[alexlondon]

I like Doha stopovers. There is a good gym and spa with reasonable rates. Just follow signs to the airside hotel. I pack my gym kit in my carry on and find a bit of a swim in the pool and a bit of a workout a great break before the next flight.

[WillieWelsh]

I too quite like stopping in DOH and when my base was EDI I did quite often. A flight of 6-7 hours goes on quite long enough for me and it’s good then to get off and have a walk or as Alex says a gym session and a swim before getting on the next flight often of again 6-7 hours duration.

I’ve never shopped at DOH, the prices of anything are outrageous, it’s a bit like you are meant to want to pay extra for the privilege of shopping there so I had one look after Hamad opened and I’ve never darkened the door of a shop again.

The Al-Mourjan lounge is one of the best in the business, necessarily big and not quite as nice as the premium terminal used to be but it beats most business class lounges hands down.

Now living near FRA I doubt I will use QR so much unless DOH is my destination as I’m quite happy with the services of LH which I now have access to in abundance.

[Tom Otley]

Popular airport… (press release)

Hamad International Airport Served 17.6 Million Passengers During the First Half of 2016

The world leading airport handled 118,069 aircraft movements between January and June 2016

Date: 18 September 2016

DOHA – Qatar: Hamad International Airport (HIA) has welcomed 17.6 million passengers during the first half of 2016, registering a growth of more than 20 per cent compared to the 14.6 million passengers served during the same period last year, setting a new passenger record for the airport.

HIA also saw a significant increase in aircraft operations from January to June with a total of 118,069 movements, which represents a 17 per cent increase in aircraft take-offs and landings at the airport, compared to the same period in 2015. This growth is attributed to the continuous expansion of Qatar Airways with eight new destinations added in the first half of the year namely, Adelaide, Atlanta, Birmingham, Boston, Los Angeles, Marrakech, Ras Al Khaimah and Yerevan as well as new flights by Philippine Airlines, Atlas Global Airlines and Himalaya Airlines.

Cargo tonnage continued to grow strongly by 20.3 per cent totalling 817,792 tonnes during the same period, further strengthening HIA’s position as one of the world’s major cargo hubs.

HIA’s top routes in regards to passenger numbers during the first half of this year were Dubai, London, Bangkok, Bahrain and Colombo, generating collectively 20.3 per cent of the airport’s traffic. The UAE topped all countries in terms of total passenger numbers followed by India, Saudi Arabia, USA and United Kingdom. Regionally, the Far East achieved a 33.6 per cent share of passenger movements, followed by the Middle East with 22 per cent and Europe with 21.6 per cent during the same period.

HIA’s facilities include two dual capacity runways, one of the largest free span maintenance hangars in the world, a cutting edge two-storey cargo facility and one of the world’s largest self-contained catering facilities. HIA also boasts an airside hotel, two airside squash courts, a gym, a 25-metre swimming pool and spa and houses art pieces by local and international artists, placed across the terminal.

At Hamad International Airport, Qatar Duty Free offers 40,000 square metres of combined retail, food and beverage facilities, establishing the retailer as a premier shopping and dining destination. With more than 70 retail outlets offering an unprecedented selection of designer labels, fashion, electronics, gourmet foods and much more, QDF at Hamad International Airport caters to all tastes and needs. In addition, more than 30 cafes and restaurants offer a sumptuous selection of global and local cuisine.

About Hamad International Airport:
Positioned at the edge of the Arabian Gulf, Hamad International Airport’s tranquil waterside setting provides a perfect backdrop for its stylish architectural elements, underpinned by advanced airport systems. It features two runways, among the longest in the world, a state-of-the-art air traffic control tower, a stunning passenger terminal with an initial design capacity of 30 million passengers per year, over 40,000 square meters of combined retail, food and beverage facilities, and a uniquely shaped public mosque.
Hamad International Airport features 12 different lounges spread across more than 80,000 square metres and also features an airside hotel, two airside squash courts, a gym, a 25-metre swimming pool and spa, all within moments of the departure gates.
Hamad International Airport won Best Airport in the Middle East and Best Airport Staff in the Middle East at the 2016 Skytrax Awards. This is the second consecutive year the airport has won the Best Airport in the Middle East award.
Hamad International Airport is a world-class facility that sets new benchmarks and redefines the passenger and transit experience.

