Qatar airways long layover. Layover in Qatar: what to do, what to try, how to behave. Opening a long-term visa
When they say Qatar, they mean Doha, and when they talk about Doha, they mean a huge city. On our route from Sri Lanka home to Spain it was planned in advance to make a long stop to look at the outlandish city-country of Qatar. It is also useful that Russian Federation passports allow short-term entry into Qatar without a visa. According to the new rules, you don’t even need a transit ticket, Online Qatar Airways when you try to apply for a transit pass on a Russian passport, it gives an error, so you don’t have to try - but this, of course, is only if you have a short-term layover.
But The visa-free regime also has a downside– as if there was nothing to do, we stood in line for two hours at passport control. No less and no more, two hours, and thus our opportunities to go to the city have decreased exactly that much. But the goal is the goal, and we did not intend to abandon this idea. The situation was complicated by the fact that many border guards left their posts and went to daytime prayer, so a couple of thousand people were served by only two counters.
The airport is just an ogreohmic and there is something to do in your free time. We have written, which will certainly help you in case of a long transplant. So, having gained access (and if you are not flying business class, you can buy a pass to the lounge for money) to such a lounge, you don’t have to worry about eating, resting, or even washing yourself. Read more about the amenities in Doha business lounges in the article linked above.
It should be noted that although Doha occupies a huge area, but there are not many tourist attractions in the city. Like any metropolis in the Middle East, Doha resembles a huge construction site. Skyscrapers surround you on all sides, while it seems that construction does not stop for a minute.
It was decided to first go to the so-called Pearl of Qatar (The Pearl Qatar) the farthest point, and from there build a route back . It is a bulk artificial island on which many residential buildings are built, a huge marina and a distinctive feature of Arab cities – huge malls and commercial centers.
It should be borne in mind that if you want to take beautiful photos of the city or attractions during the day, then this must be done before the sun sets. It gets dark early in Qatar, at 5 o’clock in the evening the sun is “turned off” as if on command.
To get to the Pearl of Qatar, you need to take bus 777 from the airport terminal station. For 10 rials per person ($3) you will be taken 45 minutes to the Pearl. Sami buses run every 20 minutes. The card for traveling by bus is purchased directly from the driver; dollars for rials are exchanged at the airport in advance. It is better to immediately take a ticket for 2 trips, so that later you will have enough for the return trip.
Among the places worth visiting by tourists in Doha, we can also highlight Museum of Islamic Art. The museum was built on the seashore and is a kind of mixture of tradition and modernity. You can get there by any bus from the airport that goes through the city center (for example, the same 777 that goes to the Pearl of Qatar). Entrance to the museum is free. The exhibitions inside the museum are quite interesting and original: collections of carpets, weapons made of Damascus steel, and ancient ceramic vases. The museum has a cafe with beautiful views, so if you get hungry, there is somewhere to rest and have a snack. The coolness of the premises, of course, saves from the heat outside.
If you love shopping, then you should check out the local market - Souq Waqif. As you might imagine, spices, carpets, souvenirs, clothes and even a part where various birds are sold. The streets are narrow and, wandering around the market, you can easily hide from the scorching sun during the day. Well, almost all shops have air conditioning. In the best traditions of the Arab market We advise you to bargain with sellers and not be afraid of it. Yes, perhaps not everyone will be able to take a carpet from Doha, but Souq Wahif will be a great place to get acquainted with what Arab markets look like and take home a couple of interesting souvenirs.
So, the Pearl of Qatar, having reached it by bus, we decided to wander around the streets for a bit. Ferrari, Porsche and other premium brands of cars drive along the roads, there are cafes on the streets themselves, a lot of activity.
At some point, my uncle came up to us security guard and asked not to take photos with the camera, because local residents don’t like being photographed and it’s generally prohibited. With your phone, please take as many photographs as you like. In general, a strange approach, but we didn’t argue and went aside to take pictures. In order not to waste a lot of time, we decided to move towards the pier. Everything is as it should be there, yachts of all sizes and amenities, stand neatly parked at the piers.
Walking along the embankment we sat down to drink coffee and relaxed a little watching the local color passing along the embankment. The coffee is made in local establishments like Starbucks, but it certainly doesn’t taste any worse. A cup of coffee is relatively inexpensive, from 10 to 20 rials, depending of course on the portion and the taste *(an Americano will be cheaper than a caramel latte), . We can probably say that apart from shopping centers and a couple of places, there is no entertainment as such in Qatar, but if you have extra time and don’t want to spend it at the airport, then it would be a sin not to take advantage of the opportunity to get out into the city and look at the local population. Don't expect reasonable prices - Doha is expensive.
Well, having finished with coffee, we wandered around the pier a little more and We took the bus towards the airport. It was getting dark, and we still had a long flight ahead with an appointment to Spain.
