Delayed transiting Doha - options?
 

My inlaws' incoming flight was delayed more than 12 hours, and the timing means they'll have at least 12 hours in Doha before their next flight.

They are fully vaccinated, don't have PCR tests, and travelling on non EU, non GCC passports. I read the entry rules as saying they can't enter Qatar.

I tried to do a dummy booking at the airside hotel but there's no availability.

So what are their options for getting some rest?

Maybe pay to use a lounge?

We had a similar delay recently (on UK passports), and had 12hrs until our next flight. instead of ~3 originally booked. We were travelling in J/Business class.

There were greeters on the jetbridge for seemingly every connecting location in Europe. When we presented, we were asked if we were fully vaccinated (we were), then we were given a hotel voucher, taken through the arrivals process (sent through the GCC passport queue), then bussed to a hotel in Doha for our layover before being picked up and returned to the airport later. We were also given a 100QAR meal voucher to use at the hotel.

I'm not sure what the experience would have been in Y, but once we got past all the J/F class greeter people on the jetbridge, there was a wall of people with signs up for economy class passengers. I'm afraid I don't know if they got similar treatment, but would guess they at least got something.

As above a lounge may be the best option if a hotel isn't arranged? You could message QR on WhatsApp to see if they tell you what's possible also?