee you have, since you can do it any time you want. well my son gone but----
1 he lost very importent lessons
2 all arrange ment of transfer lost and we had to re arrange(which really costs)
And who will trust Qatar Air next time? I felt hurt and insulted in airport since duty officer was saying this is free ticket and you do not have right to travel when you want.
I want to change this system or will ask Qatar Air to stop this loyality programe.I am still waiting the answer from Qatar Airways
as far as I understand too that...
ICAO is responsible for every countries Aviation Authorities that will implement orders or rules and regulations that all airlines should follow.
But regarding to check-in, baggage, booking, customer service, online banking, etc... i think it is the responsibility of the airlines. If I am not mistaken???
" AN END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS"
I have been doing this "early check-in" for more than 3 years now. The first time when I was "bumped" due to overbooking, the QA Supervisor @ Airport informed me that they do allow early check in. My flight usually is at 11PM (Thursday) but I'll check-in around 9AM. Afterwhich, you can still do last minute shopping or have a long sleep. I couldn't sleep on the plane even my direct flight takes 10 hours.
First time I did that, QA asked me why I need to check-in that early, my answer is always the same. "I live in Ras Laffan."
For the online check-in, I have no clues yet on how efficient it is.
Other than online checkin (which is only available with Qatar Airways for flights LEAVING Doha) I have no idea how you can check-in 12 hours early.
awkhan
Dear friends,
(specialy Mandi and Tallag)
nice discusion,thanks.as Mr.Lovable wrote we can check in before 12 hours, is it possible? how can we do that? normaly pax travel to south east asia having a big cargo(minimum 40 kg) with him.
I have learned a lot from Mandi and Tallg. Thanks. Thanks also to Awkhan for opening up such topic.
I have no choice choosing Qatar Airways. I'll save at least 3 hours travel time compared to other airlines. If there's only a direct flight from other airlines....
I got bumped 3 years ago. It's along story in the airport but as a compensation to my incovenience, they gave me a free 1-way ticket to any destination equal to or not exceeding the distance from Qatar to my home country.
Do an early check-in. I usually do 12 hours before.
Has anyone tried already this so called "online check in"?
I don't know that i am talking to the head for ICAO... bwahahahahaha....
" AN END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS"
I'm not sure how many more times I can repeat the same information!!! Regardless of whether you're late or not, if more passengers check-in than the plane can carry there is a chance you'll be bumped.
The reason you haven't encountered such a thing is because the airlines are very good at predicting by how much they can overbook a plane.
they'll gonna bumped or kick your a*s tallg... :)
checking in shouldn't be later than an hour... we know that...it is your hell fault, no need to complain... but during booking I don't think so... coz i never encountered such thing nor whosoever I know except the employees of QA who always been a chance passenger... he he he
" AN END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS"
chevydjak - it's perfectly feasible that you can arrive at the check-in desk an hour or so before your flight and be told you've been bumped. It's even possible to have actually checked-in and then be bumped.
what i mean AGENT as in QA customer service agent or how they call but i addressed them like that....
I never encountered that in any airlines in my entire life, BUMPING YOU WITHOUT ANY NOTICE INSPITE OF YOU ARE CONFIRM BOOKED nor my colleagues or whoever i know....whew, that's amazing...
maybe, misterpretation of what we are trying to imply... ei eniwei...goodluck to the threadmaker's son. Better addressed it to the CEO... lolz
" AN END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS"
Well, annoying as it may be, the airline have done nothing wrong in my eyes.
But as you were involuntarily bumped you are entitled by right to various things (first and foremost a ticket on another flight or compensation for your bumped ticket). Make sure you get what you're entitled to.
awkhan
Dears,
I am coming to my case,I booked two months before,blocking seat number too,I reconfirmed with Qatar Airways(no agent)prior 72 hours,they did not said anything about chance(!).I reported 3 hours before dept.(normaly I do that)paxes did not started reporting for check in and they said no seat,flight overbooked.
