Originally Posted by
IAN-UK
You can always just rock up at the lounge in the immigration hall. You don't need to book, and you can even take a friend. If you turn right (facing the desks), the lounge door will be in front of you at the far end of the hall.
Booking should give you the opportunity to practise your small talk with an escort from plane to lounge, while a helper will go off to retrieve your bags while you deal with immigration. If you can live without that, just make your own way to the lounge.
Oh, I didn’t realize I could just waltz right up to the counter to request it, good to know for the future! And honestly don’t mind the small talk; as is common for Gulf countries, you have folks working from all over the globe, many with quite interesting stories! I did end up emailing them, and though an online form would’ve been preferable (it took a bit of back and forth as they initially tried to book me for a transit service…even though I have a 22hr45 min layover 🙃 ), in the end, all good. Honestly, just using it to get through immigration, and subsequently to my QR-subsidized hotel, as fast as possible, as it seems according to reports P-fare pax are denied entry to the J immigration lines. But I’ll report back once I actually make use of the service!