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The ideal flight from Moscow to Asia looks like this: direct, cheap and with a good airline. Unfortunately, in practice, a combination of no more than two of these qualities is realistic. Read more about the “crooked” but cheap flights of the No. 1 airline in the world.
We flew to Thailand from Moscow in different ways:
- Direct charters of Transaero: fast, direct and cheap, but the planes are old, the service is very unobtrusive (“there are many of you, I am the only one who brings blankets only to women and children”), and dear compatriots heading for a well-deserved rest are delivered.
- Crooked Etihad Airways flights with a connection in Abu Dhabi: inexpensive, excellent service and planes, but a little long.
- with refueling in Dubai and . Interesting, but very tiring. The road from Moscow to Bangkok took three days.
We fly to Doha with Qatar Airways
This time, out of all the abundance of connecting flights, our choice fell on the next Arabs, Qatar Airways. For two years now they have been recognized as the best airline in the world, so it was a sin not to evaluate it ourselves. True, while we were there, all tickets with convenient connections were sold out, and for our dates we only had an 8-hour layover in Doha.
By clicking on the picture, you can see all current Qatar flight deals and, if you're lucky, even get discount promo code!
check-in
Qatar Airways opens online check-in for its flights 36 hours before departure. During registration you can choose seats, if you have not done this at the stage of purchasing a ticket.
Baggage at the airport is checked through to the final destination. It means that There is no need to collect luggage in Doha.
When you check-in, your boarding passes are placed in special envelope a certain color. Yellow - if you have a long connection, yellow-orange - if the connection is short, and green - if the connection is ultra-short, less than an hour.
WITH green envelope You most likely will not get to the terminal at all; you and your luggage will be transported from gangway to gangway on a separate transport. Yes, this also happens: once we were flying in Qatar with a connection of 30 minutes =)
Yellow-orange envelope It is useful to wave when disembarking at Doha airport - they will immediately show you the way to the desired gate so that you do not miss your flight.
Docking with yellow envelope happens as usual, including wandering around duty-free, getting stuck on airplanes, a delicious lunch and healthy sleep.
Airport in Doha: Hamad International Airport
If you fly out with a green envelope and you have to spend several (or even quite a lot) hours in Doha, then immediately upon arrival it is better to line up at the counter marked “Transfer”. This is not a prepaid taxi counter, as one might think at first, but even a registration of transit passengers. All passengers with a connection of more than three hours are given a coupon for a free lunch.
Doha Airport: Where to eat
The coupon can be cashed in at a special food court, where you will be given food in exchange for it. The meal consists of rice, a bun, a choice of meat and a bottle of water. It’s not that tasty, but it’s livable. Although I apparently don’t understand anything about Arab cuisine, because on the Doha-Bangkok shoulder the food was borderline edible.
If the food on duty turned out to be not enough, in Doha there are several cafes and restaurants where you can eat and drink for quite reasonable money.
Doha Airport: Where to Sleep
After eating and surfing the Internet for a while, we were faced with the third pressing problem: where to lay our heads. The waiting rooms of Doha at night are not so crowded with people, there are even rows of chairs without armrests, but it is difficult to sleep due to the bright lights and the constant croaking of the women announcing boarding. There are thousands of gates, planting is carried out like a conveyor belt, the ladies talk non-stop.
But, as it turned out, Doha took care of this too: “quiet rooms” were equipped here especially for victims of long connections.
These same Quiet Rooms look something like this:
There are sun loungers in the room, the lights are dimmed and you can’t hear the nasty women. There is a board with flights. The atmosphere is very cool, so it’s better to stock up on a jacket or some kind of blanket (just don’t steal it from the plane, it’s the property of the airline. In my opinion, you can steal the pillow, it’s disposable).
Thanks to this room, our connection was quite easy and quick - I thought it would be worse. The sun loungers are designed in such a way that you can pass out on them for several hours, but not sleep through the plane and sleep until the bitter end. This ensures a constant rotation of sufferers, and there is always room in a quiet room.
In addition to the very unpretentious “quiet rooms”, Doha airport has lounge areas: paid Oryx for everyone and free for privileged Qatar clients. In these areas you can eat, shower and relax in a pleasant environment. Admission to the Oryx Lounge costs either $30 or $40 per person, plus premium card holders of some banks can get in for free (check your cards).
Doha Airport: Hotel
If a quiet room is not enough for you, there is a hotel at Doha airport that you can get into without a visa (Russians need a visa to visit the rest of the emirate of Qatar). That's what the hotel is called - The Airport Hotel(follow the link to see prices and book).
Hello, dear travelers! Qatar and its capital Doha are often visited by tourists passing through the country in transit, and we were no exception. Therefore, a limited amount of time is usually allocated for exploring local attractions. What to see in Doha in 1 day?
