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February 28, 2009

Qatar Airways response to QPoints

Posted by xtian001@gmail.com at 01:39 AM

Wrote the Qatar Airawys Privilege Club the other day about something that has been bothering me. I'm quite surprised that they did answer me. Still, read the exchange of emails to see what this is all about.

Sent thru their website Contact form on February 25, 2009:
TITLE: Mr
FIRST NAME: Christian
LAST NAME: San Juan
PRIVILEGE CLUB NO.: XXXXXXXXX
MESSAGE: I was wondering why flying to Hong Kong gets you 25 QPoints (5868 miles) while flying to the Philippines (6792 miles) only gets you 20 Qpoints?

I got an answer the next day (February 26, 2009) from Privilege Club Team:
Dear Mr. San Juan,
Thank you for your email.

Kindly note that Effective January 1, 2008, we  have made some changes to the way you earn Qpoints and Qmiles every time you fly with us. Kindly find attached the document reflecting the changes.

Thank you,
Privilege Club Team



I wrote back on the same day:
I do know that the changes were made. However, the question is, why flying to Hong Kong gets you 25 QPoints (5868 miles) while flying to the Philippines (6792 miles) only gets you 20 Qpoints? What is the rationale behind such? Why do you get less QPoints though I'm paying more going to the Philippines than going to Hong Kong? What is the reason for this?

regards,
Chris

The Privilege Club Team answers back on February 27, 2009

Dear Mr. San Juan,

Thank you for your email.

Kindly note that you earn Qmiles based on the booking class that you purchase, as indicated in the table which is reflected in the attached Word file. Please visit our website www.qmiles.com and click on "Earn Mileage Calculator". This page will give you in detail the amount of Qmiles credited for different destinations.

You will earn Q-points by flying on Qatar Airways operated flights according to the class of service (Economy/Business/First) and Regions they are traveling to and from.  Kindly visit our website 'www.qmiles.com' and click on ''About Privilege Club" and "Membership levels" to view the tabular chart reflecting the amount of Qpoints accrued for flights flown between different regions.

The Qpoints and Qmiles are awarded as per the rules and regulations of the programme.

We thank you for your understanding and co-operation in this regard.

For future travel, please remember to provide your Privilege Club membership number at time of reservation and check-in. This will enable us to track your Qmiles automatically.

Thank you,
Privilege Club team

Duh?! I still haven't got a real answer to my question. I do know what QMiles are and what Qpoints are. But I still don't know why we get less Qpoints going to the Philippines than to going to a shorter route and paying less in Hong Kong. That is the question. Why? I do know that Philippines is under a group that gets 20 Qpoints per one-way flight but why was it placed there and Hong Kong wasn't?

Let me see what they'd answer me if I email them back again.

 

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February 27, 2009

House Hunt in Doha

Posted by xtian001@gmail.com at 08:07 AM
Note: This is the experience of a expat Mufeed Ahmed trying to get a house in Qatar for QR6000 rials. I didn't edit the original entry.

tonight, as i sign a new contract to shift to a newly rented place, i cant keep myslef away from sharing my past three week's experience of 'House Hunt' in doha to find a 'livable' flat / villa within 6000 rials, it cost me a fortune of petrol and phone bill.

most of the things that appear in classifieds are just virtual and not real. when they say 2bedroom flat, you shouldnt be smart enough to think that it includes a hall/living. Most of them included just 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and kitchen. if it's a part of Villa, you better be ready to go thru a passage half metere wide, tucking your head below the ACs of your neighbours and then find a brown door that leads to an asbestos shed!

Most of the partitioned villas are with just a 10 cms plywood partition in between, so that your neighbour has the previlage of hearing your conversations and you can listen to his TV programs, if not the thuds and bumps of his tiny tots on the common 'wall'. to the question "is this a brand new building?", i received many answers as "medium"... later i found out that 'medium' inlcudes building that are even 10 years old.

I went to what's written as american style open kitchen and found myself staring at a wash sink supported on two GI pipes, set up in the corner of the bedroom, leading to the bathroom. Poor America. But then you cant blame an asian agent who hasnt been to america for setting up such an pathetic 'american' kitchen.

