Nov 5, 2015, 11:11 am
Last edit by: CPH-Flyer
READ BEFORE COMMENTING IF YOU ARE NEW,
Hamad International Airport (HIA) offers passengers a number of different lounges.
This thread, is specifically for the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Information on the other Lounge options at HIA, can be found here.
Does Al Safwa have a web page?
Yes: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...-al-safwa.page
Dining Menu
https://www.qatarairways.com/content...-dining-en.pdf
Where can I find Al Safwa Lounge?
The Lounge is located on Level 3 of the airport.
Can I use the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge?
Access is based on your underlying fare bucket. This means that upgraded tickets, maybe except upgrades with QPoints (see post 2735), are not granted access.
Access is thus restricted to Qatar Airways First Class, and OneWorld First Class passengers :
- either holding a First Class boarding pass* for their next flight
- or holding a First Class boarding pass from their previous flight.
Additionally, Privilege Club platinum club travelling on any business-class fare are welcomed into the lounge. This is a facility introduced recently and one that could just as easily disappear.
- Guests are not permitted.
* Operational Upgrades to First do not give access. Upgrades with Qpoints may do give acces (see post 2735 - Sept 2022)
Arrival access on mid and long haul? (eg. coming from LHR in F)
YES
Ex. CAI-DOH-HEL
Arrival access regional F? (eg. coming from CAI in F)
Yes.
Caveat, if your underlying J fare is P, then the no lounge access for business light kicks in. And there is no access.
Privilege Club Platinum members are currently allowed in the lounge when travelling on any QR business-class fare: that could change. Other Oneworld Emerald members are directed to the Platinum lounge(s) when travelling in any class, and the Al Mourjan lounge when travelling on relevant business-class fares. Yup, it gets complicated.
What does the lounge look like?
Reports on the Lounge, can be found here and here. Photographs of the lounge, can be found here.
Is there a Spa?
Yes, there is a full Spa, but you will have to pay for treatments. A full list of treatments available can be found here
What about the sleeping rooms?
Stargold in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28199729-post1177.html suggests that access to sleeping rooms is as follows:
'* No reservations allowed - always first-come first-served
* Only available if the remaining time until the flight departure is more than 4 hours
* Passengers are allowed maximum six hours' usage - for any further usage, a fee of QAR 450 is payable for a second block of six hours.
* No F&B of any kind except bottled water in the sleeping rooms.'
What changes can I expect during Ramadan?
Ramadan affects QR and you in many ways so please look at ramadan to see how you are affected.
Updated: 19/11/2023
Hamad International Airport (HIA) offers passengers a number of different lounges.
This thread, is specifically for the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. Information on the other Lounge options at HIA, can be found here.
Does Al Safwa have a web page?
Yes: http://www.qatarairways.com/global/e...-al-safwa.page
Dining Menu
https://www.qatarairways.com/content...-dining-en.pdf
Where can I find Al Safwa Lounge?
The Lounge is located on Level 3 of the airport.
Can I use the Qatar Airways Al Safwa Lounge?
Access is based on your underlying fare bucket. This means that upgraded tickets, maybe except upgrades with QPoints (see post 2735), are not granted access.
Access is thus restricted to Qatar Airways First Class, and OneWorld First Class passengers :
- either holding a First Class boarding pass* for their next flight
- or holding a First Class boarding pass from their previous flight.
Additionally, Privilege Club platinum club travelling on any business-class fare are welcomed into the lounge. This is a facility introduced recently and one that could just as easily disappear.
- Guests are not permitted.
* Operational Upgrades to First do not give access. Upgrades with Qpoints may do give acces (see post 2735 - Sept 2022)
Arrival access on mid and long haul? (eg. coming from LHR in F)
YES
Ex. CAI-DOH-HEL
Arrival access regional F? (eg. coming from CAI in F)
Yes.
Caveat, if your underlying J fare is P, then the no lounge access for business light kicks in. And there is no access.
