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Please help me to confirm I have the right strategy.
We need to fly to Sydney ( and back ) on Avios in club. We have a 241.
I’m learning that there’s more availability on Qatar and that we can fly from Dublin for 399 euros in tax which is less than half of the cost of tax from MAN etc. Yes there’s a cost to get to Dublin and a hotel but I think would still be a small saving. Although BHX would be our most convenient so happy to pay more tax for that.
We have enough Avios to book without the 241 and need the peace of mind of having it booked as soon as the flights are released.
My accounts are linked so if I book will Avios deduction from BAEC just happen automatically?
I’m looking at the detail of Qatar, I think :-
Still cancellable for $25
Lounge access is still ok
I’m BA silver and Qatar burgundy, do I get free seat selection?
Booking two one ways isn’t more expensive than a return, cash or Avios.Is this all correct ? Am I missing anything ?
Also, we’d love to try Qsuite but I can’t see that it’s an option. How does standard business class on Qatar compare with BA both Club Suite and old style?
I find old style BA club to be fine if I can get the end seat otherwise the climbing over others is a pain.My accounts are linked so if I book will Avios deduction from BAEC just happen automatically?
No the transfer won’t happen automatically.
You’d need to transfer the avios from BA to QR before making the booking on the QR site.
Thanks. My Avios balance shows on QR app, but I still need to transfer them manually first?
Also, we’d love to try Qsuite but I can’t see that it’s an option. How does standard business class on Qatar compare with BA both Club Suite and old style?
I find old style BA club to be fine if I can get the end seat otherwise the climbing over others is a pain.I’m no expert on the different Qatar seats but the “old” A380 and 777 seats are absolutely fine and better than “old” BA, Emirates etc.
Amex companion voucher can be used one way, and not from London, so a return connecting in Singapore, HKG or Doha would be possible too.
Please help me to confirm I have the right strategy.
I’m looking at the detail of Qatar, I think :-
Still cancellable for $25
Lounge access is still ok
I’m BA silver and Qatar burgundy, do I get free seat selection?
Booking two one ways isn’t more expensive than a return, cash or Avios.Is this all correct ? Am I missing anything ?
I fly Qatar Business ex Dublin on Avios quite a bit.
Cancellation is indeed $25pp
Lounge access no problem
Doesn’t matter what your status is, if you book Business with Qatar you get to choose your seats right away
Point 4 is correct re avios bookings, not sure about cashI think you need to add your BAEC number to the booking to get free seat selection, otherwise the system thinks you are just burgundy. I missed this and had to request it be changed via chat, they sorted it out fairly quickly but it was extra hassle!
We made our first booking on Qatar last month for travel in November – our experience was different to some of the comments above.
I didn’t transfer Avios across from BA – I already had a couple of hundred Avios in my Qatar account from a previous Sofitel booking and Qatar simply sucked through enough Avios from BA to make the booking so it left a zero Avios balance in my Qatar account when the booking was completed.
We have booked LHR – DOH in Business and DOH – MCT in First (I think it’s Business but marketed as First) return and was able to make free seat selection at the time of booking on all 4 legs.
At the time Qatar had some IT issues and the card payment kept tripping out at the final stage and I ended up having to find a Qatar agent on the phone who could make the booking manually. It took a couple of goes as not all agents seemed to be able to do it – there is a thread on Flyer Talk about this issue. All was well in the end though.
If you can see your Avios balance in your Qatar app, then there is no need for any manual transfers. I just used my Avios to get a ticket to BKK and did not make any transfers to do this. Your BA account needs to be linked to your Qatar account which seems to be the case for you.
If you can see your Avios balance in your Qatar app, then there is no need for any manual transfers. I just used my Avios to get a ticket to BKK and did not make any transfers to do this. Your BA account needs to be linked to your Qatar account which seems to be the case for you.
This.
We’ve just come back from Adelaide with Qatar (brilliant standard Avios redemption of 90,000 Avios each). The Q Suite to Doha was fabulous, but the old-style seats on the A380 for the second leg were absolutely fine.
We had free seat selection for this ticket and I’m only a burgundy. This was a year ago.
I think you need to add your BAEC number to the booking to get free seat selection, otherwise the system thinks you are just burgundy. I missed this and had to request it be changed via chat, they sorted it out fairly quickly but it was extra hassle!
I have no idea about that NL, all I know is my QR/BA accounts are linked, I’m only Burgundy with Qatar, and BA Blue, and I’ve had free seat selection immediately every time I book an avios seat in QR Business.
We have booked LHR – DOH in Business and DOH – MCT in First (I think it’s Business but marketed as First) return and was able to make free seat selection at the time of booking on all 4 legs.
Your DOH – MCT leg is indeed in First as they don’t sell Business class on that flight. However you will be sat in a Business seat!! If you have some time between your flights at the airport in Doha you will also have access to the AL Safwa lounge as a First passenger! I have done this a few times, quirky but great little perk 🙂
Please help me to confirm I have the right strategy.
We need to fly to Sydney ( and back ) on Avios in club. We have a 241.
I’m learning that there’s more availability on Qatar and that we can fly from Dublin for 399 euros in tax which is less than half of the cost of tax from MAN etc. Yes there’s a cost to get to Dublin and a hotel but I think would still be a small saving. Although BHX would be our most convenient so happy to pay more tax for that.
We have enough Avios to book without the 241 and need the peace of mind of having it booked as soon as the flights are released.
My accounts are linked so if I book will Avios deduction from BAEC just happen automatically?
I’m looking at the detail of Qatar, I think :-
Still cancellable for $25
Lounge access is still ok
I’m BA silver and Qatar burgundy, do I get free seat selection?
Booking two one ways isn’t more expensive than a return, cash or Avios.Is this all correct ? Am I missing anything ?
There are different views on this because it seems to change on a whim. We’ve just returned from a trip to Melbourne in December.
I booked last January, and Qatar just sucked through my Avios from my BA account. Easy.
I then added my wife in October, and had some issues similar to Man of Kent above – I could only get it to purchase by transferring the Avios across to my Qatar account first. So for ease, it might pay to do that first.
For both, seat selection in business is free from point of booking – I have no status with either. I also cancelled a rebooked at some point, and the fee was around 25 (£ or $, I can’t remember).
Hope this helps.
Maybe not the biggest factor in choosing between the two airlines but having just flown ex-DUB on two Qatar B787s, the cabin temperature is nice and cool, so it’s nice an snuggly under the thick blanket that you get in Business.
Every time on BA, the temperature is way too high for me and any request to the crew for a reduction tends to be ignored. So Mrs Metty and I travel with 5” diameter John Lewis USB fans which at least counters BA’s cabin temperature.
Also useful if on a remote gate at Doha and the temp is 40C because the APU is u/s.
Either way, we get some amused looks but at least we’re comfortable and I reckon the High Life shop would sell loads to overheated BA pax.
Thanks everyone, really helpful.
I think I’ll move just enough Avios across to Qatar just in case. I’ll report back in a few weeks once successfully booked.
@Metty. I agree, I’m always way too hot on BA. Whilst not a determining factor, it’s certainly a bonus to be cool.I recall years ago when all business class flights had free seat selection and am so used to using BA ( before I was silver ) I hadn’t considered that other airlines sill consider it part of the ticket price. I dread to think what I’d have paid BA last year if I didn’t have silver.
I don’t think I’ll get Qsuite but sounds like it will be pleasant enough anyway.
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