With air traffic now back to normal across the globe, it is time to resume the premium passenger services.
The failings of marketing experts who don’t fly
If the eternal ominous birds predicted the worst in a kind of frugalization of the passenger experience, it is not the case: all airlines are investing massively in the passenger experience, both on the ground and in flight.
If this is the case for American airlines, it is obviously the case for Middle Eastern airlines, which have historically put this experience at the heart of their marketing strategy.
Qatar Airways back home at Paris Charles de Gaulle
COVID has definitely disrupted operations at many European airports, and Paris Charles-de-Gaulle has not been left out.
The Paris hub has closed a number of its terminals, including Terminal 1 from which the Qatari airline operated.
When flights to Paris resumed, Qatar Airways operated from Paris CDG Terminal 2E, using a temporary Paul Maxence lounge located in the terminal’s L boarding pier. The airline then moved to Terminal 2A/C, still in the Paul Maxence lounge (housed in the former Etihad lounge), before moving to Terminal 1 when it reopens in late 2022.
A very exclusive Premium lounge
Until then, and since the reopening of terminal 1 of the northern Paris airport hub, Qatar Airways has been using the Extime lounge recently opened by Aéroports de Paris in the new junction building between 3 former satellites of terminal 1, and which hosted most of the non-Star Alliance airlines in terminal 1.
But since 9 February, Qatar Airways has reopened its famous Premium Lounge at Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Access to this lounge is not available to everyone: only passengers travelling in Business or First class can access this lounge. Oneworld Sapphire and Emerald passengers are welcome to use the Extime lounge.
No renovation needed for Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways did not have to renovate this lounge: opened on 12 January 2017, it was the most recent lounge in Terminal 1 of the Paris hub.
Although the Qatari airline has to contend with the quirky architecture of Terminal 1, it has managed to take advantage of the space made available by Paris Airports to create various relaxation and catering areasIn addition, it provides a calm atmosphere thanks to its strict access restrictions and a careful service thanks to its trained and strictly supervised staff.
Bottom line
Qatar Airways’ ambitions for Paris are great! This is one of the priority premium markets for the Gulf airline, along with London. As proof, Paris was one of the first destinations to see the A380 and its First cabin, a chance that not all European destinations have had. And since then, the airline with the Oryx has been trying to position its QSuite equipped aircraft as a priority. Let’s see if an additional frequency is under consideration…
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