Airport Security and Transfer
Feb 23, 2017, 11:06 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The Wee County
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 144
Airport Security and Transfer
Could someone please explain the following. Last week we flew EDI to AUH via DOH. On arrival last week from Edinburgh we had to go through security and immigration. On the return today at Doha we were straight in the main airport and did not have to go through security and immigration (actually a blessing as our first flight was late and we had a very tight connection).
This has happened before in transferring through London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt and usually on the return journey.
I have googled this but cannot find the answer.
Thanks
This has happened before in transferring through London, Amsterdam and Frankfurt and usually on the return journey.
I have googled this but cannot find the answer.
Thanks
Feb 23, 2017, 11:26 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
c2lass welcome to the QR forum.
Every day security at DOH have a list of flights that are exempted security screening in DOH. This list changes every day but there appears to be a bias towards UK origins. For security reasons the list is secret!
It is thought that this is to ease the burden on security at DOH, but no one knows for certain.
Every day security at DOH have a list of flights that are exempted security screening in DOH. This list changes every day but there appears to be a bias towards UK origins. For security reasons the list is secret!
It is thought that this is to ease the burden on security at DOH, but no one knows for certain.
Feb 23, 2017, 11:41 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The Wee County
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 144
Aahh thanks for the replies, I did kind of think it would be something like a bias to UK and more relaxed to say Arab Countries. I can totally understand though that the list would be secret.
Thanks again as this has puzzled me for a while.
Thanks again as this has puzzled me for a while.
Feb 23, 2017, 12:37 pm
#5
Moderator: Qatar Airways
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: LHR/NCE/MIA
Programs: BAEC GfL & GGL, SQ Gold, Amex Centurion, Mucci des Chevaliers des Bons Mots et Qui Savent Moucher
Posts: 8,948
remdk - there was a thread about this last year. Perhaps you could link it to here (the title had Secondary Security in it).
I'm on mobile otherwise would do.
M
I'm on mobile otherwise would do.
M
Feb 23, 2017, 1:12 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: BRU & CGK
Programs: GarudaMiles, Qatar Privilege Club, Miles&More
Posts: 206
Feb 23, 2017, 7:24 pm
#7
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
I think the thread msm2000uk is referring to is http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qatar...concourse.html . But besides these two main threads there are also several other threads that discuss this topic!
Feb 23, 2017, 9:04 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: The Wee County
Programs: IHG Platinum
Posts: 144
Thanks for the replies and links to the other threads which I have read. We only had an hour and a quarter transfer time (initially it was 45 minutes but fortunately one of the flight times changed) and we were circling Doha for a good 20 minutes or so then seem to have landed and bussed from the furthest point away from the airport, the fact we did not have to go through security was a blessing.
Not sure what was going on in Doha yesterday morning but speaking to others on the flight it would appear a few flights were circling for a while.
As expected, our luggage failed to make it so fingers crossed we get that back this morning
Not sure what was going on in Doha yesterday morning but speaking to others on the flight it would appear a few flights were circling for a while.
As expected, our luggage failed to make it so fingers crossed we get that back this morning
Feb 23, 2017, 10:59 pm
#10
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
Vulcan Welcome to FlyerTalk and to the QR forum. You may find the dashboard a useful tool.
45 minutes is the minimum possible connection time so you have no time to dawdle. Look at the Wiki on the dashboard widget About DOH Airport this together with it links gives you a great deal of advice and hints. Of particular help will be the link to the Wiki on Short connections at DOH (under 90 minutes).
As you will see Preparation is the key to a relaxed transfer.
45 minutes is the minimum possible connection time so you have no time to dawdle. Look at the Wiki on the dashboard widget About DOH Airport this together with it links gives you a great deal of advice and hints. Of particular help will be the link to the Wiki on Short connections at DOH (under 90 minutes).
As you will see Preparation is the key to a relaxed transfer.
Feb 25, 2017, 8:56 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: London
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 408
c2lass - From my several trips via DOH, I've noticed that when you arrive from a western European destination, I've not had to go through security. However, the same can't be said when you arrive from Africa or Asia, you definitely have to go through security. Again this is my experience.
Feb 25, 2017, 10:13 am
#12
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 3,944
Fontana you have just been lucky in your flights.
Every day security are issued with a secret internal list of flights that are excepted security screening in DOH that day. This list varies from day to day. However it seems to be that UK flights appear quite often on the list. There is apparently a positive bias toward UK flights and not, as c2lass incorrectly assumes, against UK flights.
It is a rare exception that any other airport, other than LHR, appears on the list two days in succession.
Every day security are issued with a secret internal list of flights that are excepted security screening in DOH that day. This list varies from day to day. However it seems to be that UK flights appear quite often on the list. There is apparently a positive bias toward UK flights and not, as c2lass incorrectly assumes, against UK flights.
It is a rare exception that any other airport, other than LHR, appears on the list two days in succession.