I'm back! Completed this trip without too major of a hassle.
1. Keep in mind with new OW rules, if you are connecting on a separate ticket,
be prepared that the previous airline will not check through your baggage. S7 was unwilling to interline directly onto the QR flight and I had to go landside. I also sincerely doubt the agents in DME would be willing to retrieve your luggage for you and re-check it in, as was the case with someone at ALG I think.
2. If you are to take photos in the area, be discreet. They were NOT happy and I was made to delete some when I got caught taking photos.
3. When you arrive, follow the signs to baggage claim/passport control.
When you get to where I'm standing in this photo (where the passport control is), transit is on the right. Be aware that this photo shows the economy class immigration. If you are going through, use these instead of the business/APEC/diplomat lines as those are off to the side and they ask more difficult questions (in general)
This unfortunately slightly blurry photo is also the last because subsequent ones were requested to be deleted by the fun agents at DME. They literally stood hovering over my phone to make sure I deleted them.
Head up these escalators (to the right of immigration) for transit security. Note that you MUST have an onwards boarding pass by this point. E-boarding passes will suffice.
Two slight snafus:
I entered on an HKSAR passport both times into DME, which is normally visa-free for 14 days. However, one of the agents had likely never seen it before, and questioned why I didn't have a visa. While they went and sorted it out, you are locked into a small "detention centre". Try not to panic. They will also ask a lot of questions (why did you visit, what did you do, etc.) if you have stamps that show you've been to Turkey and Ukraine. Their English is also not great, so speak slowly.
If you have
any sort of food allergies,
be careful in the DME lounges. I have no known allergies to any sort of food and I went into mild anaphylactic shock after eating something there. I went to a hospital in Japan to get tested for allergens (as personally I would not like to get tested in DME or DOH) and all results to known foods were negative, so it's still a mystery as to what exactly set me off. Good news, they do have a doctor on site to administer the Russian equivalent of an epi pen.
Landside Transfer
Pass customs, pick up any baggage from one of the four carousels, exit, then turn left. Walk about 1 minute and you will be at the check-in desks. Head upstairs to go through security .
Baggage hall
View of left-hand side on exiting baggage hall
If you are arriving from central Moscow, bear in mind there is security to get into the terminal, although it's rudimentary (no need for laptops/liquids):
QR Check-in desks (open 3 hours prior to departure)
After transit security and/or regular security, you will decanter into a hallway that will get you into the lounges. Once you exit the hallway, the QR lounge is on the left at the very end. The BA one is right ahead, although it will be closed if you're on the night flight (QR 230). Both lounges have literally the exact same furniture and food, but the QR one is larger in terms of seating area & offers better views.
Hope this helps feel free to PM me any questions.