escape4

Checked in BKK today. There is a sheet of paper at the counter saying that QR prefers U.S. bound customers to check in electronics in their bags in BKK, but that we can also have them checked at the gate in DOH.

remdk

escape4 so my statement in post 132 'We can expect further rule changes shortly!' is already happening.

escape4

I went to my gate (C4) in DOH for my flight to JFK at T-90 to make sure I had enough time to check my laptop. I did not have to go to C9 to wrap the laptop after all: there was a small station at my gate for this and there was nobody standing in line there so it was quick and efficient. One passed security at C4 I had to fill out a form and that was it. The whole thing was much quicker than I thought so I ended up spending much more time at the gate just waiting and I could have stayed in the lounge longer.

Once in JFK, the laptop boxes were put in a tray rather than straight on the baggage belt, which is a plus. However the airport staff at the baggage belt was tossing those bins on the floor without taking care. I had to show my form to retrieve my laptop and I was on my way out.

Overall the process was less painful than expected, but the long flight without a laptop plus the fact that wifi was not working on the A350 was very subpar.

C17PSGR

That sounds positive that you can just do it at the gate now.

As for the laptop ... I take it you weren't in J ... just making sure they are still providing laptops for passengers in business.

skunker

Flew DOH-MIA yesterday in J from gate D3. I started in MPM and no mention of checking ipad or laptops. Upon landing at DOH I had to go through transfer screening and again, no mention of electronics going to US.

There was a station set up right next to D3 for collecting and wrapping electronics. I had large, over-ear headphones, that aren't powered and nobody questioned them. In fact, no one even looked at them. My travel power converter was inspected after x-ray and allowed to stay in my carryon bag.

No loaner laptops were offered or even mentioned.

united78

Similar as others reported - items collected at the gate, advised to pick up loan laptop on board, but once on board no one had any idea. Collection of items at LAX was a mess - long wait, anyone could collect anyone's electronic items and ground staff did not even bother to check if people were collecting their own items. Poor show at LAX but efficient and professional service at DOH.

escape4

I was in J but was not offered a laptop on board. When I spoke to the crew about not having a laptop and the lack of wifi, they said that loaner laptops was in the works but unfortunately not available yet.

Oh and I forgot to mention that at the laptop wrapping station, I specifically asked if I can bring my Bose QC25 headphones on board and they said no problem. So the ban does not appear to apply to headphones unlike previous reports.

skunker

In contrast to LAX, MIA took about 15 minutes to get the items to the baggage claim after I got there. Since we arrived in Terminal E, it was a very long walk to immigration. I have GE and was the first or second person to arrive at the carousel. Two QR reps and someone else (red and blue uniform) worked to process people, checking and cross-checking to make sure the right person received each package.

Dr. HFH

I was on 743 to BOS yesterday; and it couldn't have gone more smoothly. In the hope that this will benefit someone, here are the details. The entire trip was in J. I had no checked bags, just a carryon and my laptop in its padded sleeve.

I preprinted my QR boarding pass CMB-DOH before I went to the airport, but could not print the boarding pass for DOH-BOS.

First flight of the trip was BKK-CMB on UL on a separate itinerary. Arrived CMB. CMB does not segregate arriving from departing passengers in the gate area, so I went directly to the UL Serendib Lounge, where my J arrival on UL combined with my OWE status got me in. Once I saw on the monitors that QR checkin was open for my flight, I left my carryon in the lounge with the receptionist (having put the laptop inside first) and went landside. Went to QR checkin counters. They asked if I had any bags. I replied that I did not.

She issued both boarding passes, CMB-DOH and DOH-BOS.

Went back through Immigration, exiting Sri Lanka and back to the lounge. (There's no general security after checkin at CMB, -- each gate has its own scanners and walk-through metal detectors.) Retrieved my carryon and eventually made my way to the gate. Went through security at the gate, no problem.

