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 28, 2024, 6:36 pm
#4246
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,173
Seems people above have reported different results above. For me, I arrived QR First, departed QR biz, AA miles/ticketed, separate tickets. No problem accessing. (Again, sample size of 1.) I have yet to see different rules posted by QR anywhere in reference to short/long/ticketing/etc. And everyone seems to have a different take. If you look at the blogger sites, even they report slightly different rules.
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.
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.
Mar 28, 2024, 7:01 pm
#4247
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Mar 28, 2024, 11:00 pm
#4248
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
I'm not convinced the access rules really are as opaque or random as the impression this thread can give sometimes. A bit more detail on the timings, ticketing/fare basis and operators of denied itineraries will probably explain what's going on.
Mar 29, 2024, 12:39 am
#4250
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tokyo
Programs: JAL Metal Card (OWE), SAS Eurobonus Gold (*G), Marriott Titanium (LTP), Tokyu Hotels Platinum
Posts: 21,173
Mar 29, 2024, 10:40 am
#4251
Join Date: Jul 2023
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 7
Hi, apologies if this is answered somewhere above but just wanted to double check. I'm oneworld emerald (BA Gold) and looking to fly LHR-DOH-MCT return. I'm currently looking at booking Business Lite/First on the way out and First/Business Classic on the way back. Am I right in thinking that I wouldn't have access to Al Safwa on the way out, but that I should have access on the way back? Or does booking Business lite on the outbound affect the return as well? Thanks in advance!
Mar 29, 2024, 11:23 am
#4252
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
Hi, apologies if this is answered somewhere above but just wanted to double check. I'm oneworld emerald (BA Gold) and looking to fly LHR-DOH-MCT return. I'm currently looking at booking Business Lite/First on the way out and First/Business Classic on the way back. Am I right in thinking that I wouldn't have access to Al Safwa on the way out, but that I should have access on the way back? Or does booking Business lite on the outbound affect the return as well? Thanks in advance!
Your BA Gold makes no difference with regard to access to the QR premium lounges.
If you book a QR lite fare (P) in one direction on a connecting ticket, you are booked in (P) fare for the whole journey in that direction so are not eligible for QR Premium Lounge (AS or AM) access at DOH in that direction.
But if you book a lounge-eligible fare for the return, you will have QR premium lounge access in that direction.
If you book a fare that is not premium lounge eligible in either direction but have some oneworld status that includes lounges access on the dates you are travelling, you will have access to the appropriate status lounges. But again that does not include Al Mourjan or Al Safwa, or the QR premium lounge at LHR
Mar 29, 2024, 12:45 pm
#4254
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 80
Tried to search this but had no luck:
Do regional first class tickets WITHOUT ANY CONNECTING INTINERARIES (i.e. a simple MCT-DOH First class one-way ticket, for instance) have access to Al-Safwa on arrival in Doha?
My guess is that they don't & that there would only be access to the "First (or Business) Arrivals Lounge"?
Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.
Do regional first class tickets WITHOUT ANY CONNECTING INTINERARIES (i.e. a simple MCT-DOH First class one-way ticket, for instance) have access to Al-Safwa on arrival in Doha?
My guess is that they don't & that there would only be access to the "First (or Business) Arrivals Lounge"?
Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.
Mar 29, 2024, 8:19 pm
#4255
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
Tried to search this but had no luck:
Do regional first class tickets WITHOUT ANY CONNECTING INTINERARIES (i.e. a simple MCT-DOH First class one-way ticket, for instance) have access to Al-Safwa on arrival in Doha?
My guess is that they don't & that there would only be access to the "First (or Business) Arrivals Lounge"?
Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.
Do regional first class tickets WITHOUT ANY CONNECTING INTINERARIES (i.e. a simple MCT-DOH First class one-way ticket, for instance) have access to Al-Safwa on arrival in Doha?
My guess is that they don't & that there would only be access to the "First (or Business) Arrivals Lounge"?
Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.
Mar 29, 2024, 11:14 pm
#4256
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: Qatar Airways Privilege Club Platinum; Accor Le Club Platinum
Posts: 1,077
I was reading OMAT today and Ben/Lucky had another review of Swiss Air's First Class Lounge in Zurich. Looked like a pretty impressive beverage selection compared to Al Safwa...
Mar 30, 2024, 4:02 am
#4257
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: LHR
Programs: QR Platinum, WY Gold, Shangri-la Diamond, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,151
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
Mar 30, 2024, 9:29 am
#4258
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Tried to search this but had no luck:
Do regional first class tickets WITHOUT ANY CONNECTING INTINERARIES (i.e. a simple MCT-DOH First class one-way ticket, for instance) have access to Al-Safwa on arrival in Doha?
My guess is that they don't & that there would only be access to the "First (or Business) Arrivals Lounge"?
Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.
Do regional first class tickets WITHOUT ANY CONNECTING INTINERARIES (i.e. a simple MCT-DOH First class one-way ticket, for instance) have access to Al-Safwa on arrival in Doha?
My guess is that they don't & that there would only be access to the "First (or Business) Arrivals Lounge"?
Any clarification on this would be greatly appreciated.
You might get through transfer security without a boarding pass for a departing flight but I suspect you will need one to access the airside lounges. So if you are just travelling to DOH then yes the premium arrivals lounge is probably your option. And by that I mean the landside one after customs rather than the area at the premium immigration channel.
While anything is possible, it would be an outlier.
As KingCanute said - and you are probably aware - you do have access to the landside arrivals lounge.
Mar 30, 2024, 11:10 pm
#4259
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 2,155
YMMV of course, and it's a different matter gaining entry to a lounge, but DOH isn't like some other airports where your BP is scanned at transfers for conformance reasons. If you arrive and stay airside, they only inspect your BP and know where you are once you check in to a lounge or arrive at the departure gate (or possibly also buy some duty free)
Mar 31, 2024, 7:56 am
#4260
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
As far as I recall, the maximum level of BP inspection I have ever had at transfer security was a cursory glance from a distance to see if it had the silver or burgundy header that would allow entry to the premium channel. I'm not sure anyone has ever checked the travel details printed on it. And some arrivals will be selected to bypass transfer security altogether.
YMMV of course, and it's a different matter gaining entry to a lounge, but DOH isn't like some other airports where your BP is scanned at transfers for conformance reasons. If you arrive and stay airside, they only inspect your BP and know where you are once you check in to a lounge or arrive at the departure gate (or possibly also buy some duty free)
YMMV of course, and it's a different matter gaining entry to a lounge, but DOH isn't like some other airports where your BP is scanned at transfers for conformance reasons. If you arrive and stay airside, they only inspect your BP and know where you are once you check in to a lounge or arrive at the departure gate (or possibly also buy some duty free)
You are right that some fights stay airside, so I guess OP could try that if they want.