quick review from the Garden lounge, Qsuite MEL-DOH-CDG experience

[SYD]

Since the transit security at the Orchard opened the garden lounge has got much busier IME. No longer the zen area that it was.
I switched from Garden to AM South at around 22:30 a couple of nights ago and the South lounge was completely empty, not so the Garden lounge. It did get busy shortly after with the usual wait/ queue for a table upstairs in the dining area.

We scored the the rare “No transit security” bingo card a few months ago but it was still a North departure, so headed that way although I think we arrived somewhere south… If you luck out with the inevitable bus transfer, boarding starts over an 1hr before departure - which really stuffs up you’re timing calculations…but I guess you could push that to what’s shown on your BP - especially in J….

 

[Princess Fiona]

We scored the the rare “No transit security” bingo card a few months ago but it was still a North departure, so headed that way although I think we arrived somewhere south… If you luck out with the inevitable bus transfer, boarding starts over an 1hr before departure - which really stuffs up you’re timing calculations…but I guess you could push that to what’s shown on your BP - especially in J….

I’ve actually been quite lucky and scored no security several times on transits. And believe it or not have never had a bus gate departure (few arrivals though)

 

[SYD]

I’ve actually been quite lucky and scored no security several times on transits. And believe it or not have never had a bus gate departure (few arrivals though)

The departure buses are the pits. You see the flight is “Boarding” but that’s really for cattle class. The J buses don’t arrive until the scheduled boarding time, so having got to the gate you either sit there for 30mins or rub shoulders with the masses standing on a live sheep export ship. I usually take the overcrowded ship knowing there’s bubbles at the end!

 

[kamchatsky]

Reading this thread I have a feeling that my first DOH transit experience at the end of this year could be worse than I thought.

My lounge access at DOH will be around 1-3pm, and maybe 7:30am - 8am(1:40 transit, probably not enough time). Hopefully the 1-3pm is quiet as I will probably try out both AM lounges.

Reading another website my J HKG-DOH flight and back usually goes to the bus bay. I look forward to catch the bus for the "authentic DOH experience"

Are there any plans for DOH to add gates to reduce the bus transfer requirements?

 

[SYD]

Reading this thread I have a feeling that my first DOH transit experience at the end of this year could be worse than I thought.

My lounge access at DOH will be around 1-3pm, and maybe 7:30am - 8am(1:40 transit, probably not enough time). Hopefully the 1-3pm is quiet as I will probably try out both AM lounges.

Reading another website my J HKG-DOH flight and back usually goes to the bus bay. I look forward to catch the bus for the "authentic DOH experience"

It’s a cough shoot what you get…

Are there any plans for DOH to add gates to reduce the bus transfer requirements?

They added MORE bus gates as part of the north terminal expansion…but there’s supposed to be another new terminal opening/opened but who knows what retrograde experience they’ve incorporated there…

 

[k_sheep]

Went through a couple weeks ago - quiet at the start then zoo. Mr sheep went for a shower but gave up when someone came back and returned their buzzer saying they had already waited 90 mins and had to leave for their flight. Yes it's quieter to the left but an absolute compass march to the toilets. Very disappointed after our last DOH transits.

 

[RooFlyer]

Is the AM Sth lounge any better generally crowd wise now the Garden has opened?

I dropped by for a sticky-beak last time and it was pretty empty (but then, the Orchard was OK, too).

Are there any plans for DOH to add gates to reduce the bus transfer requirements?

My belief is that bus gates are used when the aircraft is going to be parked overnight, or for an extended time, so not related to available airbridges, which, as SYD mentioned, have increased recently.

So an incoming aircraft which is not being turned around is directed to a remote stand. Pax bussed off and aircraft remains there. Next flight, rather than moving the aircraft to a gate beforehand, as they should, its bus back to the aircraft. Next time it happens I'll use flighty to see where the plane was last, and when it arrived.