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2h.55 min layover in Doha

mil

Hello, hope everyone is doing well.
I have a question to those that have transferred in Doha. Will 2h.55 min be sufficient time to disembark, walk through the airport, make a quick stop at the lounge for a selfie and maybe a quick dessert w/champagne and then go to my next gate?
Can someone kindly advise.
Thanks

Comments

Denise Rei

That will absolutely be enough time. I have been through Doha 4 times - the most recent two weeks ago. I had a 2 hour 30 minute layover and had enough time to catch a meal, a drink, and relax a bit before heading to my next flight. Enjoy!!

mil

Denise Rei, Thank you.

PureLuxury

mil Hola! I agree with Denise Rei. You will have plenty enough time to grab a bite in the lounge. When you disembark, there is a separate transfer vehicle to take you from the tarmac to the terminal. You're off the plane first and transferred to the terminal first (assuming you're traveling biz class). I'm looking forward to my next Doha lounge visit in December...Safe Travels!

British

Yes, also agree Mil. The lounge is near the Big Toy store, you go up an escalator. When you go in, the dining area and food is at the far left.

British

Here is a good link, not had time to read it all, it mentions when it is likely to be busy etc
https://onemileatatime.com/reviews/qatar-airways-al-mourjan-business-lounge-doha/

mil

PureLuxury Hola! my friend.
Haven't heard from you in a while... Where is your next one? Here Iam already doing my homework for Namibia.
Huge dilemma... Qatar Q-suites or Emirates A380- upper level with the Bar..., OMG! I'm terrible.

Keep in touch.:) Have a great week.

mil

British love, thanks for the link, I'll check it, tomorrow.
Enjoy your trip.

Smiling Sam

Here's a portion of the article at the link British provided that discusses the busy hours.

mil

Smiling Sam, Thanks.

Jill Boyle

Please let us know if you are returning to the US as there will be an additional security layer at your gate which may or may not need additional time. That being said, if your flight arrives on time to connect to the US you are fine but do not tarry long in the lounge. I have found that Qatar gets a LOT of passengers from India and southeast Asia with a LOT of kids and bags and many are not very savvy travelers and they take up a LOT of time at the gates to board a US bound flight! I have transited in Doha many times and this is the normal situation there. Expect a LOT of wheelchair passengers which turn out to be what is known as "miracle flights" as many of them walk off on arrival into the US. I am NOT being ugly but I have witnessed this so many times so be aware of many "pre boarding" delays because of this issue. What I think prompts this is getting access to overhead bin/locker space so be aware if traveling in economy or premium economy.

British

Yes, what Jill describes is perfectly true. You do have to go through long and very strict security lines in Doha, actually the most strict I have ever experienced, far worse than Heathrow and even coming into Israel where we have been.
At Doha, you will be asked to take your camera out of a camera bag, I’ve had and seen people being asked to take covers off their iPads and more thorough things like that. Funnily enough, the only time we have avoided it was when we flew into Doha in January and we had paid for expedited passage through the airport to get to our flight as we had a very short layover time. It cost about $100 and we were collected from the plane and personally escorted through the the airport missing out security altogether. It was a long fast walk I assume part of which was through secure areas that passengers would not normally have access to.
Another thing we have experienced with Qatar air at some locations is business class passengers being put on a separate bus to or from the plane than everyone else when there is no sky bridge. At some airports you are boarded last.
All a very different experience then flying with other airlines.

mil

good to know, thank you ladies.

Augrl

British what expedited service did you use? We have a tight connection in Frankfurt coming up in May. Thank you.

British

My husband was checking our flights just the day before and noticed on the Qatar website that the service was available so he booked it then.

voikk32

It depends. Theoretically, yes; in realty, maybe. I just returned from Botswana via Doha. My original return flight from Joburg was 8:55 giving me just shy of 2 hours to connect. Then the flight was changed to depart at 9:25, making for a tight connection. The flight actually left at 10:20 because of something that needed to be safety checked on the plane, or so they said. We landed in Doha at 7:25 to make a 7:55 flight from Doha to Boston. When we arrived at the gate--and through a jetway, not outside where one has to deplane and take a bus to the terminal, there were representatives waiting for us to tell us various flight connections weren't held, were now closed, and they would be putting us up overnight in a hotel, outside the airport. It's Ramadan so everything is pretty much closed and the only food available was through room service with a limited menu at that.

The next day we departed on time (same flight, just a day later) but managed to arrive back into Boston 40 minutes late with no circling. Was I a happy camper? Do I sound it? Yes, Qatar picked up the tab for everything but it wasn't the experience or service I had hoped for.

To add insult to injury, when we were waiting to board in Joburg, there was no crew and then when the crew did arrive, all the plane was boarded with the exception of the business class and priority passengers who boarded last. I, along with a number of other passengers, was annoyed and we couldn't get our glasses of champagne fast enough once we got on board.

This was my third Qatar experience; the first was pre-pandemic and it was fabulous; the second was last October and there were some issues; this one clearly left me disillusioned. All business class flights. I am booked for VCT next February and will be considering other airlines for that. I am going to Turkey in June and flying Turkish Airlines biz class so I will see how that goes. I will also look at Emirates as I have flown them and they are very good or at least they were pre-pandemic. My other trips this year are back to back in Europe in September and I am booked on Air France--which may or may not be a problem with the current state of affairs in France and worker strikes. Time will tell.

mil

voikk32 Hi
3 trips post pandemic with Emirates, Yes! they are still EXCELLENT!
2 more trips with them coming up.

voikk32

Thanks, mil. Their schedules haven't been as convenient for me but I'm definitely going to take a serious look at both Emirates and Turkish Air assuming my June flights are up to the standard their reputation indicates.