Apr 13, 2015, 11:23 pm
Last edit by: hillrider
If you have a long overnight layover at DOH, please note that QR does not follow industry standards and you might not be able to get your bags returned for your hotel stay in Doha. Most (all?) QR fares, including the most expensive First class ones, contain the following buried deep in the "08.STOPOVERS" fare rule [note: you should check the rule of your own fare]:
IF THE STOPOVER IN DOHA BETWEEN CONNECTING
FLIGHTS IS LESS THAN 24 HOURS PLEASE NOTE THAT
THE BAGS WILL ALWAYS BE CHECKED THROUGH TO THE
FINAL DESTINATION.THE PASSENGERS SHOULD CARRY
EVERYTHING THEY NEED IN DOHA IN A HAND BAG.
-----------------------------------------------
IN CASE THE PASSENGER NEEDS THE BAGS IN DOHA THE
HIP RULE MUST BE APPLIED OR TWO SEPARATE TICKETS
NEED TO BE BOUGHT.
FLIGHTS IS LESS THAN 24 HOURS PLEASE NOTE THAT
THE BAGS WILL ALWAYS BE CHECKED THROUGH TO THE
FINAL DESTINATION.THE PASSENGERS SHOULD CARRY
EVERYTHING THEY NEED IN DOHA IN A HAND BAG.
-----------------------------------------------
IN CASE THE PASSENGER NEEDS THE BAGS IN DOHA THE
HIP RULE MUST BE APPLIED OR TWO SEPARATE TICKETS
NEED TO BE BOUGHT.
No short-checking luggage in DOH layover
Mar 1, 2014, 12:21 pm
#1
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,106
No short-checking luggage in DOH layover
I don't know if this is QR policy or just the c/i agent in KWI - I have an overnight stopover in DOH and she specifically said that as I only transit in Doha, she must check my luggage to the final destination. (with a revenue F ticket!)
Not a biggie, as I have enough stuff in my hand luggage for an overnight, but for some it might come as an unpleasant surprise, so beware.
Not a biggie, as I have enough stuff in my hand luggage for an overnight, but for some it might come as an unpleasant surprise, so beware.
Last edited by Zol; Apr 13, 2015 at 1:55 pm
Mar 1, 2014, 12:34 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LHR
Programs: QR Platinum, WY Gold, Shangri-la Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,151
I guess they do this to avoid people buying a cheaper transit ticket when their end destination is Doha maybe...? Although you'd think anyone flying paid F would be exempted!
When I had a 24-hour unplanned stopover (due to a missed connection) they actually pulled my luggage out of the system at my request and delivered it to the hotel a few hours later - very impressive service ^ - so maybe if you ask when you get to Doha they might be more flexible (but please don't take my word for it!!).
When I had a 24-hour unplanned stopover (due to a missed connection) they actually pulled my luggage out of the system at my request and delivered it to the hotel a few hours later - very impressive service ^ - so maybe if you ask when you get to Doha they might be more flexible (but please don't take my word for it!!).
Mar 5, 2014, 12:32 am
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: SIN
Programs: *G, OWE
Posts: 92
Another data point
I visited the QR office in Singapore this afternoon to alter an upcoming DWC-DOH-SIN reservation (in Y). I changed from a 90 minute layover in DOH to a 22 hour stay.
The QR agent confirmed our immigration eligibility to leave the airport ‘whilst in transit’ and then made a point of saying that at DWC our bags would be tagged all the way to SIN and we would not be able to retrieve them in DOH. I asked if we could just short check them at DWC and re-check them at DOH the following day. She said if we wanted to do that it would trigger a re-price as it would then be considered a stopover rather than transit. She said the re-price would make the ticket a great deal more expensive.
I’ve never encountered this policy before for long sub-24 hour ‘transits’ in any class of travel but needless to say we will be making do with cabin baggage only for our night in Doha.
The QR agent confirmed our immigration eligibility to leave the airport ‘whilst in transit’ and then made a point of saying that at DWC our bags would be tagged all the way to SIN and we would not be able to retrieve them in DOH. I asked if we could just short check them at DWC and re-check them at DOH the following day. She said if we wanted to do that it would trigger a re-price as it would then be considered a stopover rather than transit. She said the re-price would make the ticket a great deal more expensive.
