Vulcan

My company prohibits the use of a thumb drive on the laptop they supply. Also, company requires that laptop be with me at all times.
It looks like my first flight on QR business JFK-SIN-JFK will shortly be cancelled.

Dr. HFH

Thanks for your responses. When I looked at the rezzie again after reading what you wrote, I realized that after the departure time of my CMB-DOH changed resulting in the <MCT connection at DOH, QR apparently then "solved" the problem by moving my DOH-BOS back a day.

Called QR PLT line in DOH.

The gentleman who took my call on the PLT line was pretty much perfect. I explained the problem to him and he understood immediately. After about 15 seconds of research he gave me a couple of options, one of which was fine. He was friendly, knowledgeable, efficient and solution-oriented. I couldn't have asked for more. He moved me to an earlier ex-CMB departure, now giving me approximately 2½ hours to connect at DOH, plenty of time for a shower at Al Mourjan and having my laptop boxed up. Perfect!!

Thanks for your responses. I would not have noticed otherwise, and would received a real shock when I arrived at DOH for my 24 hour and 35 minute layover!!

remdk

Dr. HFH

1) your connection is not a legal connection! The MCT at DOH is 45 minutes as has been stated dozens, if not hundreds, of times on this forum. You should try to get that changed immediately. But you have, wittingly or unwittingly, accepted the 35 minutes so you are probably stuck with it.

2) With regard to the electronics ban QRs rules are very clear: If you start your journey in DOH then there is special treatment of electronic equipment. If you start your journey at an outstation then electronic equipment must be placed in your checked luggage from ORIGIN.
If you do not keep to the rules and fail to make the connection you will almost certainly be classed as a 'No show' with all the problems and costs that involves.
Others who have much longer connection times may get away with breaking the rules but with your ultra short connection you almost certainly will not.

forumpersona999

1) He did. And he posted about it 14 minutes before your post.

2) http://www.qatarairways.com/qa/en/pr...ID=SMALL148130 says that DOH gate will take care of electronics. The press release doesn't say it is limited to people who commence from DOH. It does not mention that transit pax are excluded.

remdk

forumpersona999 the quote you mention is about the QR loan of PCs which is a very different matter than your own equipment.
If you look at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28086777-post57.html you will see 'At checkin today at an outstation, I asked about the policy. I was told that for US flights, they are collecting at the FIRST POINT OF DEPARTURE, not at the gates in Doha.'

Gino Troian

Just confirming - i'm connecting in DOH and have a 9 hour layover with confirmed STPC. I need my tablet PC to work while in DOH. It says I must check at origin, but can I don't want to. I'm good to go to bring my stuff to DOH and check at C9 gate???

forumpersona999

Did you not see the part buried in the last couple of paragraphs of that press release that says Qatar Airways is offering a special service at the gate for all passengers, whereby any electronic items prohibited by the new ban will be collected and securely packaged. These will be tagged, loaded as check-in baggage and returned safely to the customer on arrival to the US.

Ground agents at outstations need time to get the memo. It's plausible that the first 48 hours after such a change in procedure not all agents are trained / educated.

remdk

Gino Troian provided you can get your PC past all the obstacles (check-in, security etc) at origin then yes you should be fine. It is a unauthorised method but QR appear to look the other way when it happens.

forumpersona999

Not sure why you cannot accept that the press release says:

Qatar Airways is offering a special service at the gate for all passengers, whereby any electronic items prohibited by the new ban will be collected and securely packaged. These will be tagged, loaded as check-in baggage and returned safely to the customer on arrival to the US.



Or am I misunderstanding that paragraph. English isn't my first language after all.

Gino Troian

Thanks for the responses forumpersona999 and remdk.

Yes, I read the release and understand it, but was under the assumption that all would be fine to bring electronics TO Doha from outstation, then read remdk's post:

I was more concerned about the underlined part, as I am a transit passenger, but with a long layover.

I already packed and now about to head to the airport with my tablet and (very) expensive camera in my backpack; let's see how this goes.

purple1addict

I think the answer is that logistically QR would prefer the majority of pax to pack electronics in checked luggage as it's simpler operationally.

However, there is a special packing service they will offer airside in DOH for electronics that for whatever reason haven't been checked at origin. This is being advertised to try and mitigate any impact on sales as a result of the ban - but the right hand isn't quite talking to the left hand re messaging to pax. Hence the confusion.

If you don't check your electronics at point of origin, QR will sort you out with a gate check or the special packing service at gate C9. They don't have much choice really - I can't imagine offloading pax or confiscating electronics would do their PR (or costs in returning items /rebooking pax) any favours!!

remdk

forumpersona999 What you quote is correct where there is that service at the origin airport. But according to http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28079912-post43.html the outstation rules say specifically 'in their checked in luggage'. The only time you can do this is at check-in at the origin airport.

You have read the press release correctly but there are two different sets of rules here for different situations which interact with each other and we need to consider both when commenting.

The two sets are not coordinated and QR have accepted that the untenable rules are being broken and chosen to ignore it.
We can expect further rule changes shortly!

Gino Troian I would just take your PC with you to DOH and check it in at the US flight gate.

purple1addict I think your 'Consistent inconsistency' is spot on here!

SAT Lawyer

I flew from Southeast Asia to DOH to the U.S. today on QR in business class. No problem taking my iPad in the cabin and using it on my first flight from Southeast Asia to DOH, then placing my iPad in my carry-on bag (protected by lots of clothing), locking the carry-on bag, and gate checking it at the gate in DOH for my onward flight to the U.S. The gate agent at DOH added a priority tag for me, slapped "fragile" stickers on both sides of my carry-on, and handed my carry-on to a colleague to put in the hold. The bag arrived fine at baggage claim in the U.S., was one of the first on the conveyor thanks to the priority tag, and my enclosed iPad was cold, but otherwise unscathed.

Also, for those with questions about headphones, I can't speak to over-the-ear headphones, but I can state that I was allowed to bring my Bose 20i earbuds on the DOH-U.S. flight with me today.

Dr. HFH

Thank you, this is helpful. Tomorrow (CMB-DOH-BOS in J), I'm going to have my laptop wrapped at C9 but was wondering about my Bose over-the-ear headset. I think that I'll put it in my bag and gate check the bag. Sounds as though it works quite well.

Thanks again for the detailed info. Very helpful!

remdk

SAT Lawyer welcome to the QR forum.

You raise a very important point that has been ignored up until now. Condensation! To avoid damaging your electronics you need to let them acclimatise for two or three hours before switching them on.
Water and electronics are a dangerous mix!