Questions and Answers

Just purchased a business class ticket over the phone with Qatar, from LA through Doha to Africa, and back. During my call with the Qatar agent, I asked and the agent repeatedly assured me that he was quoting me the lowest fare with ability to select seats upon purchase. Agent issued the ticket, and I was able to select seats on the return, but not the outbound. Agent attributed it to computer flaw, took my seat request and said I should receive an email when seat map opened and my seat selection reserved. The ticket emailed to me shows R fare outgoing and I fare returning. I’m wondering if the agent erroneously purchased the business class without seat selection on the outgoing. Any insight while I wait to hear from Qatar? What do you suggest I do? Thanks

The agent definitely made a mistake since that’s definitely their new business class unbundled, or whatever they are calling it.

If the email doesn’t come through with your seat, you may need to look into what is cheaper – cancelling and rebooking into I, or paying to assign a seat?

Also, depending on your when your flight is, good chance it may not be full. You could also just monitor the seat map and see if its worth even paying. You may end up in a nice seat by default with a half empty cabin

What you can also do is: call again and talk to a different agent.
I just recently booked some AA award tickets partly to be flown on Qatar. When I called Qatar to get the seat assignment, the agent told me that only a few rear facing seats were open, nothing else. I thanked her and called back immediately, talked to a different agent who booked the desired (forward facing) seats for us. I had to do this on both occasions (I booked the outward and return journey separately).