Agents are frustrated to find that Qatar Airways has cut back on the ‘frills’ that it offers in its entry-level business class offering.
The airline no longer includes lounge access or pre-seating, yet clients are accustomed to having the ‘perks’ of business class and don’t want these removed, say agents.
In a trade notification sent out this month, Qatar advised agents that it had amended its ‘fare families’ in November 2020 and wanted to remind agents of a few changes. The airline then highlighted that, in business class, R class no longer included lounge access or free pre-seating. These privileges are still in place for business class bookings in I, D, C and J class.
However, many agents say that this is the first they have heard about the change in product offering, and they did not receive any prior notification from Qatar about the amendment, that no updates are displaying on Travelinfo and that the GDS does not flag the differentiated offering when booking an R-class ticket.
“This is just one more thing for travel agents to remember. When we book a business-class fare, nothing in the GDS flags that R class does not include traditional business-class perks. This makes it so easy to unwittingly quote the client on the cheapest business-class option without being aware of the substantial reduction in product offering that client will receive. It is also highly unlikely that any client would want to pay extra for a business-class seat, but not make use of the lounge facilities at the airport,” said owner of Sure Map Travel, Melissa Philips.
David van den Heever-Liebenberg, travel director of Marmalade Toast Bespoke Travel and Destination Management, told Travel News that a client paying over R60 000 for a business-class ticket did not take kindly to being told that they needed to pay in extra for lounge access and could not request a window or an aisle seat.
“Clients who purchase business-class tickets are doing so because of the ‘frills’ and added comfort and also knowing that they have something to enjoy in their transit stop, like a business-class lounge. We understand no-frills pricing approaches in economy class, but not for premium products that have always offered all the bells and whistles at around the same price,” said David.
