If only Doha Airport wasn't so awful... (Qatar Airways)

Member Name: adamp111

Product:	Qatar Airways
Date:	03/06/09 (170 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Efficient and friendly

Disadvantages: The dreaded Doha airport

My only flying experience with Qatar Airways was a very satisfactory one, and I would not hesitate in flying with them again.

Booking online was quick and easy; I found the best deal for flights using the handy '+/- 3 days' option, and paid just under £500 for return flights from Manchester to Singapore. At the time of booking, I also signed up for the Privilege Club; Qatar's loyalty system seemed to afford generous privileges after flying on just one flight (i.e. 10KG extra luggage allowance).

Check-in at Manchester was quick since I'd checked in online the night before; the whole process took little more than 3 minutes from start to finish. The check-in staff were pleasant and friendly, and I was starting to feel more confident that the 17-hour journey to Singapore might not be as painful as I'd predicted.

Arriving at Doha was the worst element of the entire flying experience; as other reviewers have noted, Doha airport is not good, and is ill equipped to cope with the number of passengers moving through the airport. The queue for immigration took the best part of 30 minutes and there seemed to be little organisation. Whilst not a fault of the airline as such, it is something to bare in mind when flying with Qatar, since all of their flights change in Doha.

The onward leg was similar to the first; the entertainment was good enough, the screens tired the eyes somewhat quickly, but the range of films/media on offer was good. The cabin crew were also attentive, although being used to easyJet/Ryanair, anyone that responds to a call button within 20 minutes seems attentive.

It was the return leg from Singapore to Manchester that I was most happy with after getting upgraded to Business Class; at this point I had the best flying experience I've had, managing to spend 6 hours asleep on a completely flat bed. I was upgraded on the basis of my 'Privilege Club membership', which I'd held for 5 months and 1-half of a return flight.

From start to finish I felt as though Qatar were attentive and efficient, and while I can understand other reviewers complaining about Doha airport, I saw no evidence of the poor-service and bad experiences that other reviewers hinted at. I'm not going to let other poor reviews put me off, and will definitely be flying with Qatar airways again in the future.

Summary: A great flying experience weakened only by Doha Airport