Unprofessional service and unwarranted stress

My girlfriend booked her trip to London via Qatar airlines. The itinerary was as follows; Durban (South Africa) to Doha, Doha to London (Heathrow) and then a bus (booked via Qatar) to Bristol airport (reference for ticket can be provided). Based on and around the Qatar itinerary she booked a car service to pick her up from Bristol airport to take her to the hotel and for the return flight.

Yesterday when she arrived at the airport was when all the service issues and unwarranted stress started. I will detail the events below and you are welcome to contact her to confirm the details (she is currently still in London hence my review on her behalf).

We arrived at the Qatar counter at the King Shaka Airport (Durban), waited in line patiently and were served after about 15 min, which can be expected. The lady who processed the check in however seemed unsure and not very helpful. We were served at the business class counter as the web check in counter was busy (my girlfriend did an online check in).

The first issue that raised our concern was, the staff had no clue or any information about the bus trip (even thou it was on the ticket), when we enquired about the bus leg of the itinerary. She proceeded to call another staff member (via telephone), to ask if they knew anything. That staff member on the phone didnt know anything about it and actually asked if Bristol was in the UK? I would assume the staff of a company in the travel industry would at least have a general knowledge of the areas the company operates in as well as the services offered. We were then advised, when she arrives in London she would need to either go to the Qatar counter or the bus company counter to get the ticket and obtain any information we needed. We were a little unsure at this point, keeping in mind my girlfriend would be travelling by herself with no confirmation of her getting to her destination safely. We also felt at this point we had no other option but to proceed with what we were told. The lady checked her bags in and gave us the tickets, she had to also confirm with another lady at the web check in if my girlfriend did in deed do a online check in before we were given the boarding passes etc.

My girlfriend then proceeded to the gate and passport control etc. We (her mum and I) waited a while in the airport and lucky we did as we would have been more stressed if we had left immediately. Her mum got a call from a Qatar employee looking for my girlfriend. She asked where she was, we said she had already passed security and was probably waiting at the gate. The flight was due to board at 5:10pm and the call was received around 4:30pm. My girlfriends mum then asked if everything was ok and the person said everything was fine and they were trying to call her. Her mum then called her and got through instantly, she advised she had not received any calls from anyone else but us. We told her that Qatar was trying to call her and didn't know why, she then asked us to go to the counter to check.

We went to the lady that checked her in and she said that she was the one looking for her and that everything was fine and she will speak to my girlfriend at the boarding gate. There was another staff member next to her and she asked her in front of us what was the issue and the lady tells the other staff member (while looking at us out the corner of her eye) "ill tell you just now". That whole interaction left me feeling concerned and a little stressed that there might be an issue and they weren't telling us about it. We continued to wait at the airport to make sure there was no issue.

We then received a call from my girlfriend at about 5pm (boarding was at 5:10pm) that she was waiting at the boarding gate and there was an announcement over the p.a system for her to report to the domestic security gate (this being the other side of the terminal). My girlfriend began to walk back to the international security gate to see how she could get to the domestic security gate (while she was on he phone with me). We were by the Qatar counter so I asked one of the staff to assist us. A very helpful pregnant staff member tells us she knows about the issue and my girlfriend needs to stay at the boarding gate and they will chat to her there. She then advises us the whole issue was; they were trying to get a hold of her to see if she would move seats as they wanted to put a family travelling together in her row. This would not have been any problem if the staff went about it in a professional manner.

I called my girlfriend and told her what the issue was and to go back to the boarding gate and they will let her through (the pregnant staff member was on her way to ensure they were no further issues). However when she was at the gate they refused to let her through advising there was a seating error on her ticket, she then had enough and raised her voice, they then all of a sudden allowed her on the plane. All of this stress, phone calls and uncer*****y just because your staff wanted to rearrange seating? This is certainly not acceptable service.

I myself just got back from Germany about 3 weeks ago, I flew Emirates and also had to move seats due to a family wanting to sit together. My experience was far different, the staff were friendly, efficient and effective in doing it with as little impact on the other passengers as possible.

I would love to have had this been the end of the ordeal but it was just the start. When she arrived in London (Heathrow), she was told to go to the bus company offices (National Express). This was a company that Qatar booked and uses. When she arrived at the bus offices they knew nothing of her booking couldn't find any reservations and were extremely rude and unhelpful, to a point where she eventually broke down in tears. The staff of the bus company in no other words advised its not their problem and she must take it up with Qatar. Eventually one staff member of the bus company called Qatar and after an hour on the phone found the booking.

The Qatar booking and itinerary clearly confirmed the bus would drop her off at Bristol airport, the bus company however tell her the bus doesn't go to Bristol airport and only goes to the city??? The bus company also could not tell her where in the city, they could not give her the address of the station or a contact number, they just told her she can call the car service or a cab when shes dropped off.

She called me by this time to alert me to what had happened (using international roaming at an additional cost to her).We had already booked and paid for a car service to pick her up from Bristol airport. She was stressed and so was I as we had no idea what to do. While she was on the bus we eventually got a hold of the car service to change the pick up point at an additional cost.

She then gets to the bus and the bus was already about to leave (20 minutes earlier than the time on the Qatar itinerary), just another stress in an already stressful day. After all this she eventually arrived at the hotel highly stressed and extremely unhappy.

She is now due to fly back with Qatar on Monday, same itinerary, bus from Bristol to London (we had to change this car service drop of point as well as the bus doesn't leave from Bristol airport as per the Qatar itinerary) and then to Doha and Doha to Durban.

After all our planning to avoid any issues, uncer*****y and risk we were let down by the company that we thought we could rely on and trust... Qatar airlines.

I would like an assurance from Qatar that she will be safe and have none of the issues above on her return trip home on Monday 13 November 2017.

Please treat as urgent and provide feedback, I will be happy to provide any further details and or proof of the above.