[robbievee]

First up, credit where credit is due.
Qatar Airways 'front of house' image they portray to the world really is world class...no doubt. I haven't flown a lot with them but I really can't fault their passenger experience.
And Doha airport...wow...it just shines...so bright. It's always incredibly busy and well organised.
Now...for the the complaint. People need to know this.

Every great company need to have all aspects of their business in order and unfortunately Qatar Airway's 'back of house' is shockingly bad. I mean, they are very friendly on the phone, live chat of FB Messenger but in 2 weeks they have been unable to resolve a very simple refund request issue for a very small amount of money...just over $300.

Long story short, I was given the wrong information on the phone by a Qatar consultant about cancellation policy as I knew there was a high chance I'd have to cancel. The flight was Dubai (DXB) to Bangkok (BKK) via Doha (DOH). I ended up cancelling within the period I was told (72 hours before the flight) I could without penalty and they hit me with a penalty that was almost half of the ticket cost. I lodged a complaint and asked them to check the recording to verify.

Here I am, 2 weeks later. I've followed up with several phone calls, Live Chat, even contacted through their FB page / Messenger and although they are always friendly and courteous, they just don't want to or can't seem to resolve this very small issue. It is not about the money but the fact that they haven't been able to give me specific, detailed information regarding how much and when they will refund me, this is why I am writing this post.

As an update, earlier today they did inform me on FB chat that in 14 - 28 business days (3-6 weeks), they will issue me a refund of 700QAR, less taxes...almost $200. Still there is the just over $100 discrepancy regarding a full refund and no acknowledgment of their representative giving me incorrect info.

These international airlines seem to almost be 'above the law' and not really answerable to any governing bodies. I also called Skytrax who give Qatar the 'prestigious' Skytrax award of "World's Best Airline" and they didn't seem too interested in speaking with me either. I called twice and only made it as far as the operator. It is up to us consumers and customers to make others aware of these practices as without us, these companies are just a whole heap of empty planes sitting on the tarmac.

If Qatar come to the party and honour my refund in full, I will update. Thanks for reading. Any questions, please ask.

Consumers always have the power because we vote with our money and Qatar Airways is not the only airline zipping around the sky. And based on my recent experience, I will only fly them as a last resort and I am also telling all my friends about my poor customer service experience. Word of mouth is a powerful medium.

If Qatar airways read this, for their reference:
Flight numbers: QR1003 / QR832
Ticket number: 157-2103973275
Complaint Case number: CAS-2286457-M9C6Q6