Privilege Club Platinum members are currently allowed in the lounge when travelling on any QR business-class fare: that could change. Other Oneworld Emerald members are directed to the Platinum lounge(s) when travelling in any class, and the Al Mourjan lounge when travelling on relevant business-class fares. Yup, it gets complicated.
What does the lounge look like?
Reports on the Lounge, can be found here and here. Photographs of the lounge, can be found here.
Is there a Spa?
Yes, there is a full Spa, but you will have to pay for treatments. A full list of treatments available can be found here
What about the sleeping rooms?
Stargold in http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28199729-post1177.html suggests that access to sleeping rooms is as follows:
'* No reservations allowed - always first-come first-served
* Only available if the remaining time until the flight departure is more than 4 hours
* Passengers are allowed maximum six hours' usage - for any further usage, a fee of QAR 450 is payable for a second block of six hours.
* No F&B of any kind except bottled water in the sleeping rooms.'
What changes can I expect during Ramadan?
Ramadan affects QR and you in many ways so please look at ramadan to see how you are affected.
Updated: 19/11/2023
QR Al Safwa First Class Lounge
Mar 27, 2024, 2:29 pm
#4231
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 149
I just arrived in Doha from BKK in F and am flying onwards to MXP in J – whole thing ticketed with BA Avios.
I thought I’d be eligible for Al Safwa on the connection arriving from F, but was just denied access. Was there a change in policy recently?
I thought I’d be eligible for Al Safwa on the connection arriving from F, but was just denied access. Was there a change in policy recently?
Mar 27, 2024, 2:33 pm
#4232
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 940
Woah, that doesn’t seem right ?
Mar 27, 2024, 3:08 pm
#4233
Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 149
Yeah, lady at the elevator let me up after seeing my BKK boarding pass, but I was denied at the top. Person at the desk asked if I was on an upgraded ticket (obviously not eligible), I said it was booked direct with BA Avios. She called someone and came back to say I wasn't eligible.
Last edited by tajee165; Mar 27, 2024 at 4:02 pm
Mar 27, 2024, 6:07 pm
#4234
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Yeah, lady at the elevator let me up after seeing my BKK boarding pass, but I was denied at the top. Person at the desk asked if I was on an upgraded ticket (obviously not eligible), I said it was booked direct with BA Avios. She called someone and came back to say I wasn't eligible.
Mar 27, 2024, 7:56 pm
#4235
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,170
Mar 28, 2024, 2:49 am
#4237
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
This is the current Ramadan period menu:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...h&opi=89978449
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...h&opi=89978449
Mar 28, 2024, 3:30 am
#4238
Join Date: Aug 2023
Programs: EK Gold, QR Gold, EY Silver, Jumeirah One Gold, GHA Discovery Titanium, Sixt Diamond
Posts: 92
There have however been instances of people reporting that they were granted access on a BA ticket or AA ticket which creates the confusion, since it seems to be hit and miss when QR allow access in these circumstances, or not.
The only certain way I think is still to be flying on QR metal, ticketed by QR.
Mar 28, 2024, 4:34 am
#4239
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 1,167
Many people understand the rules to be, for certain access, that you have to be flying on QR metal and booked with QR, of course not in a Saver ticket where lounge is excluded.
There have however been instances of people reporting that they were granted access on a BA ticket or AA ticket which creates the confusion, since it seems to be hit and miss when QR allow access in these circumstances, or not.
The only certain way I think is still to be flying on QR metal, ticketed by QR.
There have however been instances of people reporting that they were granted access on a BA ticket or AA ticket which creates the confusion, since it seems to be hit and miss when QR allow access in these circumstances, or not.
The only certain way I think is still to be flying on QR metal, ticketed by QR.
Mar 28, 2024, 4:44 am
#4240
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
What time were you scheduled to arrive at DOH, and what time was your departure to MXP? If you were on the breakfast time departure to Milan you may have fallen foul of the pre-6am rule for oneworld tickets.
