Airline advice needed..Singapore or Qatar?

[RMS Olympic]

The comments from Txn confirmed some of my concerns. One third party site stated in fine print that seat choice would have to be confirmed after booking directly from the carrier. Well I always select a window seat and paying business class I want to make sure my choice is locked in...so I will book on the carriers website.

Wripro......I stopped using a TA for flights after finding out they no longer get the commission from the carrier like they use to. My TA said if I could find a good deal go for it.....and she has been my TA for lose to 30 years.

So it looks like it's Qatar out of Atlanta to Denpasar with a stop in Doha. All I have to do now is wait till next month when they post the flight schedules. Having watched all the you tube videos on Qatars business class....I am so excited......and to think nothing impressed me any more when it comes to travel. Thanks for all the responses everyone!

Tom

[wripro]

The comments from Txn confirmed some of my concerns. One third party site stated in fine print that seat choice would have to be confirmed after booking directly from the carrier. Well I always select a window seat and paying business class I want to make sure my choice is locked in...so I will book on the carriers website.

Wripro......I stopped using a TA for flights after finding out they no longer get the commission from the carrier like they use to. My TA said if I could find a good deal go for it.....and she has been my TA for lose to 30 years.

So it looks like it's Qatar out of Atlanta to Denpasar with a stop in Doha. All I have to do now is wait till next month when they post the flight schedules. Having watched all the you tube videos on Qatars business class....I am so excited......and to think nothing impressed me any more when it comes to travel. Thanks for all the responses everyone!

Tom

 

A consciencious TA will book flights even if not getting a commission if it's part of a larger trip. It should be part of the service.

[RMS Olympic]

I posted a question on Qatars Facebook page concerning luggage during a long layover in Doha. Whether it would be held for 9 plus hours or would I have to claim it. Their response was that they would hold it. The remarkable thing was that I got about 15 messages back from people not happy wth Qatar. They posted direct on my Facebook page!

Everyone said to avoid Qatar.....food and aircraft was great, service was bad and if there were any problems forget any form of customer service. Baggage issues were common, and little or no response from the carrier was received for months. One passenger said her flight was cancelled and Qatar has not responded concerning any kind of compensation. With one flight a day out of US airports I was wondering what happens with no back up aircraft.

I can't fathom how an airline with such a high rating could function this way. Of course what the actual facts are is questionable. But the intensity of the notes to me has me thinking and rethinking my flight. Looks like I will flip yet again and fly Singapore airlines out of JFK in business class (A380) to Franfurt, Singapore and then Denpasar. Everything I have ever heard about Singapore has been positive so I feel safer this way. I wonder if people wear Pajamas in business class on Singapore as they do on Qatar? Maybe I'll bring a pair of sweat pants to change into and sleep. I also need to find out about current shower facilities at the Fankfurt airport. It's amazing the info you can get to help with the planning.

Wripro, I booked the cruise directly with Star Clipper which is why I haven't sought out a TA for the air....but thank you for your thoughts. And to think through all this I just added another cruise...this one in Feb to Costa Rica on Windstar's Star Breeze.......what a great price ! Always wanted to experience one of these former Seabourn yachts. So much for the savings account!

[wripro]

RMSOlympic,

 

FYI, Singapore does not provide pajamas in business class. They don't even provide amenity kits as most things you'll need are in the rest rooms. Still, it's a great flight.

 

I will have a long layover in Doha on my return home from Jo'burg so I hope my luggage makes it. Atlas it's in the way home so if something happens they can deliver it the next day.

[TxnAquarian]

Everyone said to avoid Qatar.....food and aircraft was great, service was bad and if there were any problems forget any form of customer service. Baggage issues were common, and little or no response from the carrier was received for months. One passenger said her flight was cancelled and Qatar has not responded concerning any kind of compensation. With one flight a day out of US airports I was wondering what happens with no back up aircraft.

I can't fathom how an airline with such a high rating could function this way. Of course what the actual facts are is questionable. But the intensity of the notes to me has me thinking and rethinking my flight. Looks like I will flip yet again and fly Singapore airlines out of JFK in business class (A380) to Franfurt, Singapore and then Denpasar.

 

 

 

 

 

Qatar is a OneWorld carrier, so if there was any kind of screw up, there are plenty of other options they could re-route you on. Same with Singapore being part of Star Alliance.

 

I think Singapore will be fantastic. They usually get it right. We are flying Qatar in Business this December to our cruise in Abu Dhabi. I'm not too concerned about it. I have heard the same negative things said about Emirates and Etihad (including a friend of mine who had a horrific experience with Etihad), but we found both were fantastic when we flew them. I'll let you know if we have any problems with Qatar once we get back, to help justify your decision-making =)

 

Have a great trip.

 

 

Michael

Edited August 13, 2016 by TxnAquarian