A little about the city itself
Doha is a young city. Therefore, in different parts of it you can see construction cranes that are erecting another skyscraper or other building. Moreover, the next World Cup will be held here; the local population is very prepared for this event.
Due to the scarcity of land, the Qataris learned to reclaim land from the sea and build artificial islands. For example, it is located on an artificial island.
The architecture of the city itself (with the exception of skyscrapers) is made in the sand-colored Islamic style. It gives the impression that you are in the game “Prince of Persia”. There is very little shade in the city, even in the parks, there are mainly palm trees that provide little shade. But everywhere you can see images of the 4th Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
For traveling around the city, it is better to choose or. City transport is not doing very well. It is also worth considering the time of visiting the country. In summer, the temperature rises to 40 degrees and the city seems to die out during the day. For this very reason (and because we were with a small child who did not feel very good in the heat) we simply could not go out into the city, but only watched it a little from the windows of the bus (with air conditioning) when we were driving back to the airport. But I made a plan in advance, so I will tell you where to go and what to see if you are here at other times of the year.
In winter, by the way, the thermometer will show just above 20 degrees, but even at this temperature the sun is very hot, so don’t forget water and hats for your walk.
Visa to Qatar
In August 2017, Qatar announced a visa-free regime for 80 countries for stays of 30 days. Russia is one of these countries. Therefore, it is not required in advance. An entry permit can be issued upon arrival. All you need is a valid passport and at least one free page in it for stamping.
Sometimes at border control you may be asked where you are going to stay in Doha. In this case, present a printout of your hotel reservation or say that you are in transit in the city and are not going to spend the night, but only to see the sights.
How to get to the center from the airport
If you are planning an overnight stay in the city, check with your hotel to see if they have a free transfer. We stayed overnight at the Radisson Blu Hotel Doha.
Our hotel just had a free shuttle. Shuttles from the airport run every 20-30 minutes, and you will also be met by a special person at the airport who will take you directly to the shuttle. The buses are not big and very comfortable - with wi-fi and air conditioning.
It is also possible if your hotel does not have a free offer or you are not going to spend the night in the city at all. It will cost about 2,500 rubles. for the economy option.
You can take a local taxi to the center for 10 QAR (about $3). Another option is bus 777, which runs on the airport-center-airport route. Here a round trip pass will cost you the same 10 QAR.
El Corniche promenade
The embankment is long (about 7 km), stretching for several kilometers. Along the Persian Gulf there are the very best hotels, restaurants and shops. Here you can also see beautiful sculptures, for example, the famous “Pearl of Qatar”.
The waters of the Persian Gulf are striking in their color - a very beautiful emerald color of the water. We saw a small piece on the way to the airport.
The best time to walk along the embankment is in the evening. In addition to the coolness of the evening, tourists will be able to enjoy the chic lighting of modern buildings, which emphasizes the originality of architectural solutions.
During the day you can take a boat ride and see all the buildings from the water.
Museum of Islamic Art
You can reach it directly along the embankment. The museum is worth visiting even if it had no exhibits. It is located on an artificial island far from skyscrapers. Externally, it seems that the building is assembled from cubes. The museum has the same architect as the glass structure of the French Louvre.
Inside, the building amazes with its scale and luxury. But the luxury here is not what you usually expect from eastern halls. The interior is very restrained, the light is dim, but the materials from which the decoration is made look expensive and stylish.
Since Qatar in the past consisted of fishing villages and Bedouin settlements, the collection of its own exhibits is meager. Basically, the museum displays items collected from all over the Middle East - antique jewelry from India and Iran; oriental carpets, among them there are things of impressive size; extensive collection of coins. Another advantage of this museum is that visiting it is completely free.
The museum has a cafe with excellent views of the bay.
Fort Al Kut
The fort is also located near the embankment. The defensive structure was built by the Turks during their reign.
But the building was never used for its intended purpose. At first the local police were stationed here. Then they made a prison. Then the building was not used at all. It was only in 1978 that it was renovated and an exhibition dedicated to local crafts and the life of indigenous Qataris was made.
Souq Waqif Market
On the way from the fort back to the embankment, you can visit the local market. He is very colorful. The buildings made of stone and wood, covered with white plaster, are difficult to distinguish from ancient markets. But the market is a remake, which the authors tried to create in a classic oriental style.
Here you can buy souvenirs or simply get acquainted with the handicraft creations of local craftsmen. In addition, the assortment standard for eastern markets is abundantly presented: carpets, spices, sweets.
There are many cafes on the territory where you can eat inexpensively and smoke hookah.
Great Mosque
The mosque is located near the emir's palace and is considered the largest in the country. She is not old. She is not even 100 years old. But what distinguishes it are its many domes and exquisite oriental paintings on the walls.