Mar 28, 2024, 7:47 am
#4241
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Many people understand the rules to be, for certain access, that you have to be flying on QR metal and booked with QR, of course not in a Saver ticket where lounge is excluded.
There have however been instances of people reporting that they were granted access on a BA ticket or AA ticket which creates the confusion, since it seems to be hit and miss when QR allow access in these circumstances, or not.
The only certain way I think is still to be flying on QR metal, ticketed by QR.
There have however been instances of people reporting that they were granted access on a BA ticket or AA ticket which creates the confusion, since it seems to be hit and miss when QR allow access in these circumstances, or not.
The only certain way I think is still to be flying on QR metal, ticketed by QR.
Access to Al Safwa First lounge is exclusive to First Class passengers, Privilege Club Platinum members travelling Business Class with Qatar Airways and oneworld First Class passengers.
It would seem that is the actual rule, with some agents making up their own rules to exclude people. (I had two security people chase me down for using the BC line in DOH and try to push me to the economy line, insisting (for whatever reason) my QR BC BP was not good enough for the BC line.)
Granted I only have one experience, but, my Qatar FC ticket. "purchased" with AA miles, was scanned and beeped all good. At the top, the same thing. All good.
Mar 28, 2024, 8:11 am
#4242
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,254
According to Qatar website...
Access to Al Safwa First lounge is exclusive to First Class passengers, Privilege Club Platinum members travelling Business Class with Qatar Airways and oneworld First Class passengers.
It would seem that is the actual rule, with some agents making up their own rules to exclude people. (I had two security people chase me down for using the BC line in DOH and try to push me to the economy line, insisting (for whatever reason) my QR BC BP was not good enough for the BC line.)
Granted I only have one experience, but, my Qatar FC ticket. "purchased" with AA miles, was scanned and beeped all good. At the top, the same thing. All good.
Access to Al Safwa First lounge is exclusive to First Class passengers, Privilege Club Platinum members travelling Business Class with Qatar Airways and oneworld First Class passengers.
It would seem that is the actual rule, with some agents making up their own rules to exclude people. (I had two security people chase me down for using the BC line in DOH and try to push me to the economy line, insisting (for whatever reason) my QR BC BP was not good enough for the BC line.)
Granted I only have one experience, but, my Qatar FC ticket. "purchased" with AA miles, was scanned and beeped all good. At the top, the same thing. All good.
Mar 28, 2024, 3:08 pm
#4243
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 115
Thanks in advance for your insight everyone on this access question, I can't keep up with this 😅
I'm QR plat travelling with Burgundy husband. BCN-DOH upgraded to business with Avios, connecting DOH-AKL upgraded to business with Qpoints. Both showing U class.
Would there be 1 + 1 guest access to AS transiting at DOH?
Seeing some conflicting things particularly with a Qpoints upgrade
I'm QR plat travelling with Burgundy husband. BCN-DOH upgraded to business with Avios, connecting DOH-AKL upgraded to business with Qpoints. Both showing U class.
Would there be 1 + 1 guest access to AS transiting at DOH?
Seeing some conflicting things particularly with a Qpoints upgrade
Last edited by znsm; Mar 28, 2024 at 7:29 pm
Mar 28, 2024, 5:56 pm
#4245
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
First class is first class as long as QR is concerned, doesn’t matter who you have booked with, as long as you have paid for first on a QR (or BA) operated flight departing DOH you will have access. Where things get complicated is if trying to gain access through QR Plat or because your inbound flight was in F but your outbound isn’t. In these scenarios, different rules may be applied if ticketed via QR vs. another airline.
Generally applying Occam's razor, I think the answer is simple; Agents apply what they believe the rules are/want them to be. The posted rules are not very specific. i.e. They don't say anything about arriving/departing or short/long haul First. Thus, agents apply their own interpretation, which equates to different agents, different rules. Seems like the simplest, most reasonable explanation of the vary access success.