Doha Airport

Transited here twice during November 2013. As others have pointed out the bus transfers from the plan are the longest I have ever come across - and there is the inevitable confusion for some passengers between the Doha arrival and transit/departures stop which can cause some chaos. Overall the airport terminal for transit was not as bad as I feared - plenty of seats in the downstairs area and a nice coffee shop close to the toilets. However buying anything from duty free is a slow process - I tried to buy a bottle of water and had to wait nearly 10 minutes while the cashier filled out volumes of paperwork for another customer who was just buying one bottle of whisky. And after all the drama the passenger left his boarding card behind! Its bearable as a transit stop - but the sooner the new Doha airport opens the better. I was there in November - so maybe that is why it seemed quieter!

Perhaps I've been lucky with the immigration queues but I've found immigration in and out of Doha to be fairly quick and straightforward - though make sure you have a credit card to cover the visa fee; they don't take cash. But I wouldn't want to be a transit passenger here; there aren't enough seats the air side food options are dismal there's hardly anywhere to plug in electronic equipment and the shopping is surprisingly poor; if I was in transit for more than a couple of hours I'd seriously consider paying for Oryx Lounge access (and maybe that's the intention). That every flight I've taken to and from Doha seems to involve a long bus drive from the gate to and from the actual plane is also a minus - and often confusing to people who haven't used the airport before. While hardly awful Doha is too small and too dated an airport to properly serve as the major regional transit hub its primary airline and its government both want; in that sense the sooner the new airport opens the better.

As I had only 1 hour 20 minutes between landing from Manchester and catching the next flight to Bangkok I'd booked the Al Maha fast track service which I can really recommend I was rushed through the usual crowds and chaos of Doha and escorted direct to the departure gate so I can't really comment about delays etc although the terminal seemed to be a crowded as usual. On my return flight I'd used Q-miles to upgrade to business from Doha to Manchester as I was in transit for 8 hours the premier terminal is the place to be if you have 8 hours with nothing to be expect sit and wait for the next flight a fine choice of foods and top class staff there seem to be more of them since my last visit I just hope the HAMAD finally opens they'll have done something about the crowds and queues. Most of the below marks are based on premier terminal.

Every time I am at the airport I see at least half the passengers disembark on the wrong section (transit) and I find them coming back. This takes too much time just because the busses we travel do not have voice over instructions. This could save ground staff so much hassle. The crowd in immigration is usually quite large but the egate card works for us.

This airport is a joke for all the tall claims Qatar Airways or their ads make. The Airport is a disaster starting with the longest bus ride from the plane to the Terminal (at time waiting at the door of the plane as the Bus has not yet found its way to us). Once you get to the terminal things get worse. There are two or three outlets where you can buy food. The selection is rubbish service is shabby. The prices are over the top. The available lounges are small and most of the time they refuse to honour the complimentary access assured by our Credit Cards (Platinum and above). I would hate to be stranded there more than an hour or so.

To the previous reviewer: are you sure you are talking about Doha airport? The airport of 2-3 wide-body jets arriving at the same time at 1 am and turning the security area into mayhem. Small and cramped departure areas where people are herded one hour before the boarding and are forced to sit on the floor due to lack of seating? Dingy and smelly toilets. Long bus rides around the runway where often the driver is himself unsure at which aircraft he has to stop. Surly and brusque customer service? Bad ventilation and simply not enough space to contain QR expansion. My last experience was all of the above and worse. Much as I like flying QR I hate this airport and will avoid it until the new terminal opens.

I cannot understand the very bad reviews of this airport. My husband and I are in our 60's. We had a stop over in Doha visa everything went smoothly. Check in back at the airport fine. The departure lounge is fine eating and shopping. Toilets no problem. We found a seat again without a problem. The bus ride to and from the plane does not take long buses are used in lots of airports. (Our flight arrived in Doha at 01.15am and our departure was 08.45am). We shall have no hesitation when next we travel to Malaysia to use Qatar airways with a stopover in Doha.

I found arrival with Qatar Airways excellent customs was fast and for the region ok in friendliness. Visa upon arrival possible by credit card and directly at customs check though depending on nationality I guess. Taxis wait outside just around the corner. I found especially departure in the main terminal disturbing for Qatar-standards. I must again admit that check-in customs and security-checks went smooth and fast however that is it. There are few shops that basically all sell the same tax-free items if not coffee. Most disappointing was the food court and choice it was probably amongst some of the poorest I ever seen after travelling to quite some airports in different parts of the world. There are hardly tables available and half of them is reserved for airport and airline staff of which some noisy as well. Ordering service was chaotic and food quality was below average. Also the fact bus transport is used for every flight where you would have expected air-conditioned walking bridges in Qatar instead is a very annoying thing and may indeed take a while to reach the airplane. Toilets not clean and smelly as well. Too bad for Qatar Airways.

Qatar is a great airline however Doha is the worst airport for a transits. No airbridges long bus rides from aircraft to terminals (very confusing system) crowded toilets even in the middle of the night. It was very tiring and wouldn't want to fly through Doha again.

Travelled through Doha in September. Very cheap airport lots of bargains in duty free shops very cheap beverages and food. Waited four hours for next plane on the way back to London and because it was after midnight airport was quiet with plenty of seats in the main area and Quiet Zone. Different story on the way to Bangkok. Late afternoon on the way to Bangkok completely different story. Overcrowded dirty toilets no seating left. Smoking rooms are a big joke avoid if you can no sufficient ventilation and too many people inside. Bus service to and from the plane was fast. Overall would not recommend this airport for staying longer than one hour.