Arrived DOH. Transfer security was painless and quick. DOH transfer security does not normally require laptops to be removed from carryon bags and yesterday was no exception. There's a separate line for premium cabin connecting pax.

Went first to Al Mourjan in search of a shower. This is prime time for showers at DOH lounges (0600 arrival from CMB, the flight was a bit late) and I fully expected a wait. But I had 2+ hours, so it shouldn't have been a problem. Got to the showers and all were free with no one waiting. I was asked to wait a minute or two while the shower attendant gave one of them one last check to ensure that it was suitable for use. Comfortable and leisurely shower. As has been written about here, there is no ventilation in the shower rooms. I controlled it a bit by using water somewhat cooler than I prefer to shower. The room got a bit muggy, but there was no visible steam.

After the shower, went directly to the gate. It was C10, I think. It's "partner" gate was the DFW flight. QR posts agents outside each gate to check boarding passes before you are allowed to the gate desks. Agent checked my boarding pass, asked if I had electronics. I told her that I had a laptop, and she directed me to the laptop wrapping station which had been set up just to the side of the gate for this flight and the DFW flight.

The station was manned by two QR staff. First, they checked my passport and boarding pass. Then they started to work on my laptop. They surrounded it with thick bubble wrap, using package sealing tape to hold the bubble wrap in place. They had appropriately-sized boxes for the laptops. After it was wrapped in bubblewrap, they found the right size box and put it in. Box was totally sealed with package tape. Then the sealed box was put into a large plastic bag made of fairly think plastic, and zip-ties were used to close the bag.

I asked about headphones (I had two pair in my carryon, a Bose over-the-ear pair and an Alienware one with a microphone designed for gaming which I use for Skype calls). The gentlemen staffing the laptop desk asked a supervisor about headphones, and she said no problem.

One of the agents escorted me to the checkin desk where my ID and BP were checked again. Agent printed a regular bag check for the plastic bag containing my laptop, stuck it on the bag and stuck my portion to the back of my BP. That was it.

Got to BOS. Laptops were brought in through the oversized checked baggage door. QR staff picked them all up and took them to a separate desk off to the side. I had to show both my passport and BP with the bag claim check stuck on the back. Agent actually checked my passport photo against my face, as well as the number on my claim check against the one on the plastic bag. Once that was done, she unboxed my laptop and returned it to me. I think (but cannot now, the next morning, recall specifically) that I had to sign something acknowledging that I had received my laptop.

The entire process worked quite smoothly, no muss, no fuss. I had no qualms or hesitancy at all, as it was clear that QR was taking good care of my laptop, from both a care perspective (bubble wrap, sturdy box, heavy plastic bag sealed tightly, especially useful since it was raining on arrival at BOS), and a security perspective (positive photo ID match, careful bag tag number match).

yosithezet

I guess we can't know whether the laptop was subject to any special x-ray or whatnot screening before it was placed under the plane. Did they do a swab for explosives ?

skunker

The packages were x-rayed prior to my flight as each one had to be brought through the screening area and handed to another QR rep prior to signing the realease. No explosive swabbing prior to sealing; afterwards wouldn't make sense.

ThaiDan

Thank you very much, Dr. HFH, for this thorough and detailed report. Very helpful!

Always Flyin

As a follow-up, my flights were BKK-DOH-LAX. One check-in bag at BKK all the way to LAX and my computer boxed at DOH.

When I arrived at LAX, there was a TSA "We Opened Your Bag" card in my check-in bag. Huh?

The U.S. has apparently sent TSA inspectors to DOH to screen the check-in bags. I can think of no other rationale explanation other than checking them on arrival at LAX, but there was no significant delay on the bags coming up on the carousel at LAX and why security check the bags on arrival?

SanDiego1K

Very helpful. Thank you. Did you notice if Kindles are being taken from passengers?

skunker

I did not. The two people before me checked laptops. There was a print out of the dimensions at the check in desk that you could place your device on to see if it was OK.