I’ve never encountered this policy before for long sub-24 hour ‘transits’ in any class of travel but needless to say we will be making do with cabin baggage only for our night in Doha.
Last edited by NZZO; Mar 5, 2014 at 2:54 am Reason: Clarity
Mar 5, 2014, 1:10 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LHR
Programs: QR Platinum, WY Gold, Shangri-la Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,151
Ahh, when I missed my connection in Doha they added a 'stopover' to my itinerary, so I guess the change in ticket/terminology meant I was allowed my checked luggage.
Mar 6, 2014, 6:37 pm
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,118
Had a 20-layover in Doha once with a stopover program paid for by QR. Called reservations beforehand and again re-confirmed at check in that the bags would be tagged to the final destination. Was told to pack all I needed for the stopover into the carry on. Not a big deal but yes should spread the word as many other airlines DO allow short checking luggage.
Oct 9, 2014, 3:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: IND
Programs: DL DM, UA & AA Peeon, Hilton/Starwood Gold
Posts: 875
Retrieving Luggage Mid-Trip in DOH
Hello--looking to fly EBB-DOH-DXB next month and wondering what the minimum cnxn time is to request bags be tagged only to DOH and then I can recheck them upon continuation of the journey. Anyone know what this might be? Big thanks!
Oct 10, 2014, 4:59 am
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,740
Typically it requires a long (>12 hour) layover, or an overnight stay, to request short-checking of bags.
I have no direct experience with QR, but many European and US airlines are quite strict about this. KLM charges a very high fee for bags to be returned in AMS on stopovers of less than 12 hours, for instance.
Depending on your class of travel, your status, and your reason for wanting to do this, you may find that QR is far more flexible. However, if you are on a relatively short stopover, then the logistics of getting your bag back during the stopover can become more problematic.
However, we had a report earlier this year from someone travelling in First Class, staying overnight in Doha, and being refused access to their checked luggage in DOH: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...g-luggage.html. In fact, there are multiple reports in that thread of overnight stays not being allowed access to checked luggage.
I have no direct experience with QR, but many European and US airlines are quite strict about this. KLM charges a very high fee for bags to be returned in AMS on stopovers of less than 12 hours, for instance.
Depending on your class of travel, your status, and your reason for wanting to do this, you may find that QR is far more flexible. However, if you are on a relatively short stopover, then the logistics of getting your bag back during the stopover can become more problematic.
However, we had a report earlier this year from someone travelling in First Class, staying overnight in Doha, and being refused access to their checked luggage in DOH: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...g-luggage.html. In fact, there are multiple reports in that thread of overnight stays not being allowed access to checked luggage.
Oct 17, 2014, 10:59 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
QR does not short check bags
I can confirm from experience that QR does not short check bags.
Flew MLE-DOH(overnight)-LHR(overnight)-ABZ with three bags to check-in. One bag had the stuff we needed in DOH and LHR so I wanted one bag in DOH. The agent in MLE refused- insisting all bags should go to ABZ.
Connection in DOH 20 hours, connection in LHR 12 hours. Neither the agent nor the supervisor in MLE showed any flexibility. I asked them if they can check all three bags to DOH if they can't check in one bag to DOH and two to ABZ. No luck- all the bags need to go to the final destination.
Since there were four of us (including two kids), I had to buy an extra bag in MLE and take it as hand luggage as we were travelling with just two backpacks as hand baggage.
Even the stroller of my two year old was tagged all the way to ABZ, confiscated at the gate in MLE and I was told that it will be delivered in ABZ on the belt. No concept of gate checking. I managed to get it out in LHR thanks to a helpful gate agent.
On the outbound we flew BA/UL- the stroller was delivered promptly at the gate in LHR and CMB, my one short checked bag for CMB overnight retrieved without any problem.