For non-Muslim tourists, entry inside is prohibited, but exploring the mosque from the outside is also interesting for lovers of the East. It looks especially beautiful in modern lighting at night.
Ethnographic village
Of course, it’s difficult to call it a village, in the usual sense of the word. Each building here has its own style. There are many exhibition galleries, cafes and retail shops. Exhibition items in the galleries tell about the peoples who inhabited the territory of Qatar before the start of the oil boom. Their life and craft skills are shown.
Mosque in the institute town
The building amazes with its external architecture and innovative features inside.
Outwardly, it looks like an alien ship, having a streamlined shape and two minarets, like 90-meter antennas, soaring upward. The walls are covered with sayings from the Koran, and the interior lighting further reminds us that this is the 21st century and the building is located in one of the richest countries in the world.
Artificial Island Pearl Qatar
Ambitious construction of the residential area began in 2004. Multi-storey houses and cottages were built on an island artificially created in the Persian Gulf.
Previously, on the site of the island there was a pearl mining and processing industry. By filling the island, the builders tried to preserve the local ecosystem and the cleanliness of the bay and shores.
In addition to top-class housing, the island has world-famous brand stores, restaurants and luxury hotels. The authors of the project approached the creation of the residential complex responsibly - some blocks replicate Venetian streets with rivers and bridges, others - the French Riviera.
Gold Market
The shop buildings externally resemble classic shops in eastern markets. Once inside, you understand that everything is organized in a modern, convenient manner and is designed to contribute to the comfort of the buyer.
The gold sold here is bright yellow. And every piece of jewelry is inspected by the Ministry of Commerce. Therefore, buyers do not have to worry about the authenticity of the products.
Of course, you won’t be able to see so many attractions in one day. I outlined them for myself with a reserve so that I had plenty to choose from. In fact, I planned to visit the embankment, and, if possible, objects near it; I noticed the rest just in case. But the weather decided otherwise for us, and this was also a lesson for me.
What would you choose to watch?
Doha is a young city that, in 40 years, has grown from a village that lived by fishing and collecting pearls into the capital of a rich state. Realizing that the country received all its visible wealth thanks to the discovery of oil and gas reserves, the government is trying to find other ways to replenish the budget, where the development of tourism is of particular importance.
See you soon! With wishes for bright discoveries, Yulia.
When purchasing a Qatar Airways ticket, a question is often asked: “Which connection should I choose - long or short?”
It would seem a strange question, but of course it’s short. Why waste time at the airport?
But the fact is that the Qataris have a short one - this means a little over an hour or even 50 minutes. And many questions immediately arise, especially for those who are traveling independently for the first time?
Will we be able to connect to the next flight in 1 hour at Doha airport?
Will there be time to reload luggage from flight to flight?
We answer with complete confidence - YOU WILL SUCCESS. We have flown with Qatar Airways many times, even with a 50-minute connection.
The main thing is to know what to do if you have a short layover in Doha.
Short layover at Qatar Hamad Airport
If you buy a single Qatar Airways ticket for 2 flights, then upon check-in at the departure airport you will receive 2 boarding passes and you will not have to check in again in Doha. You won’t receive luggage in Qatar either - it flies to your final destination.
In our experience, a transfer takes about 35 minutes, so if you have an hour-long layover, you’ll also have time to drink coffee or smoke.
Even to distant gates C and D.
Moreover, when checking in at the airport counter, your boarding passes will be given to you in a yellow envelope if you have a long connection in Doha, in orange if you have a short connection, and in green if your connection is ultra-short (less than an hour).
Wave this envelope when you get off the plane in Hamada.
With him, you won’t have to explain anything to the airport staff; they will assist you in every possible way.
Remember, if you miss your next flight, the airline is obliged to put you on the next one free of charge. Do they need this????? Therefore, they will assist you in every possible way, perhaps even providing you with fast transfer until your next boarding.
If you still decide to play it safe and choose a ticket with a long transfer, keep in mind that you will not receive a free transit hotel, no matter how long the stop is.
Long connection in Doha
The main questions that arise during a long transfer are “what to do?” And
"Where to stay overnight?" if it is nocturnal.
Transit hotel from Qatar Airways
For transit passengers with a long layover in Doha, the airline provides services such as hotel accommodation, entry visa registration, catering (breakfast) and transfer from the airport to the hotel and back.
A transit hotel is provided free of charge if you are flying with a single ticket, i.e. you have 2 boarding passes in your hands if the minimum possible interval between flights in your direction is at least 8 hours.
If your ticket was purchased through the Qatari promotion, then most likely it has a promotional tariff (tariff (O)) and you will not receive a free hotel either.
