Gordon

Edit- Both off peak!

David Hughes

Landed at 06:30! Did you book 2 nights at the hotel then, or just mill around until check in time!

David

Barclaycard’s voucher is exclusive to BA, Amex’s vouchers can be used with Aer Lingus and Iberia but not Qatar Airways

Jonathan

There’s plenty of alcohol in Qatar!

Just zero limit for import

Rob

Yes, Exactly, I booked MAD-BOG this afternoon for 27/12/24 for 3 weeks, one date Peak and one off peak, on a 2-4-1, J seat, 105,000 Avios and £446.40p. Saved a lot compared to flying from London, just need a positioning flight to MAD which will not be a problem.

namster

MAD DOH direct

namster

The cheapest Iberia and Qatar Airways options discussed are non-stop from Madrid, yes. You’ll need to buy a separate connecting flight – the whole reason the taxes are low is that you’re avoiding UK Air Passenger Duty by not having it all on one ticket.

daveinitalia

Yes real shame BA has trashed the food offering in Galleries First when sister airline in IAG seem to do a good job for the non-Schengen lounge. Would be good if they could bring back a few order items in GF

Novice

Feels like they are toning it up

Novice

Steak is juicy and delicious in the Matrix 😂

Hampshirehog

+1. A truly delightful and surprising city.

NorthernLass

Tuvalu a popular destination??

Damian

Nobody here said they don’t have laws against homosexual acts. First of all afaik those have never been enacted in practice – they exist purely to appease the religious population. Secondly even if enacted you’d need to be actually caught in act having gay sex. No one in Doha or Dubai is interested in what you do in your bedroom, gay or straight. Being gay itself is not a crime according to law even in Saudi Arabia.

David

That is worth knowing, given there are no direct flights from MAN to LAX (and most other US cities!)

Mark

Lol, I’m quite partial to a “cultural dessert” 😂

Mark

Freedom is an illusion. A good one. Nobody is free. Aren’t you a slave to your government, society, maybe even other obligations???

Everyone just thinks they are free in the west. We are slaves to technology and all other things I just stated.

Get over this idea of freedom. If you want to be free then the closest ppl are those doomsday preppers who live off grid completely. Even then they need to do it solo maybe just get a dog.

Now that’s freedom.

NorthernLass

Agree @northern lass.

Seems us northerners have sense. 😂

Rob

you can for 1 night if you choose the longest connection possible on the reward page , i flew overnight from mancheter landing 06:30 , stayed in the hotel then went back to the airport at 9pm for the second leg , or you can land late into doha then go and have a nights sleep and get the next flight late afternoon? , never tried when splitting into 2 avios bookings as the avios cost goes up for some reason ?

Hampshirehog

But at least it’s your lived experience. I wish instead of virtue signaling or being hypocritical, ppl would just experience things themselves before making broad judgments.

Damian

@Damian, Islamic countries have these laws because it’s against their religion but it is also acceptable behind closed doors. They just don’t want pda all over the place but same rules apply to Hetero ppl so I don’t see the issue much. Just follow the custom of country you are visiting then no need to fear anything.

I have been to many dangerous places and a polite positive attitude is all you need for encountering no problems.

If you apply same logic, I am amazed how someone can say a certain land is promised by some ancient god to some ancient people so belongs to us and then get away with it and everyone agreeing to it.

Instead of buying my house I probably should have tried to kick out the ppl trying to sell by saying it already belongs to me since Lugh promised it to my ancestors (ancient British god incase u don’t know)

😂🤣

Damian

I am very perplexed about this matter, regarding visiting countries with appalling human rights record.
I am currently drawing the line with the Gulf, but visiting the US during the (first) Trump era, or Turkey, India, China etc are very similar to me. I am not sure visiting a country helps the governments more than it helps their people, so I decided to keep visiting such countries. At least in theory, I am supporting the people/businesses rather than the governments as I have nothing to do with them, nor working for them etc.
I believe that tourism helps these countries advance socially and culturally, both in fight with homophobia and xenophobia.

Rob

😂 @Rob

It makes me laugh how many ppl proudly say they have boycotted something and not know all the dealings of their boycotted companies and countries.

Also @his holyness, how are you living in UK. The tories are pretty far-right but have just toned it down for election yr 😂

Damian

I heard that it is illegal to shake rugs, carpets and mats before 8am under section 60 of the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 with the exception of door mats.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/2-3/47/section/60

Mark

@Mark, I have no problem with your views and I do understand your point of view but as @Russell said everything is pretty much owned by someone that may not be a saint. A person can’t just make this sort of decision without being a hypocrite.

Eg, a person can’t boycott Coca Cola and then still go Costa.

I don’t like hypocrisy that’s why I decided to respond. Honestly, if you know enough history every single country has committed some atrocities.

It’s your choice where you go but in the same way it is up to Rob if he wants to promote Qatar and UAE because this site is his business. We as the readers shouldn’t be trying to tell him what to do.

He doesn’t force anyone to go anywhere. And nobody else is either. Everyone is free to do what they want and really I suggest in future, don’t bring your views into it. You can’t expect ppl not to resist if they have had a good time somewhere.

And anyway why are you expecting to change anyone’s mind. You do you. 👍

Harrods

@Harrods – no, the citizens are.

WearyTraveller

@WearyTraveller – here’s some reading. I’d be genuinely interested in your point of view after reading. I’m unsure I can post an external link, so I Google petertachellfoundation dot org and search ‘Qatar’. It’s not the quality publishing of the Daily Mail but from someone who has been there and is gay themselves.