Our Whine Wednesday topic this week is about Qatar Airways and their service as well as F&B downgrades at the Al Mourjan Lounge in Doha.
Qatar has downgraded their previously well regarded a la carte menu and premium champagne to run of the mill products and mediocre buffet style.
This lounge is being guarded by Qatar Airways like the holy grail, not allowing any status customers in – only Qatar Airways and oneworld First Class and Business Class passengers.
You can access the Qatar Airways website with the Al Mourjan Lounge description here.
Al Mourjan Business Lounge offers a variety of dining areas to suit your taste. Whether you are in the mood for a light snack or a gourmet meal, we can satisfy your palate.
Explore flavours from around the world on the spacious mezzanine floor, where you can choose between a continental or oriental brasserie, a global deli and a patisserie.
To further enchant your taste buds, we also offer an exemplary bar, serving some of the world’s finest beverages.
Gourmet meal? Where?
The Al Mourjan Lounge previously offered an a la carte menue from which customers could choose a dish that was supposedly freshly prepared. This has been discontinued entirely and replaced with a rather dismal and sub par buffet.
When I visited a few days ago the dinner choices were:
- Indian Butter Chicken
- Hungarian Beef Goulasch
- Lamb Biryani
- Vegetarian Ratatoullie
- Cold Arabic Mezze
- Tomato Soup / Chicken Corn Soup
The champagne at the bar was Pommery and the rose version of Lanson (on board they served Drappier Rose).
In the second dining section, the casual bistro, the sandwiches were still decent and I might even go so far as saying better than in the so called ‘Fine Dining’ section.
Conclusion
Qatar Airways used to be top notch in terms of their catering options but this picture has now shifted drastically towards the negative. It might be because QR is feeling the impact of the Gulf Embargo or they can’t sell as many premium tickets anymore, at least not at prices that can support a lavish ground and air product. I overheard many customers complain about the downgrades.
A lot of things are wrong with that lounge when it comes to practical aspects. Many of the chairs they used are horribly uncomfortable and then there is the matter of the “Quiet Zone” cubicles of which there are only 6 for the entire Business Class lounge. Six! And they are usually being given away around 7pm for the remainder of the night as there is no time limit of how long someone can keep them. Even if you’re lucky enough to get one of them – they are open top so it’s extremely noisy even though it would have been no problem to close the cubicles up and make them a bit less spacious in order to accommodate more customers.