You are entitled to a free transit hotel if:
in hand a single ticket for a Qatar Airways flight with a transfer at Hamad International Airport
An air ticket was purchased in economy, first or business class at any fare, except for the promotional fare (tariffO)
the time between flights exceeds 8 hours and there is no combination of flights with shorter connections
If at least one of these conditions is not met, there will be no free hotel, but you can book a hotel in advance for money
But the cost of hotels at the airport is steep:
For first and business class passengers the cost will be $150 per person
For economy class passengers -$120 per person
Moreover, the price of accommodation for children is the same as for adults.
But with the abolition of visas to Qatar for Russians, this problem disappeared. You can always spend the night in Doha. There are hotels for every taste and budget, and it is better to choose those that provide transfer to the airport
For example, an excellent inexpensive option is Al Mansour Suites Hotel
Or you can feel like an Arab sheikh for 1 night by staying at the luxurious 5* Warwick Doha hotel. Moreover, it is still much cheaper than a hotel
If you don't want to spend money on a hotel, you can spend your connecting time in an airport lounge. There are quite a lot of them there, and a wide variety of them - family, only for women, only for men, mixed.
They are located in gate areas.
There are no full-fledged sleeping places, but there is a shower, reclining chairs and you can rest quite comfortably, if of course there are free places.
You won't be able to sleep more or less comfortably in a regular waiting room at the boarding gate; there are handles between the seats, so you can only sit
But don’t despair if you don’t have a seat in the seating area. There is already plenty to occupy your time at Hamad International Airport.
There are many duty free shops with a very decent assortment and quite reasonable prices.
Excellent free Wi-Fi throughout the airport
There is also a place to have a snack. A whole “gluttonous range” for every taste and budget
City tour for transit passengers
In practice, if there are less than 5 hours before boarding your flight and the start of the excursion, they are often asked to write a piece of paper in which you take full responsibility in case you are late for the flight. Don’t be afraid - write.
Where to buy a tour of Doha
The registration counter for Doha Citi Tours is located at the exit to Gallery B.
You reach a hall in the center of which there is a large lamp with an incomprehensible yellow animal,
turn to face gallery B and the desired stand will be on the left
And in conclusion, the answer to another burning question.
Visa to Qatar
Visa V Qatar For Russians not needed for a trip for tourism purposes up to 30 days
Hi all!
With varying frequency and intensity you have to act as an air passenger. And one of the sources of information for me when preparing for travel, or even just being curious, is this wonderful site.
Respect and respect to the administrator, authors, commentators and just readers!
I was surprised to find that o Qatar Airways, quite popular among Russians in the Asian direction, there are only two reviews here. Moreover, the last one is already more than three years old.
Well, catch a review of the flight from the Western Pacific Ocean to the very Persian Gulf.
Departure date: September 29, 2015, Tuesday
Flight: QR 0931
Where: Clark International Airport (CRK), Philippines
Where: Hamad International Airport (DOH), Qatar
Airplane: Airbus A330-300, MSN 734
Flight duration (actual): 8 hours 31 minutes
Flight tracking according to Flightradar24: 
Disclaimer: all photos are real. The review was made on the phone. In some places the focus is blurred, the very concept of “color rendition” is desecrated and the horizon is shamelessly littered.
I recognize in advance that quality claims are justified, so please do not voice them
The flight was carried out during an independent tour to the Philippines in the fall of 2015.
Clark International Airport (CRK)
The airport is also known as Clarkfield.
Former name- International Airport. Diosdado Macapagal.
Until the early 1990s, the capital Philippine island of Luzon was home to one of the strongholds of US military aviation in the Western Pacific - Clark Air Force Base of the US Air Force. The airbase occupied the territory between the cities of Angeles and Mabalacat, 95 km from the capital of the Philippines - Manila. 
However, in 1991, the airbase was closed and evacuated due to the eruption of Mount Pinatubo and the subsequent typhoon. Due to the end of the Cold War, the restoration of the air base was considered inappropriate.
The Filipinos, without hesitation, raked up the volcanic ash and placed their own military and civilian facilities on the vast territory of the finished airbase.
One of these facilities was the civil airport established in 1993, from which we were to fly to Qatar.
Clarkfield Airport, both in status and in characteristics, is the second airport on the island. Passengers are served by one small terminal; passenger traffic in 2013 amounted to just over 1 million people.
By comparison, the island's main airport, Manila Ninoy Aquino Multi-Terminal Airport, handled more than 31 million passengers during the same period.
We arrived at the airport departure area by taxi; the journey from the center of Angeles took about 15 minutes.
Already at the entrance you can see that the airport is working, but, to put it mildly, it is not overloaded. In the background is the arrivals area. 
