DOHA stopover

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Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 75 total)

  • Ahmad
    Participant

    @alainboy56, there could be another reason, i.e. bussing into the terminal may mean going through irrespective of where you’ve come from. By the way, arrivals from all Gulf States don’t get the same treatment. On all occasions I have arrived from Saudi, I have had to go through security. Never when arriving from Dubai. So it may not be back to the drawing board after all.


    alainboy56
    Participant

    @Ahad — but as I said arriving from AUH, I have had both M.O’s, so is there any continuity, or they decide on a day to day basis which flights to check? Maybe a deterrant to any would-be trouble-maker whom will never know when he will be checked and when he will not? I use the word ‘he’ as a generalisation


    NTarrant
    Participant

    @alainboy56, I wouldn’t agree about Gulf states trusting each other, I have had to go through security on transfer from RUH every time since the new airport opened. I’m actually transiting tomorrow so will see if that differs fr what the norm is


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    One of the most frequent places I have to clear security from when inbound is SIN and it’s happened so often I now expect it, I can’t believe they don’t regard security there as top notch, it certainly beats most places in Europe by a huge margin.

    My only consistent experience is that it always happens when it’s a bus transfer to the terminal.


    Ahmad
    Participant

    @alainboy56, sorry about jumping to the wrong conclusion by misreading your earlier post. I wrongly assumed that every time you arrived from AUH directly to the terminal they let you in without having to go upstairs and every time you were bussed in after having arrived from AUH you had to go through security. If that was not the case and having arrived from AUH directly to the terminal, you were sometimes allowed directly into the departure area and sometimes asked to go upstairs through security first, I would think they have a different approach to what both me and @NTarrant think.


    Ahmad
    Participant

    @JohnHarper, we are talking about inbound security at DOH when transferring to another flight. SIN is different in that they sometime require you to go through full screening even when arriving into Singapore. It has happened to me on several occasions when arriving from Bangkok on Thai and disembarking directly via the aviobridge. They cordon off a portion of the pier and make you pass through a security area before letting you mix with other departing passengers in the terminal. As you will recall, at SIN, you have to go through the departure area before going down to passport control. It has been so long since I was bussed to the terminal that I can’t remember whether you go directly to passport control or not.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    [quote quote=771500] @JohnHarper, we are talking about inbound security at DOH when transferring to another flight. SIN is different in that they sometime require you to go through full screening even when arriving into Singapore. It has happened to me on several occasions when arriving from Bangkok on Thai and disembarking directly via the aviobridge. They cordon off a portion of the pier and make you pass through a security area before letting you mix with other departing passengers in the terminal. As you will recall, at SIN, you have to go through the departure area before going down to passport control. It has been so long since I was bussed to the terminal that I can’t remember whether you go directly to passport control or not.

    [/quote]

    Sorry, I worded that badly (late on Friday after a busy week).

    I mean clearing security at DOH when inbound from SIN and that’s when I’ve had very frequent screening.


    Ahmad
    Participant

    @JohnHarper, really! Now that is odd. I do that about 4-5 times a year and since they started the practice of letting you directly in at DOH, I have never had to go upstairs when arriving from SIN. Now you got me seriously thinking on whether there is a “method to the madness” if I may use the phrase without offending people.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    @Ahmad, I’m doing it again next week, let’s see what happens then!


    seasonedtraveller
    Participant

    I’m currently sitting in the Qatar lounge at LHR terminal 4 and all I can say is “wow”…..

    Excellent food and attentive service, everywhere spotless, plenty of loos and shower facilities.
    A business lounge that leaves BA’s Concorde room lagging way behind in my opinion let alone their business or First lounge.


    Ahmad
    Participant

    @JohnHarper, do let’s know. Wish you a safe trip.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    [quote quote=771509]I’m currently sitting in the Qatar lounge at LHR terminal 4 and all I can say is “wow”…..

    Excellent food and attentive service, everywhere spotless, plenty of loos and shower facilities.
    A business lounge that leaves BA’s Concorde room lagging way behind in my opinion let alone their business or First lounge.

    [/quote]

    Glad you’re enjoying it! It’s the best lounge at LHR bar none – and QR know that!


    seasonedtraveller
    Participant

    [quote quote=771533]

    I’m currently sitting in the Qatar lounge at LHR terminal 4 and all I can say is “wow”…..

    Excellent food and attentive service, everywhere spotless, plenty of loos and shower facilities.
    A business lounge that leaves BA’s Concorde room lagging way behind in my opinion let alone their business or First lounge.

    Glad you’re enjoying it! It’s the best lounge at LHR bar none – and QR know that!

    [/quote]

    The flight to Dohar was no less impressive. Treated like royalty on board and I’ve no status with QR. The service in business was superior to BA First (not a surprise to many I’m sure).


    NTarrant
    Participant

    Had to do transfer security today arriving from RUH.

    Service onboard on both flights was extremely good


    SCF
    Participant

    UPDATE on Doha and Qatar flight
    I have since flown Qatar again to go home. The flight form LHR to Doha was a simple B777 yet the space is significantly better than the next flight, the Dreamliner (Doha – JNB). The flight was short so we had a lovely meal at the Qatar business class lounge at T4. Well laid out and friendly staff. Laurent Perrier rose champagne was free-flowing! Incredible. There is a dining room called The Brasserie with white table cloth service to match. Good proper dishes, and well prepared. Because we wanted to sleep on board we took this option happily and we were not disappointed.
    The connection flight was a breeze because we had about 50 min. So we skipped the lounge in Doha and went to the Dreamliner. Now, for some reason (and for the first time) we would depart at 7am. So this was a daylight flight to JNB. We looked forward to this because at last we don’t board a Qatar plane all bleary eyed! But what a surprise! The seating layout compared to the B777 is poor. Your feet are forced into a tight corner, in a sardine fashion. Although there was good wine and champagne (this time Lanson rose) the food was very very poor. A simple salad, or smoked salmon, for starters, and a cheese tortellini or some other nondescript meal! No beef. No chicken. No lamb biryani…. even the Doha lounge’s food was better. For a 8H40min flight this was really bad. When it was time for lunch (ETA about 3pm) I asked for a menu or a light snack, the stewardess said it was the same as the ‘breakfast’ menu.
    Anyway, the best part of this trip was skipping the Doha lounge / stopover completely.

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 75 total)
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