FlyerTalk Forums - Doha Getaway on BA and QR

Like Emirates, Qatar Airways runs an aggressive operation at Heathrow with multiple widebody frequencies up to the A380 to the tiny city of Doha. The transit model has worked very well for them, and they're my favourite of the Middle East 3 when I used to fly between Asia and Europe annually.

With so much capacity, I wasn't surprised BA can't fill its planes. They run a far more sparse schedule with a once a day flight, and it's easy to find a redemption seat, while fares are not expensive either. I decided to buck the trend and have Qatar being my end destination and not transit. They've added a lot of museums since my last visit and with decent hotels at rock-bottom prices - even cheaper than Kuala Lumpur, my long-time value for money favourite in east Asia.

I've also never visited a Muslim country during Ramadan so wanted to see what Doha would look like during the day.

To make things more interesting, I'll fly BA to Doha and return on Qatar Airways to see how the two airlines differ. Since they're both oneworld partners, it's easy to mix them together into a roundtrip.

Heathrow Terminal 5 didn't seem too busy but things got a lot more annoying when my boarding pass could not scan at the security gate. In the end, there was nothing wrong with my piece of paper; I had to go across the terminal to the other security gate where I scanned in without any problems.

With not much time left before departure, I rushed to the train for the short ride to the B pier. Our gate was all the way at the end and it was quite a walk.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6756.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6759.jpg

Today's 777 is an older plane but each seat had all the right amenities - a TV, headphones, blanket, and pillow. It wasn't a full flight when boarding was complete at 12:51pm and we pushed back only slightly delayed at 1:19pm.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6765.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6769.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6767.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6770.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6775.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6780.jpg

As we pushed back and made our way to the take-off position, the safety video caught my attention. It has a mix of traditional Britishness, subtle humour, and a bit of action to keep you interested.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6782.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6787.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6792.jpg

With a right window, there wasn't much of Central London for me as we took off towards the east.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6799.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6801.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6806.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6810.jpg

However, I was able to spot Hampton Court Palace and nearby Kingston.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6814.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6816.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6820.jpg

With a flight time of about 6 hours, this seat is more than sufficient for the relatively short long-haul flight. We were first served a drink and small snack.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6824.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6827.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6832.jpg

A hot meal followed. The chicken rice tasted decent and it had plenty on the side as well, such as a bread roll, cheese, vegetable appetizer, and a super sweet dessert.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6835.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6836.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6839.jpg

Satisfied from my meal, I turned my attention to the IFE. The system interface is quite old but it had a lot of content available.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6843.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6851.jpg

The skies turned dark as we flew through Turkey and it was quite surreal flying above a few Iraqi cities that were on the news for all the wrong reasons recently. It's also safe to fly above the country now as well.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6879.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6877.jpg

As we approached Doha, a second light meal was served - a hot sandwich. I wasn't hungry yet but took a few bites nevertheless. This would be my dinner as I would be arriving quite late in Doha and suspected restaurants would probably be closed by the time I reach my hotel.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6882.jpg

The weather over the Persian Gulf was great and Kuwait was all lit up for their evening.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6887.jpg

Having been well fed, I needed to visit the lavatory. This is where the 777's old age shows. I wouldn't be as harsh as to say it's falling apart, but the fittings' state really show their age. It wasn't dirty, but old.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...311_154700.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...311_154706.jpg

Unfortunately, we veered a bit to the west as we came in for final approach and there wouldn't be much to see from my right window. I was highly anticipating seeing Doha's growing skyline but was out of luck tonight.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6897.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6899.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6901.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6904.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6908.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...1/IMG_6913.jpg

We took a 180 degree turn south of Doha to finally land from the south just ahead of schedule, reaching the gate at 10:49pm.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...311_225613.jpg

BA delivered a good experience with 2 meals on this short flight. The crew did their job efficiently and effectively and the seat was quite comfortable with enough entertainment options on their IFE to keep busy. Let's see if Qatar Airways can fare better on the return flight.

I was initially quite worried about tonight's late evening arrival since the last train leaving the airport would be just past midnight. Arriving at 11pm and possibly waiting an hour for immigration, I would cut quite close to that deadline. But then, taxis here are cheap so in the worst case scenario, I would get driven to the hotel.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250311/IMG_6918.jpg

Luckily, it wasn't a long wait to get through immigration although staff here are slow to process. Nevertheless, I had ample time to make my train.

Hamad airport originally opened without the metro, and the train line arrived only recently so things are not well integrated. It is a very long walk, albeit covered, to reach the metro stop from the terminal, then head down a few escalators to reach the concourse.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250311/IMG_6929.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250311/IMG_6932.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250311/IMG_6935.jpg

The full report is on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/ba127.htm

After a few days of intense walking and Ramadan daytime hunger, I was thoroughly satisfied with exploring Doha and its many changes since my last trip in 2017. They've added a lot of new attractions and world class museums and I think it's worthwhile to come here on its own rather than transit through quickly. There isn't as much to do as Dubai yet, but definitely worth at least an overnight to break up a long journey.

