lazyloki

I'm just looking at booking flights LHR - SGN via DOH for October this year and my options are either a 1hr 10mins or a 5hr+ transfer. I'd prefer the shorter one but I've not been through the new Hamad airport yet and I'm not sure if 1 Hr 10 mins will be enough to transfer. Both sectors will be on Qatar metal.

Anyone with experience of the new airport's handling of transfers have any advice?

jdtravels

QR is fine at handling transfers. They'll have someone herd you to your gate. Yes, I mean herd in the bad way, but it's still fine, seeing that everyone's in such a hurry and boarding your flight is more important than manners on ground. Hope your baggage makes it through though. It usually does, but there's always the odd chance that it doesn't. CX certainly didn't get my luggage through on a 45 min connection at HKG. DOH should though - who knows how they punish baggage handlers who don't deliver... (shudders)

Phil the Flyer

If it wasn't doable it wouldn't be available for sale on QR's website (I assume you're referring to QR004/QR964). This may also reassure you:

http://support.qatarairways.com/entr...ecting-flight-

At the risk of telling you something you may already be aware of, don't be seduced by the fact that QR004 is shown as being operated by an A388. I've fallen for that one already - twice.

lazyloki

Thanks guys, I'll go ahead with the 1hr10mins connection.

purple1addict

Even if you do miss your connection they will just put you on the next one anyway without any drama - so you may as well go with the shorter connection

cundall

thanks for the feedback - this helps me as i have a 45min connection from MAN to CRK

SeeBuyFly

~1 hr connections are QR's bread and butter. It's not like your connection is special. They have to make most of them work or they can't operate the airline.

midlevels

Connecting from QR16 to QR816 (both sectors J, 60 minutes connection), would this be an issue for an elderly gentleman travelling in J on both sectors? Mobility is not a major issue but jogging/running between gates is not on the cards.

ph-ndr

Should be just fine.

-A

To Eat.To Drink

I have a 45 minute connection on Saturday so will let you know how that goes...

To Eat.To Drink

Update: my inbound flight to HIA arrived 45 minutes late so I was shifted to the next flight.

purple1addict

Well at least you presumably got to experience the new Al Mourjan lounge - silver linings and all that...

To Eat.To Drink

Nope, straight on to boarding QR3! Downside was that the original QR7 flight went from 787 to 777 and I then found myself on a 330 middle seat in J. I had a couple of hours in the lounge on the way out though. It was very quiet, very big but a little underwhelming. No Diet Coke, far end of the lounge smelt of smoke so I had to move (I was told the smoking room door was broken), it was generally quite warm, poor selection of magazines, food good, wine selection very good (enjoyed the Ch. Haut Smith...). No charging points by the big sofa seats, only the pod seats with iPads.

I was also a bit disappointed with the hard product on board. LHR-HIA-GOI, BOM-HIA-LHR, no flat seats and no pyjamas, despite arriving 2am in India and departing 4am. On QR3 I would say 80% of the passengers were sleeping (or trying to), the lights are dimmed, yet this is not considered a flight worthy of PJs.

Junior_2J&K

Adding my experience. Had a 50 min connection, from CDG connecting to JNB in J.
15 minute delay got that connection to be a bit tight. They had someone waiting for me at the jetbridge, who basically walked me to security check and got me in front of the queue, then back to JNB flight (which was actually departing form the gate next to my inbound).

It was a brisk walk but worked fine. hope I'll get to see the lounge on the way back.

SurbitonFlyer

In the lounge at the moment waiting for the Manila flight having just got in from London. One important note to add to those with a tight connection, if you are travelling in First or Business (I don't think status comes into play) when you enter transfer security there is a fast track which isn't really signposted clearly but it is right in the middle. I just spotted it today and it probably saved me 30 mins and it was extremely busy. Took just a few minutes to go through