Relaxed party under a canopy in the vehicle unloading area 
At the entrance to the departure hall, uniformed employees check passports and ticket printouts, and only then allow them into the airport building 
Immediately upon entry, luggage is scanned and inspected. They apologized for our luggage, but they rummaged through it, asked us to open it, and asked what we were bringing. Of course, you can't take photographs there.
Having passed the valiant workers of control and security, we go out to the check-in room for flights and baggage check-in. It's lively only in the part of the hall farthest from us. The Qatar Airways information desks are also visible there. Obviously, we should go there. 
Confidence is added by the fact that no more reception desks in the hall are open. 
We turn around at the entrance to the airport building and the initial inspection point 
And we obediently stand in the general queue - we are flying economy, we checked in online, but the boarding tickets were not printed. 
Or rather, while someone is responsibly standing in line, I go for a short walk around this hall.
On the wall opposite the registration desks there are exchangers and a counter for paying government fees. 
In the left corner of the hall there is a small waiting area, a cafe where you can also have a smoke break, and toilets.
Judging by the stands and fences placed, low-cost airlines Cebu Pacific and Air Asia, Hong Kong's Dragonair, and our Qatar Airways have their own check-in counters at the airport. 
Familiarization with the display confirms the impression that the airport is operating at a relaxed pace. The flight following ours is planned just seven hours after our flight departs - the low-cost airline Tiger Air will depart for Singapore. 
In the meantime, the airline employees take us out of the general queue and, despite the fact that we do not have printed boarding passes, take us to a bag-drop counter that has no queues. 
Voila, boarding received, luggage checked in. We received our boarding tickets in a yellow envelope, which means a long layover in Doha. 
And then we proceed to the clean, sterile, duty-free area, in front of which passport control awaits us, hand luggage can be scanned and... payment of the airport tax in the booth in the center of the next photo.
The Philippines is one of the notable countries where airport taxes are paid personally by passengers rather than included in the ticket price.
Only at some airports and for some destinations in the Philippines this rule does not apply. In our case, we paid Php 700 per person. 
And yet we go directly to the departure area. This area has three waiting rooms: two on the first floor, one on the second. 
The compact airport is notable for the fact that in the departure area there is no distinction between passengers on international and local flights. We walked freely through all the halls both this time and during the previous “intra-Philippine” flight from this airport.
The left concourse on the first floor, gates 1 and 2, is used for passengers on international flights of low-cost airlines.
There are rows of souvenir shops and fast food kiosks here. 
On the way to this hall you can grab some good coffee 
The right hall on the ground floor, gate 3, is used for local airlines. Domestic flights from Clark are currently only operated by low-cost airlines. 
Looking out through the stained-glass window of the first floor onto the platform, we are pleased to note the presence of our A330-300.
No other aircraft were found in the visual range. 
Yes, for planes of non-greedy airlines, Clark Airport is equipped with jet bridges, through which boarding is carried out from the waiting room on the second floor.
That's where we headed. Like the most athletic ones - on the escalator. 
The hall is actively filling with our fellow travelers on the flight. 
There are shops with souvenirs and food stalls, near one of which the flight attendants from our flight were caught.
There are also lounges for privileged passengers, a smoking room and even a massage parlour. 
We observe the end of the landing of the aircraft crew. 
And they announce boarding for passengers. The people loaded up surprisingly civilly, without queues, haste or jostling. 
On the plane we go through one of two jet bridges. 
And along the way, I manage to capture the tail and nose of our A330, as well as the repair hangar and the parking of aircraft that have departed for a well-deserved rest. 
From a passenger's perspective, Clark Airport can only be assessed positively at its current load. Everything works as it should, the air is adequately conditioned, the toilets are in decent condition, there are plenty of places to sit, they won’t let you die of hunger, there are boarding bridges, etc. For a standard flight, nothing else is needed.
Flight QR 0931 with Qatar Airways
Airbus A330-300, Reg A7-AEG, MSN 734.
Purchased by Qatar Airways 9.5 years ago "new from showroom"
The layout is two-class: one business class cabin, two economy class.
With the arrival of new A350s, the Qataris will gradually withdraw three hundred and thirty.
But I like the A330, although the now discontinued A340 is, of course, more beautiful.
I didn’t take any photos of the interiors when landing.
Already in flight, photos were taken of the first and second economy class cabins. 
I think the distance between the seats for economy is excellent 
Blankets, pillows and passenger sets are laid out on each seat 
Before takeoff, the flight attendants handed out refreshing napkins 
The aircraft begins towing toward the runway. 
Video of the takeoff itself:
Let's get acquainted with the contents of the pocket. Headphones for the entertainment system, hygiene bag, safety instructions and two glossy editions. 
Passenger kit contents: sleep headband, earplugs, toothbrush+paste, socks 
And then the flight attendants serve menus and offer drinks. 