Hamad airport is barely half an hour from West Bay. Doha's metro is among the cheapest I've ridden in a wealthy country. Each ride is only 2 riyals, and there is no surcharge to reach the airport. A day pass costs only 6.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0373.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0374.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0375.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0378.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0386.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0387.jpg

This airport's architecture is quite sleek and doesn't feel crowded as most people are transiting and never make it outside the restricted area. The departures area is roomy and beautiful. Luckily, I was flying with a light hand-carry only today and there was barely a line to check in. 90 minutes before departure, I was all set to head to London, although I noticed on the boarding pass that boarding begins an hour before departure, so I didn't have much time to explore.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0389.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0392.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0395.jpg

Security and immigration went smoothly. I exited the formalities into a shopping mall with the famous bear, now with an additional tag to celebrate the aiirport's 10th birthday. There are so many shops and restaurants here to keep a long transit enjoyable. I've seen some of these in London such as Yo Sushi and Comptoir Libanais.

While most shops and restaurants in Doha were shut during Ramadan until sunset, it was business as usual air-side. I initially had quite a lot of difficulty finding food during the day in the city as even convenience stores at metro stations were shut and only saw a very scarce few restaurants kept open for take-out only in West Bay.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0398.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0405.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0400.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0407.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0409.jpg

This airport is quite big with many piers. I was looking for the Singapore Jewel-looking section, but didn't have enough time in the end to venture so far. Instead, I hovered around the shops near my gate to see what local specialties they've got. There were plenty of dates on offer, a customary welcome treat across this part of the world. Meanwhile, plane spotting was so-so as this is really a Qatar Airways hub.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0418.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0420.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0425.jpg

There was a huge crowd around my A-gate already and they were starting to board zone 1 - the back of the plane.

Today's 777 has a huge Economy cabin with almost 400 seats in a high-density configuration. There are 3 big sections and I was right at the back. It was a busy flight but not totally full and I managed to have an empty middle seat, which the aisle passenger quickly and greedily splashed his stuff over thinking he owns the plane.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_165024.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_170901.jpg

I quickly browsed the IFE system, which is quite a lot better than BA's offering with a decent amount of international content, including a Hong Kong show. The headphones are a little better than BA's disposable ones from the discount store.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0429.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0435.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0439.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0444.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0446.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0447.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0450.jpg

We managed to push back a few minutes early at 5:20pm and quickly taxied into position for take-off 15 minutes later. Unfortunately, I could only get a right window seat, which was pretty much sea-view into the sunset as the city was off to the left although there were some quick views of the skyline as we left the gate.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0463.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0473.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0475.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0480.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0486.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0487.jpg

I connected to the wifi quickly, which is free to use for all passengers with no limits. It's not messaging only like on BA for Executive Club members. On Qatar, I could message, browse social media, and surf the net at incredible speeds. The crew announcement noted this is a free Starlink service.

It took quite some time for the initial snack and drink run to reach me. Dinner arrived about an hour and a half after take-off and I picked a delicious beef chili con carne rice that was not spicy. There was also a side salad and creamy dessert with apple sauce on the bottom as well as a roll. I was quite satisfied with both the portion and taste.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_180345.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_185846.jpg

After dinner, I explored the lavatory. Despite the fairly full plane, there was never a line snaking out back. Amenities were simple but it was kept clean. The crew also laid out various drinks in the back galley, and I helped myself to a concentrated mango juice.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_213644.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_213648.jpg

Meanwhile, the weather was good outside and the views were just as nice as the inbound into Doha.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/20250314/IMG_0494.jpg

A second lighter snack was served before landing. I picked the chicken pastry which was decent and tasted better than the BA equivalent.

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_225011.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_224337.jpg

http://www.globalphotos.org/doha/202...314_234240.jpg

The flight went on uneventfully and we landed at Heathrow at 9:47pm. We weren't in holding pattern at all and managed a fairly good airspeed throughout the flight. We finally parked at Terminal 4 at 10pm and I waited patiently as the huge Economy cabins ahead of me emptied out.

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...314_220023.jpg

This is an older terminal but I was happy the walk to immigration didn't take long. I don't recall when was the last time I used T4 given I typically fly BA, Cathay Pacific, or a Star Alliance carrier out of here, so it's usually T2, 3, or 5. It's a decent facility but nothing special or spectacular.

I exited land-side 35 minutes after gate arrival. I perched up to see the screens and apparently we were the last arrival of the day at this terminal!

http://www.globalphotos.org/london/2...314_224830.jpg

Qatar is one of the better airlines with a solid IFE, good meals, and a comfortable seat with decent legroom. They're definitely a long way ahead of BA and with 7 flights a day to Heathrow compared to BA's lone daily flight, I'll lean towards flying with them again.

The full report is on my website : https://www.globalphotos.org/qr5.htm
For more on Doha, check out my photo galleries here : https://globalphotos.org/doha.htm