[Ahmad]

My two bits. I have always found transiting at Doha laid back and stress free, even on short connections where I have just enough time to go directly to the other gate. The recent bypassing of security when arriving on some flights is an added bonus making the whole process even less bothersome and most civilised. If flying First/Business, just dont turn up at the gate earlier than 40 minutes before take off. It can be a bit of a scrum even though there are separate entrances for premium passengers. I use any extra time I have to go to the lounge and freshen up or just sit until it is time.

[seasonedtraveller]

I have a 7.5 layover in Doha on the way back to LHR from PEK.
I’m sure that I read somewhere, that Qatar will provide a hotel room for transfers of 8 hours or more but I don’t see anything on their website? (browsing with phone).

Does anyone know about this?(FDOS_UK I’m sure you either travel to or transit in Doha frequently)
The airport hotel is fully booked.
Cheers
ST

[JohnHarper]

[quote quote=770180]I have a 7.5 layover in Doha on the way back to LHR from PEK.
I’m sure that I read somewhere, that Qatar will provide a hotel room for transfers of 8 hours or more but I don’t see anything on their website? (browsing with phone).

Does anyone know about this?(FDOS_UK I’m sure you either travel to or transit in Doha frequently)
The airport hotel is fully booked.
Cheers
ST[/quote]

If you cannot connect in under eight hours Qatar will indeed provide a hotel room but as you are on a 7.5 hour stop over they will not.

[NTarrant]

Have you emailed the hotel or just looked on line? The website used to be a bit awkward for short stays or day sleeps. Might be worth emailing if you haven’t already.

[seasonedtraveller]

[quote quote=770307]Have you emailed the hotel or just looked on line? The website used to be a bit awkward for short stays or day sleeps. Might be worth emailing if you haven’t already.

[/quote]

Hi there.

Yes but they are full unfortunately. I’ve just booked a room at the Marriott a couple of miles away.
Cheers.
ST

[alainboy56]

@Ahmad —I have been trying to work out why and how some flights are routed through security and others not at HIA Doha. I think I have worked it out — tell me if this resonates with you and any other contributors to this forum. If one parks on stand and connects by airbridge to the Terminal, there is no security check, but if one parks on a remote stand, and need a bus to the Terminal, then one is routed through security. Am I right on this? It always appeared to be random to me, but now I think I worked it out,

[alainboy56]

@canucklad …. I do admire your optimism and yours sense of humour. A city tour of DOHA! That has made me laugh this morning.

[alainboy56]

@Johnharper … couldn’t agree more – please change the words ‘tube of toothpaste’ to ‘Merit Light cigarettes’ and those are my sentiments exactly.

[Kimi_CDG]

I don’t think Alan. I have used the airbridge a few weeks ago and had to go through security. Can’t find a logic though.
I’m QR Platinum. What I find weird is that there is no Priority lane for their own frequent flyers (only for J and F pax). I can however book the Al Maha service to have someone accompnying me to the lounge, using the J priority lane of course…

[NTarrant]

It depends on where your inward flight has originated. Some places are seen as lax in security whilst other aren’t. If you have a tight connection and you are met at the end of the bridge and taken to your next flight it is unlikely you will need to clear security.

With Qatar, tier status doesn’t wash with security

[Ahmad]

[quote quote=771413]It depends on where your inward flight has originated. Some places are seen as lax in security whilst other aren’t. If you have a tight connection and you are met at the end of the bridge and taken to your next flight it is unlikely you will need to clear security.

With Qatar, tier status doesn’t wash with security

[/quote]

@alainboy56, I partially agree with @NTarrant. Bypassing security when transiting DOH appears to depend on where your incoming flight is coming from. So far, I have not experienced bypassing security on a tight connection, even when I have been met at the aviobridge by an Al Maha agent, having arrived from an airport with perceived lax security. As already mentioned by @Kimi_CDG, tier status with QR does play a role when clearing security in that if you are gold/platinum and have pre booked the complimentary Al Maha service, you get to use the priority lane. I don’t recall whether one can use it just by showing one’s card to the minders there. I will try and remember to ask them the next time I transit and use security.

[alainboy56]

@Ntarrant and @Ahmad — I don’t agree, well actually I do understand what you mean but most Gulf states co-ordinate and trust each other, but on trips from AUH to DOH – I have received both treatments, so there still appears to be no logic, apart from that which i perceived, that if one parks directly on an airbridge from AUH for example, there is no security, but I have, and would say mostly coming from AUH, parked on remote stands and need a bus, thereby coming into contact with the airport workers, then security is required, I thought I had analyzed it finally, but if you guys tell me I’m wrong, then its back to the ‘Drawing Board’

[Author]

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