Any drinks on the menu are available without restrictions and additional charges throughout the flight. Passengers were provided with drinks both upon request and simply regularly offered during the flight. 
Let's talk about feeding. During the flight we were fed twice according to the menu. Everything tastes much more edible than it looks in the photo. We liked.
Anyone who wanted could ask to repeat it - they did not refuse. We didn't ask, it was enough for us. 
The privacy rooms are cleaned, various hygiene items, liquid soap, eau de toilette (in the sense of perfumery) and moisturizing hand cream are available. 
The lights were dim for most of the flight. Passengers are immersed in sleep or in the entertainment system. 
Details about the entertainment system itself.
The Qataris install different types of such systems on their aircraft. Besides this one, I dealt with three more. The systems differ in menu design and organization, control method and functionality.
This system is one of the "old" ones. The screen is not touchscreen, control is carried out from the remote control located in the armrest. Personally, I like this “old-fashioned” method of control.
This type of remote control is or has been used on many airlines. It is two-, or rather, four-sided. Can also be used as a handset for making calls or a card reader for paying for services with a bank card. 
The system is available in Russian, and there are selections of the most popular and latest content. 
The selection of films is large, there is a breakdown by groups, countries, etc. 
There are annotations for the films, and for some you can watch a trailer. 
There are films available in different languages and with different subtitles 
Large selection of music 
But the selection of games specifically in this system is not very good. 
It is possible to contact the land for a fee 
Or call your travel companion by dialing their seat number 
A bunch of modes for displaying current flight information. 
Responsible meals and drinks, sleep, a couple of movies, a walk around the cabin, torment the entertainment system - and more than 8 hours of flight are left behind...
Through the window you can already see the outlines of the capital of Qatar emerging through the sandy dust of the desert. 
Video of landing (with authoritative reasoning)
We taxi to the terminal building and moor to the jet bridges.
While people are unhooking their bags from the luggage racks, we are observing a fellow passenger on our board. 
The overall impression of the flight is positive. We are satisfied, there are no complaints about the airline.
Hamad International Airport (DOH), long connection
A new, modern airport that opened in the spring of 2014, built to replace the old “shed” - Doha Airport.
Given the size of the airport, it is almost impossible to provide a comprehensive overview of it in this review.
Therefore, I offer those photographs that I managed to take during my travels in Hamada.
We left the plane via jet bridges, and immediately an escalator took us to one of the spacious galleries that greeted transfer passengers.
On the floor below there is a “clean” departure area with boarding gates, waiting rooms and duty-free establishments. 
Leaving travelators without work is beyond our principles. 
Comrades who have completed the journey - straight to the exit to the city. We turn left. 
A farewell glance through the window at the three hundred and thirtieth that brought us 
To enter the “sterile” departure area, arriving transit passengers must go through security control. But we need to go straight and to the left to the transit passenger service counters. 
And here's why. The duration of our connection - the time between arrival in Doha and departure of the next flight to Moscow - is as much as 16 hours. Taking into account our tariff and other conditions, we were eligible for Qatar Airways' offer for transit passengers - provision of a hotel at the expense of the airline (STPC).
In such cases, the airline, at its own expense, issues the passenger a transit visa, hotel, transfer to the hotel and back, as well as meals.
We have already used this service from Qatar Lines and were satisfied - a good hotel, excellent food, the opportunity to relax between flights and see Doha for the same ticket price.
For the planned transfer, we received confirmation of the hotel from the airline in advance and expected to hang out again by the pool or in the hotel restaurant and sleep while waiting for our flight to Moscow... We expected...
To do this, we went to the transit passenger accommodation counters and gave the employee a set of documents - passports, boarding passes and hotel confirmations. 
We were asked to sit down in a small waiting area and wait - the airport staff were coordinating with the border guards the provision of a transit visa.
While waiting, I managed to capture for history: 1) the scoreboard; 2) drinking fountains (there are plenty of these throughout the airport); 3) restroom - everything is decent and clean. 
But the airline employee who came with our passports told us disappointing news. We were denied a transit visa. And even despite the presence in our passports of successfully closed Qatari visas, which we received previously.
Here's the thing. The usual way, applying for a visa through the embassy, has been impossible for Russians to get to Qatar for a year and a half. Russians are not given visas to Qatar. The reason is the diplomatic conflict between Qatar and the Russian Federation, which is based on disagreements on the Syrian issue. The Russian Federation supports the government of Bashar al-Assad, and Qatar supports the Syrian opposition.
Until recently, Russians could only obtain a transit visa and only through an airline when connecting in Doha. That’s how it worked for us.
But the planned transfer occurred in the early days of the bombing of Syria by Russian military aircraft. The Qataris were so offended by this that they decided not to let the Russians in at all. Even during transit. Sadness...
