On August 31st, 2024, I boarded a flight out of Nigeria, marking the first time I used a long-stay visa—commonly referred to as “Japa.” Booking a one-way ticket was something I had never done for myself before, and I hadn’t really considered it as a possibility until last year, 2023. It was a tough decision, but it was one that needed to be made.
It’s still August 31st, 2024, and I’m writing this on my flight—Qatar Airways, as I had always planned. I knew I’d fly with them next because of their tempting stopover benefits and the promises they make to students through their student program. However, reality didn’t quite match up to the expectations. Despite all the perks they advertise, I found myself paying through the nose and missing out on the benefits I thought were guaranteed.
Qatar Airways Stopover & Student Program
I was told I wasn’t eligible for the free stopover hotel, so I ended up paying for that and my visa, which was understandable. But the real frustration came with the extra baggage. Qatar Airways promises extra baggage for students, but this turned out to be a complete scam. I had to shell out an additional N424,000 for luggage, and that’s on top of the N900,000 I had already spent for my extra 64kg bags. It was an outrageous expense for something that was supposed to be a benefit.
Despite all these unplanned and annoying expenses, I still had a pretty smooth trip with Qatar Airways. For the first time, I actually managed to eat a full meal on a flight. I didn’t finish it, but it was surprisingly tasty, which is quite rare when it comes to international airlines. It was one of those small wins that made the trip a bit more bearable.
The positive food experience didn’t extend to the Qatar-to-France leg of the journey, though. While the earlier meal was a pleasant surprise, this one didn’t quite hit the mark. My taste buds were left disappointed, but at least I had that rare win with airplane food earlier in the flight!
Qatar Airways Stopover experience in Doha
It’s now the 1st of September, 5:35 AM, and I’ve just landed in Doha, Qatar, for my one-day stopover. I stayed at the Radisson Doha, which was a nice experience overall. I won’t dive too much into the details—I’ll just attach some photos from my stay below. Nothing too fancy, but it was a comfortable and convenient stop on this journey.
In the end, would I recommend Qatar Airways for anyone flying to France? The answer is yes. Qatar Airways is a great carrier with smooth flights and reliable service. However, if you’re booking them solely for the student benefits or to save some money, I’d suggest exploring other options. While the experience is good, the promises for students don’t always hold up, so it’s worth comparing before committing.