If I had known QR will not short check the bag beforehand I would have made plans to take more hand luggage. However I had taken this as a given as it is a very reasonable request and I never faced this problem in my life. EK and EY never had such problem- forget BA, LH, CX, SQ et al.
And for the record we were in paid D/A on QR flights.
Flew MLE-DOH(overnight)-LHR(overnight)-ABZ with three bags to check-in. One bag had the stuff we needed in DOH and LHR so I wanted one bag in DOH. The agent in MLE refused- insisting all bags should go to ABZ.
Connection in DOH 20 hours, connection in LHR 12 hours. Neither the agent nor the supervisor in MLE showed any flexibility. I asked them if they can check all three bags to DOH if they can't check in one bag to DOH and two to ABZ. No luck- all the bags need to go to the final destination.
Since there were four of us (including two kids), I had to buy an extra bag in MLE and take it as hand luggage as we were travelling with just two backpacks as hand baggage.
Even the stroller of my two year old was tagged all the way to ABZ, confiscated at the gate in MLE and I was told that it will be delivered in ABZ on the belt. No concept of gate checking. I managed to get it out in LHR thanks to a helpful gate agent.
On the outbound we flew BA/UL- the stroller was delivered promptly at the gate in LHR and CMB, my one short checked bag for CMB overnight retrieved without any problem.
If I had known QR will not short check the bag beforehand I would have made plans to take more hand luggage. However I had taken this as a given as it is a very reasonable request and I never faced this problem in my life. EK and EY never had such problem- forget BA, LH, CX, SQ et al.
And for the record we were in paid D/A on QR flights.
Oct 17, 2014, 11:12 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Tehran (IKA), Vancouver (YVR), Nice (NCE)
Programs: QR Platinum (Oneworld Emerald), AZ Freccia Alata (Skyteam Gold), Shangri-La GC (Jade)
Posts: 235
This is really silly, but I am glad I am now informed. I will also have an overnight in DOH and i was counting on short checking. Not very helpful.
Oct 18, 2014, 9:23 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: NYC
Programs: AS MVP Gold, BA Silver, AA Gold, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,619
I can confirm from experience that QR does not short check bags.
Flew MLE-DOH(overnight)-LHR(overnight)-ABZ with three bags to check-in. One bag had the stuff we needed in DOH and LHR so I wanted one bag in DOH. The agent in MLE refused- insisting all bags should go to ABZ.
Connection in DOH 20 hours, connection in LHR 12 hours. Neither the agent nor the supervisor in MLE showed any flexibility. I asked them if they can check all three bags to DOH if they can't check in one bag to DOH and two to ABZ. No luck- all the bags need to go to the final destination.
Since there were four of us (including two kids), I had to buy an extra bag in MLE and take it as hand luggage as we were travelling with just two backpacks as hand baggage.
Even the stroller of my two year old was tagged all the way to ABZ, confiscated at the gate in MLE and I was told that it will be delivered in ABZ on the belt. No concept of gate checking. I managed to get it out in LHR thanks to a helpful gate agent.
On the outbound we flew BA/UL- the stroller was delivered promptly at the gate in LHR and CMB, my one short checked bag for CMB overnight retrieved without any problem.
If I had known QR will not short check the bag beforehand I would have made plans to take more hand luggage. However I had taken this as a given as it is a very reasonable request and I never faced this problem in my life. EK and EY never had such problem- forget BA, LH, CX, SQ et al.
And for the record we were in paid D/A on QR flights.
Flew MLE-DOH(overnight)-LHR(overnight)-ABZ with three bags to check-in. One bag had the stuff we needed in DOH and LHR so I wanted one bag in DOH. The agent in MLE refused- insisting all bags should go to ABZ.
Connection in DOH 20 hours, connection in LHR 12 hours. Neither the agent nor the supervisor in MLE showed any flexibility. I asked them if they can check all three bags to DOH if they can't check in one bag to DOH and two to ABZ. No luck- all the bags need to go to the final destination.
Since there were four of us (including two kids), I had to buy an extra bag in MLE and take it as hand luggage as we were travelling with just two backpacks as hand baggage.