The airline representatives tried to book us an airport hotel. To check in there, you do not need to formally cross the Qatari border - the hotel is located in the duty-free zone. But there were no available rooms in the hotel. I later checked this independently - it’s true.
With terrible apologies, we were given coupons for food at the airport (we couldn’t afford two lunches and breakfast per person), and also, at the company’s expense, we were issued passes to the business lounge - Oryx Lounge.
But more on that later... Because... we finally got to Qatar that evening! Moreover, without a visa!
Pressed down by a cruel fate, we went through security control and found ourselves at the main intersection of the departure area, from where each passenger goes to the desired wing of the airport to the boarding gate. 
It is in the area of this main intersection that the bulk of all airport duty-free establishments are located. There are quite a few establishments, and my review will not include a photo tour of them. Still, shopping is a separate issue.
At the very intersection there is a board, an information desk... And what is impossible not to notice is the object of modern art “Lamp”. 
This bear, by the way, in addition to being the object of all kinds of banter, copes well with the function of a landmark.
In general, despite its scale, it is extremely difficult to get lost in Hamad. The space is organized very simply, with information signs everywhere.
So, with his left hand the bear pointed to our loophole in Doha for this evening.
For transit passengers with long layovers, Qatar Airways offers the Doha City Tour service, i.e. bus tour of the capital of Qatar.
If you turn your back to the bear, the tour check-in counter is located on the left towards the wing with boarding gate "B". 
There we registered and received vouchers for the city tour. There are no additional payments from the passenger for the excursion. 
At the appointed time, we arrived at this counter and became part of an organized group, which a specially trained employee led to passport control.
We passed passport control! And all because a visa for a city tour (which we were denied) is not issued. Border guards simply put entry stamps in passports with a special note in Arabic. Only the city tour voucher is checked.
Eventually: 
We are officially in the territory of “forbidden” Qatar!
Our group was led to the bus so quickly that it was difficult to have time to take pictures of anything on the go.
Luggage straps: 
Greeting companions and arrival hall: 
And we are taken to the boarding area for arriving passengers to the waiting point for our bus. Doha, as usual, greets us with real heat. 
Behind the palm trees and a fence there is a huge parking lot with a system of sun awnings 
Closed and probably air-conditioned passage from the parking lot to the airport building 
Our bus is arriving. The bus carried us and was well air-conditioned. Nothing more was required of him. 
The excursion lasted three hours. It was interesting. There were stops for a walk at several places of interest. The guide led the tour well and explained various interesting things in clear English.
But the photos are rotten. Because I could only take photographs with a shovel, which, moreover, in this heat immediately fogged up after the bus. Distant objects were also hampered by a certain amount of sandy dust in the air.
General summary - Qataris live more than curly. 
At the end of the tour, the satisfied tourists were taken back.
For the “most blurry photo” competition, I’m entering photos taken from the bus while it’s moving:
1) Personal () airport of the royal family of Qatar;
2) Hamad airport itself, entrance to the departure area. 
We tell the guide and driver to merci, and our group is again taken by express to passport control.
Unloading area for departing passengers. 
Huge check-in and baggage room 
After going through control and inspection, we found ourselves at a familiar central intersection. The number of people increased by night. 
It's time to start shopping for the food vouchers we received.
In addition to individual cafes and restaurants, the airport also has a food court. 
But we had to redeem food vouchers in the dining room with the romantic name “Marche”. It’s easy to find; it’s directly pointed at, ahem, by the middle of the yellow bear. 
The establishment is quite pleasant - spacious, deserted and quiet. The food turned out to be (again) more edible than it looks in the photo.
Our vouchers included three full meals. Plus, as we were told at the March itself, if we want - coffee and sandwiches throughout the night.
We only visited there twice. 
We spent most of the time (and slept) in the Oryx Lounge, access to which was granted to us, flying economy, by the airline due to failure to obtain a visa for the hotel.
Finding this lounge is easy - follow the sign behind the bear’s left shoulder and take the elevator to the second floor. 
Well, the main topic. Snacks and full meals are of high quality, as are drinks. Over time, the assortment changed and was replenished. Naturally, this does not require any separate payment. 
The lounge also has a family room 
Gaming 
Room with computers and Internet access 
And the Quiet Zone, where we slept most of the night 
There are also decent showers with everything you need. The showers are washed, of course, after each visitor.
This is how our connection took place in Doha.
Despite the negativity with the refusal of a transit visa, these sixteen hours were not the most painful.
The lobby central from the yellow bear led to the boarding gate we needed for the morning flight to Moscow. The lobbies are long and spacious, but given the simplicity of the organization and the abundance of signs, it is impossible to get lost. 
That's it for this review...that's all.
Thank you, I hope this was informative or even useful.
Travel, fly, be healthy and happy
