Questions and Answers

On my way back from India, I am thinking of changing my routing a bit (a little extra in terms of $) to be on the QR Inaugural flight from Doha to LA (my itinerary is in business) on Jan 1. Any body else has any experience taking such flights? Is it worth the extra effort? BTW, this was a suggestion from my 15 year old daughter – an AVID Lucky follower on OMAAT. Thanks

[USER=915]@Deepak[/USER]

What plane type will QR be launching the route with?

Inaugural flights can be fun, if it’s with a good product.

Problem with QR is that except from the A350, A380 and B787 the J seats range from not that good on the B777.
[URL]http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qatar_Airways/Qatar_Airways_Boeing_777-300ER.php[/URL]
To bad angle flats on the A330/340
[URL]http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qatar_Airways/Qatar_Airways_Airbus_A330-200_C.php[/URL]

Is the Inaugural flight worth it for you if you have to spend the flight to LAX in not so good J cabin?

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 8253, member: 268″][USER=915]@Deepak[/USER]

What plane type will QR be launching the route with?

Inaugural flights can be fun, if it’s with a good product.

Problem with QR is that except from the A350, A380 and B787 the J seats range from not that good on the B777.
[URL]http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qatar_Airways/Qatar_Airways_Boeing_777-300ER.php[/URL]
To bad angle flats on the A330/340
[URL]http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Qatar_Airways/Qatar_Airways_Airbus_A330-200_C.php[/URL]

Is the Inaugural flight worth it for you if you have to spend the flight to LAX in not so good J cabin?[/QUOTE]
They will launch it with a 777 – I like thier 777 biz. Have flown them last year from DFW on the 777 200 LR and we liked the product. I cant imagine them swapping that for an angled 340 at the last minute on an inaugural flight of over 16 hrs..hopefully!!

[USER=915]@Deepak[/USER]

Well if you like the QR B777 and want to do it then go ahead, personally I think the QR B777 is not that good a product.

No guaranties that QR will make that much effort for the inaugural flight, really big parties are often reserved for new plane type.

Think Lucky has a few trip reports from inaugural flights, let me see what I can find.

Biggest advantage of QR to EK or EY to me is that they are in Oneworld.

If the $ is small go for it, might be fun!

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 8255, member: 268″][USER=915]@Deepak[/USER]

Well if you like the QR B777 and want to do it then go ahead, personally I think the QR B777 is not that good a product.

No guaranties that QR will make that much effort for the inaugural flight, really big parties are often reserved for new plane type.

Think Lucky has a few trip reports from inaugural flights, let me see what I can find.

Biggest advantage of QR to EK or EY to me is that they are in Oneworld.[/QUOTE]
Thanks!

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 8256, member: 79″]If the $ is small go for it, might be fun![/QUOTE]
I will thanks – our daughter seems to think it will be fun – especially as it will be the longest flight in the QR system and LA is an imp market. Lets see.

[QUOTE=”Deepak, post: 8258, member: 915″]I will thanks – our daughter seems to think it will be fun – especially as it will be the longest flight in the QR system and LA is an imp market. Lets see.[/QUOTE]
[USER=915]@Deepak[/USER] Take some pictures and come back and share! 🙂

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 8259, member: 79″][USER=915]@Deepak[/USER] Take some pictures and come back and share! :)[/QUOTE]
[USER=79]@Gaurav[/USER] – deal!

Inaugural flight on QR A350

[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/03/23/review-qatar-airways-business-class-a350-doha-to-frankfurt/[/URL]

I also know Lucky also flew on the EK Inaugural flight to OSL, but cant’t find any blog post about it.
[URL]https://instagram.com/p/sbKgtzFRxR/[/URL]

thanks [USER=268]@No Name[/USER]!

Lucky’s recent post on inaugural flights in general, in response to the original question in this post:

[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/10/07/inaugural-flight/[/URL]

All right folks – here it is – my super underwhelming inaugural flight and overall QR flight review – its sad really, as I was hoping QR would remain my go-to carrier.
Flew QR from Chicago-Doha-Bom, Del-Doha-LAX (Doha- LAX inaugural flight) in business. The family and I have been huge fans of QR business and as One World Emerald, I go out of my way to fly them. That said, these flights and the Doha lounge experience was decidedly subpar. Cost cutting evident across the board. Chicago lounge is a disgrace. No business lounge (shared or otherwise) should be this awful – restrooms in the main concourse, packaged snacks, horrible wine, no sparking, no bottled water and temperature close to Doha in Summer. ON board – the 777-ER/LR seats feel way past their sell by date – the space is nice, but the seat feels hard and has zero privacy (I used to like them, but Etihad and even AA biz is better). Food choices downgraded – just 2-3 options for lunch, snacks and breakfast – used to be a far more extensive menu. No Laudere deserts from the US. Mountain Spring water (really??). Champagnes downgraded to Drappier and Jaquart (less than half the cost of the Billecart and Tattinger Rose previously offered). No proactive turndown service offered. Pajamas quality has further degraded – S or XL – tank top like fit in one and a sack in the other! Godiva chocolates gone – packaged Valhrohna (sample pack style). Al Mourjan Lounge – Krug until Dec 23rd (in 2015) and on our return flight on Jan 1 (2016) – GONE. No more Krug – only in Al Safwa.

Inaugural flight Doha-LAX – was supposed to be a special flight – NOT. Given a certificate for first flight, an older design Qatar T-shirt (would have been nice to get the Qatar-FC Barcelona Jersey?), and some old connectors for internet modem (yes, can you imagine??). Ran out of food and the F&B even on the first flight was absolutely subpar. The crew was disinterested – one of them telling me that she has been with the company for 9 years and can barely tolerate it. OK – are we becoming United/AA?

I have profusely complimented QR in the past but this time around, they missed the mark completely. I will not spend premium $’s on QR, unless there is a marked improvement.

Thanks for the update Deepak. Valuable for future travelers.

Thank you for getting back to with an update Deepak.

Hey at least you didn’t get an old A340, lets be glad for small favors it could have been worse.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 11246, member: 268″]Thank you for getting back to with an update Deepak.

Hey at least you didn’t get an old A340, lets be glad for small favors it could have been worse.[/QUOTE]
True that!!! :)!