Doha, Qatar (DOH)

Doha Internatiol Airport is about 20minutes from the city centre,but then nothing in Doha is more than 30minutes from the centre. If you are hold a GCC pass port the imigration control is fast and efficient. If you are from anywhere else, particularly the Indian subcontinent then be prepared for a long wait! It gets even worse if they get more two flights arriving at the same time. Duty free is available at both arrivals and departures, but it is not really worth the bother as evertyhing in the supermarkets in Qatar is also 'duty free'. No alcohol available anywhere. Baggage reclaim is quick, but perhaps it only seems that way after waiting at immigration control.
Be prepared for customs to confiscate any video tapes or DVDs, they will be checked by the censor and if they are deemed ok, you can collect them a few days later.

Check-in facilities have recently been 'tarted up'. There si nice new marble floor, replacing the old black rubber tiles. Trouble is the new floor is extremely slippery, a big help when you are carrying lots of luggage! The check-in desks are usually adequate in number and service is not too bad. Facilities in the departure lounge are 'basic', poor restaurant facilities and too few seating areas.

The building is just too small to cope during busy periods and could with being rebuilt, or at least extended.

As they have few departure gates it is never a long way to your flight. There is a departure tax of about 4-00pounds, payable in local currency.