Yes - only for Qatar Plats and First. Everyone else entitled to first just gets what I referred to as their “ersatz first”, which TBH is pretty crap. It is big but apart from its restaurant (and who really needs a meal either side of their flights) not as good as even many Qantas domestic business lounges.
You better advise tht about the 2 VG Dubai lounges and which is to be avoided
That’s because Qatar operate their lounges differently to most. Their lounges are by class of service not by status level.
Qatar’s theory is that if you are flying economy you deserve a lower standard lounge than those flying in Premium cabins
So in Doha they have
There are several other lounges aswell but these are the most common. Yes as you said the top tier One World Emerals get access to the third tier Platinum lounge if flying Economy.
For Dubai, the Concourse C First lounge is very ordinary and I wouldn’t bother going there. The concourse B First lounge is not the biggest but it’s quiet and top notch. The Comcourse A First lounge is the largest lounge and it’s absolutely massive but is also excellent
Any BBer been to Longyearbyen, Norway?
Yes, it’s farken pricey but well worth it
Thanks. Much to see in a 2 day visit?
We had 9 days and could have spent another week there at least. I think you need 7 days at a minimum to check out the Svalbard’s
Longyearbyen is probably only a couple of days itself but it’s a good base to explore the region
Major changes at Reynisfjara Black Beach near Vik after recent heavy weather…the sand has been washed away 
(Not my pic…copied from facebook)
Air Asia has 300 dollar trips to London.
That’s the base fare but by time you add on luggage etc it’s around $800-900 return
Sounds like a trip from hell, ultra small and narrow seats with 2 stops taking 26-33hrs.
LCC with basically rubbish meals you need to pay for and free water only. No IFE for the trip.
You can get full service airlines to Europe for under $1000 return
Has anyone done a railway trip from Vancouver to Montreal? We are thinking of doing one in August.
Air Asia would have to pay me more than $300 to take that flight.
Don’t take too long to think - they may be booked out already. (Except possibly for the “hotel room seats” which are over $7000 pp)
We were looking a luxury cabin which is a lot more than that.
Sounds like you don’t need advice then. but if you search for “Canada” in the previous Travel thread you will find a few people have reported positively on it.
I think it included 20 kilos no?
It’s a great deal for students for example to see Europe.
What do you think about the cheap flights with Chinese carriers?
All bad? One came up I saw ridiculously cheap - needed a night stop over but a hotel room was only like ~120 dolllars.
Extra $80-90 each way for 20kg luggage.
Still a cheap way to get to Europe but I can’t see it being a huge success
Chinese airlines are fine.
China Southern are under $1k to Europe returned and are full service in modern nice aircraft. They include a free stopover hotel if you have a long stopover
I’ve always been a get there as direct as possible kinda guy.
Maybe it’s those naff Dubai stopover ads with emirates during the Olympics but the overnight stop over is starting to have some appeal.
The Air Asia flights you have 8hrs stopover in Kuala Lumpur on the way over so you could head to the city then you have a 2hr stop in Manama where you don’t leave the aircraft.
On the way back you stop at Manama for 2hrs and again you don’t leave the aircraft then you have 10hrs stopover in KL.
Just horrible.
Check the airlines that do free stopovers, a day in Doha or Dubai is great
