New security measures at Qatar’s Hamad Airport catch many off-guard

Unless you’re flying out of Qatar this weekend, you likely will not be allowed to enter Hamad International Airport (HIA).

New security measures have been introduced over the holidays, restricting access to both the Arrivals and Departures terminals.

HIA has not commented on the new measures and it is unclear how long they will be in place.

but over the past two days, several travelers leaving Doha and others going to pick up friends and family members reported having trouble getting into the building:

Departures

People catching a flight out of Qatar will need to present boarding passes, plane tickets or their names to security guards before they are permitted into the airport.

Once inside, there is a passport check as well.

A security guard who spoke to Doha News this morning did not say whether there was a specific reason for the increased security. He added that his team was simply instructed to conduct the checks through the rest of the weekend because of the holidays.

Ahead of the holidays, authorities did warn that undefined “measures” were being put in place at HIA for the “safety and convenience of travelers.”

Arrivals

People going to the airport to pick up friends and family who have flown into Qatar will not be allowed inside HIA. Instead, they are being instructed to wait outside.