THEY WARN ME VERY CLEARLY WHILE I WAS RECONFIRM TKT THAT IF YOU MISSED FLIGHT YOU LOST TKT.
Now suppose I am not reporting and seat is going empty,airline do not have to loose,I have to -.....so when I repoted why should they refuse?
And they have my complete profile,atleast they should inform me.
The agent will not know if you are at risk of bumping or not. The airline usually asks for volunteers to miss the flight first, then once they've gone they have a set criteria for who gets bumped next; lowest price tickets, last to check-in, etc, etc. So depending on the criteria it's highly likely that the agent would have no idea who will get bumped first.
the agent SHOULD TELL U WHETHER YOU ARE A CHANCE PASSENGER OR NOT in time of booking... it has nothing to do with the aviation rules... then if the traveller agreed that he is willing to be one, it is not the airlines fault.
But without informing the passenger that he is not a CHANCE PASSENGER ... that's the agent fault.
" AN END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS"
Or perhaps great minds just read the Ts&Cs!
Try XL airways they'll never be overbooked!
Great minds run in the same channels, tallg!
Mandi
mandi beat me to it!
timtan - As I said above, airlines deliberately overbook the plane because from previous statistical data they know that a certain percentage of passengers are highly unlikely to turn up. The amount they overbook will vary depending on the time of year, the route, historical data etc, etc. It's perfectly legal and happens all over the world.
They balance the risk between the lost revenue from having empty seats on the plane and the compensation they have to pay out in the event that more people turn up than can actually fly.
I'm surprised that people (who I assume have flown before) are not aware of this.
Timtam, the reservations systems of ALL airlines world-wide allows a certain percentage of overbooking in every fare category and for every flight and route. Generally first class is only booked to capacity, not over. Coach can be oversold according to the history of the flight and how many passengers have been no-shows in the past. Once the flight departs, the airline has no way to make revenue on those empty seats so the regulating authorities allow the airlines to overbook but with restrictions on how the passengers who are "bumped" will be treated. You can't argue with QR overbooking but sure as all get out can make certain that they treat those who are denied boarding according to published regulations.
Mandi
All airlines overbook their flights because they know that a certain percentage of passengers are unlikely to turn up. I haven't checked, but I expect this is written in the Ts&Cs when you purchase the ticket.
But sometimes too many passengers turn up for the flight. Obviously the airline don't know this has happened until people start checking in for the flight, hence it's unlikely they'd be able to ring you prior to your arrival at the airport.
Flights booked on airmiles are the first to be cancelled when flights are overbooked. Again, I haven't checked, but I expect this is written in the Ts&Cs when you purchase the ticket.
This is what I expect happened in your case.
awkhan
Dear 'tallg' i dont think this is implied.since Airline have complete contact information why they did not contact pax?And do you think each pax have a master degree in this regard? do you aspect it?
This has nothing to do with Qatar Airways so it's unfair to take it out on them. As Mandilulur said, it's just part of the aviation regulations and guidelines. All airlines overbook flights, and all follow the same guides when it comes to who gets priority over who. This information is readily available to anyone.
awkhan
5 stars? ha ha ha ha ha
5 Star Qatar Service, what are you complaining about!
awkhan
Dear"toyota_it" what we will do if "Maharaja" does same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if you can avoid it.. beats even Air India when it comes to rudeness and "we-are-doing-u-a favor" attitude..
awkhan
Sorry Madam I did not know that. thank you again
Good luck, Awkhan (and BTW, I'm a lady!)
Mandi
awkhan
To Mandilulur,...............Thank you Sir, You have very nice guidence, I have nothing to say to that officer, but I want to rise against system. At least they can inform me.And they have to clear it while I book.
Yes, Smoke, as a revenue passenger you were entitled to denied boarding compensation. I certainly would deplore their reluctance to give it to you until you had to ask. They chose to give it to you in the form of a ticket on Emirates. Actually, if that flight arrived more than four hours after the original, according to US rules you were also due a cash amount as well. I'd have to see their rules which ARE publicly available. If they overbook a flight they will deny boarding on the basis of a priority list. Usually the lowest fare class passenger comes off first. And the reason they can't tell you ahead of time is that they simply don't know how many people will show up at the time of boarding. I remember we always used to show a booking for Jamaica at about 300 passengers. If we were lucky, between 100 and 150 would show up. So a lot of stand-by's were happy.