Even the stroller of my two year old was tagged all the way to ABZ, confiscated at the gate in MLE and I was told that it will be delivered in ABZ on the belt. No concept of gate checking. I managed to get it out in LHR thanks to a helpful gate agent.
On the outbound we flew BA/UL- the stroller was delivered promptly at the gate in LHR and CMB, my one short checked bag for CMB overnight retrieved without any problem.
If I had known QR will not short check the bag beforehand I would have made plans to take more hand luggage. However I had taken this as a given as it is a very reasonable request and I never faced this problem in my life. EK and EY never had such problem- forget BA, LH, CX, SQ et al.
And for the record we were in paid D/A on QR flights.
Doesn't all U.K.-bound luggage need to pass customs/immigration at LHR? If this is the case, wouldn't all luggage be offloaded there, and then need to be rechecked for the domestic segment (thereby allowing you access to the stroller and checked bags during your 12 hour connection)? If this is not the case, how is checked baggage on the "domestic" leg segregated so that customs officials at arrival domestic airports are aware that duties et al might need to be collected?
It's absolutely inconceivable to me that a baby stroller could not be made available for a 20 hour DOH connection. Is it possible that something else was going on ---- I.e. an industrial action by MLE check-in clerks --- that might have been motivating non-sensical actions/decision-making?
Finally, out of sheer curiosity, was QR paying for your hotel in DOH, and did they provide you with a stroller while there?
Oct 18, 2014, 10:25 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
I'd appreciate greater clarity on two aspects of the above -----
Doesn't all U.K.-bound luggage need to pass customs/immigration at LHR? If this is the case, wouldn't all luggage be offloaded there, and then need to be rechecked for the domestic segment (thereby allowing you access to the stroller and checked bags during your 12 hour connection)? If this is not the case, how is checked baggage on the "domestic" leg segregated so that customs officials at arrival domestic airports are aware that duties et al might need to be collected?
It's absolutely inconceivable to me that a baby stroller could not be made available for a 20 hour DOH connection. Is it possible that something else was going on ---- I.e. an industrial action by MLE check-in clerks --- that might have been motivating non-sensical actions/decision-making?
Finally, out of sheer curiosity, was QR paying for your hotel in DOH, and did they provide you with a stroller while there?
Doesn't all U.K.-bound luggage need to pass customs/immigration at LHR? If this is the case, wouldn't all luggage be offloaded there, and then need to be rechecked for the domestic segment (thereby allowing you access to the stroller and checked bags during your 12 hour connection)? If this is not the case, how is checked baggage on the "domestic" leg segregated so that customs officials at arrival domestic airports are aware that duties et al might need to be collected?
It's absolutely inconceivable to me that a baby stroller could not be made available for a 20 hour DOH connection. Is it possible that something else was going on ---- I.e. an industrial action by MLE check-in clerks --- that might have been motivating non-sensical actions/decision-making?
Finally, out of sheer curiosity, was QR paying for your hotel in DOH, and did they provide you with a stroller while there?
The customs at the arriving UK airport is supposed to check the bag, never happened to me. In Spain too the bags are collected at the final airport, but non-EU bags arrive on a different belt inside customs zone from where you have to collect so the customs can check the bags there if needed.
DOH airport, like DXB, provides baby strollers for pax within the airport. But I needed the stroller outside the airport too
There is no industrial action or anything- just stupid QR policy.
I booked the hotel myself.
Oct 18, 2014, 10:26 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
Yes- we have to spread the word so that people are not blindsided like me. If I had known they will not short check I would have made plans to have more hand baggage.
Oct 19, 2014, 5:40 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: BKK, CDG, TLS
Programs: QR G, A3 G, EK G, IHG Amb, GHA Black, WOH LT something
Posts: 1,306
We are traveling on QR in F soon. Have an overnight in CDG before swtiching over to BA. Will QR agree to short check the lugage to CDG so we can empty out our suitcases with our summer clothes and put in our winter gear before leaving again the next day?
I just saw this thread and it has me worried now since this was never an issue with either TG, LH, or LX...
I just saw this thread and it has me worried now since this was never an issue with either TG, LH, or LX...