Originally Posted by
HisGirlFriday
Qatar Airways lists the TAV Lounge as available to Business class flyers. However, it appears the international flights leave from Terminal 2, and the TAV Lounge is in Terminal 1. Terminal 2 in a separate building with its own security checkpoint. In addition to the time required to switch terminals, I've read reports of security being strict about which checkpoints passengers use based on their boarding passes.
Has anyone traveling out of Nairobi (NBO) on Qatar had luck accessing the TAV lounge, or other lounges in Terminal 1? I'm really hoping to take a shower before a 1:50am flight. Even if TAV doesn't have a shower (it's a temporary location right now), I might want to purchase access at another lounge with a shower, provided that I can actually get into Terminal 1.
Thanks.
I’m afraid you’ll be in for some disappointment here. QR moved to T2 in February and with that, loss of all access to T1. The OW page for lounge access has not been updated and there is only one lounge in T2 which is small and cramped with no shower facilities. One of the issues here is that there is an EK departure not too far ahead of the QR departure and the lounge will also accept payment and other various credit cards with access so gets very busy. I cannot see any way for you to enter T1 to get lounge access for a shower then get to T2 as you will have had to go through immigration therefore technically left the country
T2 itself is nothing but a very large tent and to get from T1 you would need to get a taxi. There are two security checks to go through before immigration and getting into the departure lounge. Limited duty free shopping. Limited food and beverage outlets (and no smoking facilities). For security, they have one immediately on entering the building and even if both lanes are operating, large queues can build up outside to get in. When I went through at the second checkpoint, they only had one lane open. It’s shoes off, liquids out, if more than one laptop or iPad, all in to separate trays. Not the fastest process.
All boarding is via bus and will generally board zone 1 pax first. There was a separate business pax bus but that arrived after the zone 1 bus so a long queue up the stairs to board.
Why QR chose to or agreed to move to T2 I do not know. It doesn’t allow for the best start to a QR journey