Mandi
qmiles.... airfare is free but we are still paying taxes. hence it is not free :)
QA, the only thing i really lyk with this airline is the only DIRECT FLIGHT FROM MY HOME COUNTRY...
" AN END DOES NOT JUSTIFY THE MEANS"
fine agreed they followed the RULES on this...is it not their duty to phone and INFORM the passenger?? rather than make them come all the way to the airport. and paid or not paid..i was a as u call revenue passenger that traveled to dubai, got my return seat reconfirmed and still didnt get to fly on that flight coz they were overbooked...care to explain that? now i said didnt get to fly on the same flight but they did put me on a emirates flight back to doha on the same day after i gave them hell :D
Good Fortune always comes knocking at your door...when you are sh*tting in the toilet!! :)
_[]~SMoKE~[]_
Your not the first and not the last.My friend had the simlar experience when his son was returning to UK after his break here.. He could not believe it, he paid full price for the ticket.
They were told to wait..End of the day he was lucky that he got upgraded to First Class and was allowed to travel..Well being white/British might have been a small towards that..lol
-----------------
HE WHO DARES WINS
even if it's not a "Miles" ticket and you have paid full price for it, they seem to think it's normal to kick you out. They seem to overbook all the flights by 50%.
Awkhan, I realize you and your son were greatly inconvenienced but Qatar Airways cannot and will not change IATA rules for boarding priority in case of overbooking. ALL airlines must follow these rules. I am sorry, but award tickets have the lowest boarding priority with the exception of industry non-revenue passengers. Award tickets, which your son had, are boarded after ALL revenue passengers. Any airline in the world will tell you that you can have a confirmed reservation, ticket and seat assignment and still be denied boarding in the case of an oversell or weight restriction situation. I do understand that the agent was rude to you and that you may not have understood the fine print, but this one is not Qatar Airways fault. All airlines are allowed to overbook and must follow IATA priorities in case of an oversell. You can ask for an apology for their rudeness and your inconvenience but you will lose your high moral position if you tell them that they did not follow the rules because in this case they did! And no, I don't work for Qatar Airways, I am retired from the largest airline in the US.
Mandi
LOL buddy.......you're gonna have to wait a looooooong time! :-D
Saggi i now prefer to wait for some UFO's and then i say "Beam me up Scotty"
Good Fortune always comes knocking at your door...when you are sh*tting in the toilet!! :)
_[]~SMoKE~[]_
LOL.....see,so i was right about it!so where have you shifted ur loyalty (huh?) to?KLM? :-P
saggi all i asked her for was another beer!! damn it kitty is afraid of flying and needs something to calm his nerves down :( since she didnt give me my beer i told her to meet me later when the "fasten your seat belt" sign goes off..for some "no smoking" at the back of the plane..whats wrong with that?? ufff women!
Good Fortune always comes knocking at your door...when you are sh*tting in the toilet!! :)
_[]~SMoKE~[]_
okay....so what happened between you and that pretty QA air hostess?had a fall-out?u've been doing too much spitting fire on QA lately :-P
awkhan I am from gujrat of gandhiji. Ahinsa parmo dharma. can not knock or punch. suggest me somthing else, by the way thanks
why on earth would anyone want to be loyal to Qatar airways they are a bunch of sorry ass airlines with inexperienced staff. I just hate them and their service, their rules keep changing according to their wishes, we are CUSTOMERS not their personal puppets. you should put this in the papers, NOTHING is free btw, the points didnt fall from the sky did it?? so for him to say its a free ticket he deserves a smack on the face.
Good Fortune always comes knocking at your door...when you are sh*tting in the toilet!! :)
_[]~SMoKE~[]_