Qatar Airways Privilege Club - Force to check in hand luggage

I've read so many horror stories about Qatar and Doha airport. would they force you to check in your laptop and other electronic gadgets too??

TSA is another terror, I'm so not looking forward to flying to US and shop in NYC

Flew DOH-IAH recently; checks prior to boarding are strict, esp. regarding the fluids and creams, however, you can take your PC onboard....what I was missing after entering the US ? they had removed my shaving-blades...:mad:

Security in DOH is actually very strict when it comes to US bound flights. I have flown DOH - IAD quite a few times from the Premium Business class terminal and there is extra security right before you board the bus. This is apart from a guy from the US embassy with a "special" box (containing a laptop and a scanning device) at the check-in counter asking and verifying all papers needed to board the flight. I was told by the customer service personnel that they have to perform these to comply with the strict rules set by US for inbound flights esp from the middle east. The pre-bus security let all my stuff including my laptop and other items in my laptop bag but they made a big deal about the knitting needles (wooden) my wife kept in her handbag. They made us gate-check the knitting needles and we got them back at IAD. (Of course all through the trip my wife and I were joking about a potential terrorist trying to hijack a flight with a knitting needle - "Hands up ELSE I shall make a sweater for u"!! LOL. :D

The pasport check (the guy with the "special" box) is typical for most US inbound flights reguardless of origination. This is how they match up the travelers, tickets and US watch lists. The only place I have not seen this lately is LHR.

The strick security check is also typical of US bound flights and no worse than AMS IMHO. They are a bit off when it comes to duty-free though; I bought a book for my son and they would not let me carry it to the gate, I had to collect it with the tabacco and alchohol!

As far as gate checking for size and weight, I've never seen a bag disallowed at DOH. It is far to chaotic, especially once you get to the bus.

As always, your experience may differ...

FWIW
DLM

I have flown Qatar on the following routes:

DAC - LGW (business
GVA - DAC (business)
DAC - IAD - DAC (economy)

Security was ver rudimentary at DOH, except for my flight to IAD. In Jan 2004 I flew Malaysia from KUL to EWR and we had to deboard DXB. Extra security checks in KUL and DXB (both locations were supervised an American official)

Did not notice this when flying BA to Washington via LHR.