What shocked me most was a 'fully furnished ' one bedroom in madina khalifa with kitchen and bath. it was merely a room less spacious than my car, with a table 'furnished' with kettle sugar and teabags and a bed on the floor. Me being six feet tall really had a tough time getting thru the front door.

no offence, but for a moment, i even wished i could have been born as a kabayan because most of the rooms advertised were for them.

When i thought i had found a room in a decent flat in al sadd, it had three other bedrooms which were occupied by three others, which donot bother me as i was going to have the fourth bedroom. But my freedom to answer to nature's call was mercilessly questioned when i saw a nicely printed paper with pictures of many clocks, with time and name written below each clock diagram... it said sam, sara, sally and steve has all different timings assigned for them to use the bathroom and any minutes extra is considered 'over time' and does require the permission of the next person! not suitable for me who is into advertising and might need extra minutes for creative ideas. my quest continued.

i came across arab agents who were NOT interested in telling you more about the flat as if they think some Q companies will take them all some day, I came across keralite agents who thought that 2 bedroom is too much for 2 people and suggested to take a single room, part of a collapsed villa and with neat carpet (they spent 300 rials on that to impress the customers) and even agents who advertised a villa very near to villagio and guided me seven KMs away form there.

i am not aware of the building laws of qatar but i found a lot of three bedroom flats with one bathroom! while most of the two bedrooms were empty, the 3 bedrooms in the same buildings werent available as they have been taken by real estate. some of the new buildings had rooms that wer even 2.5m x 2.5m. too small to decently accomodate a person. credit cruch might not have affected qatar but a 'space-crunch' has. in many new flats, the space was very very less. many flats just had 2 bedrooms without a hall/living and you enter the flat to a small space good enough to keep a shoe rack.

But after all, misleading ads/leads doesnt turn me down. If i earn money advertising products/companies which, ofcourse, arent as true as the ad says, then i feel my 3 weeks experience is just a tit for tat.

oops.. this looks too long. apologies

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February 25, 2009

Banks in Doha Increasing Interest Rates on Loans

Posted by xtian001@gmail.com at 05:05 AM

For those who have loans with the banks in Doha (Doha Bank, Standard Chartered, HSBC, etc.), check with your banks if they already increased the rate of interest of your loan. Some banks send a mail to inform clients, some don't. Here is a sample email that somebody got from Standard Chartered Bank:

" In line with current market practice, we are currently reviewing the interest rate on your personal loan. We write to inform you that in accordance with the Terms & Conditions governing your Personal Loan with the bank, the interest rate on your Personal Loan will be increased from __% to 10%. Such increase shall take effect as of 1st March 2009. There will be no change in your monthly installment however the remaining tenor of your loan will be extended by 3 months. All other terms and conditions of your loan shall remain unchanged."

I didn't know that banks can change the rate of your interest anytime! Wow. People are getting screwed. Is it not enough for banks to charge you QR50 rials every year for you to keep your ATM (Commercial Bank)?

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February 24, 2009

FOR SALE: Ford Edge 2007

Posted by xtian001@gmail.com at 10:47 PM

FORD EDGE 2007
Color: Silver
Mileage: 13,300 km.
Date acquired: October 2007
Comprehensive insurance and registration valid until October 2009
Exclusive regular maintainance by Ford
Five year warranty for parts
Other sales condition: assumption of mortgage with Doha Bank (per Doha Bank policy- will be recomputed as used car, payable in 3 years)

For inquiries please call 5129713 between 6:30 and 9:30 p.m. Sundays thru Thursdays and anytime on Fridays and Saturdays.


Note: A couple asked me to place this on the blog as they are looking for a buyer for their car. Do not email me regarding this ad. You have to call the number above.

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Qpoints, Qmiles and Qatar Airways

Posted by xtian001@gmail.com at 05:20 AM
I was wondering why flying to Hong Kong gets you 25 QPoints (5868 miles) while flying to the Philippines (6792 miles) only gets you 20 Qpoints? Why is it that they get more even if they're paying less?

How am I supposed to even get Burgundy Status if I only travel once a year?

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