Can Qatar survive at Cardiff?

My next door neighbour’s son arrived back from SIN with Qatar yesterday. He said there were three passengers in Business, THREE, and only 30ish on the whole aircraft. Surely if they don’t manage to increase sales, the route isn’t sustainable? And we are booked with them - to KUL - in November! Though I must admit, the idea of such an empty Business cabin is rather appealing! As yet, only one other seat, apart from ours, is taken.

This is a new route isn't it so I'd expect it to take time to build up sales.

Plus they will be looking at it across a lengthy period not a single day or week or even single month.

Also they factor in the connection traffic - would he have flown QR from SIN if he couldn't have got the direct flight to Cardiff and that's what they also factor in to their calculations. Would you have flown with them if they hadn't have the flight from Cardiff?

As to your November flight I'd give the usual advisory of not equating the seat map availability with sales

[mitchja]

It does seem a bit of a long shot though as hasn't QR recently confirmed they are canceling their EDI route?

IMHO no.
Mr DL looked at them for travel ( to Oz ) recently as it’s just so much easier for us ( a 20 minute drive as opposed to the schlep to LHR).
Their price point was simply too expensive and the connection not great so EY got his business again despite him disliking the EY seat .
I’d love to see them succeed but unfortunately I think this route is going to be short lived.
DL

IMHO no.
Mr DL looked at them for travel ( to Oz ) recently as it’s just so much easier for us ( a 20 minute drive as opposed to the schlep to LHR).
Their price point was simply too expensive and the connection not great so EY got his business again despite him disliking the EY seat .
I’d love to see them succeed but unfortunately I think this route is going to be short lived.
DL

Interesting that your husband found them expensive. Our flights were amazingly cheap - and many other routes too when we booked. Just over £1500 to KL. The same day flights from LHR were nearly £1000 pp more expensive.

Hope it survives a while, thanks for the reminder OP! Mr HP will be starting doing some trips to KL/SIN very soon so this flight might be a boon for BAEC TPs. It will not be too much further to drive to CWL than LHR - hopefully the connection time at DOH stays reasonable for either destination.

They are also talking about starting flights from Belfast, which I think is also unsustainable. I think QR is suffering from the actions of its neighbouring countries and desperately trying out new markets for its aircraft.

Luxembourg? Malta?

Feels a bit like QR are so desperate to utilise their planes they’ll fly anywhere that’ll have them at the moment.

If and when the UAE, Bahrain, Saudi and Egypt lift their sanctions, I predict a LOT of axed routes.

[mitchja]

Aren't BA also borrowing some QR aircraft to cover their Trent 1000 engines issues? I seem to remember quite a few QR aircraft where also drafted in when Monarch went down as well.

They do seem to have spare aircraft at the minute.

IMHO no.
Mr DL looked at them for travel ( to Oz ) recently as it’s just so much easier for us ( a 20 minute drive as opposed to the schlep to LHR).
Their price point was simply too expensive and the connection not great so EY got his business again despite him disliking the EY seat .
I’d love to see them succeed but unfortunately I think this route is going to be short lived.
DL

Interesting that your husband found them expensive. Our flights were amazingly cheap - and many other routes too when we booked. Just over £1500 to KL. The same day flights from LHR were nearly £1000 pp more expensive.

EY were over £1,500 cheaper ( and a much better connection with the A380 on both legs) . Did you use the Qatar website ( which is what we did) ?
DL

Yes we booked direct.

I recall in an earlier post some one asked (? DragonLady) about the lounge at CWL

Well Head for Points has a review of the new lounge that has a separate section (though not reviewed) for QR and KL passengers.

I recall in an earlier post some one asked (? DragonLady) about the lounge at CWL

Well Head for Points has a review of the new lounge that has a separate section (though not reviewed) for QR and KL passengers.

Not me Tonty - it’s still nowt to write home about but avoids the general zoo outside.....
DL

I recall in an earlier post some one asked (? DragonLady) about the lounge at CWL

Well Head for Points has a review of the new lounge that has a separate section (though not reviewed) for QR and KL passengers.

That was me Tontybear. Thanks for the link, I have been looking for a review but had missed this one.

It does sound as if things have improved a little, I wonder why they have separated the Business passengers and if they get anything more? I’ll find out for myself in November