Transferring Muscat on two different Airlines
I will be traveling from Doha to Dubai via Muscat on 2 different airlines Qatar Airways & Swiss Airlines. I have a transit time of 1:50 at around 10:00pm. Since these are on separate tickets and separate flights would I have to go through immigration pick up my checked baggage. Then go through customs and leave the arrivals terminal and go drop it off at departures. Then go through security there? Is the transit time of 1 hour and 50 minutes sufficient for this?
Also since I'll technically be entering the country of Oman as an American citizen do I need a special Visa ahead of time? Thank you.
Best Answer
Two hours is very unlikely to be enough time for this self-connection.
You would need to clear immigration to reclaim your bags, and then check them in with the next airline yourself.
You can be visa exempt if you arrive from Dubai or Qatar with a visa/entrance stamp from those countries. It's also possible to obtain a 21 day visa on arrival, but only if your connection time is more than six hours. Timatic, the database which airlines use to verify passenger travel documents, states in part:
Visa required, except for Nationals of USA with a visa or an entrance stamp for Qatar if arriving directly from Qatar (visa must specify that it is valid for travel to Oman and must be valid for at least one month on arrival) , or:
Visa required, except for Passengers with a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours. They must stay in the international transit area of the airport and have documents required for the next destination.
Visa required, except for Nationals of USA with a normal passport traveling on business in transit for more than 6 hours can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 3 weeks.
As international check-in closes an hour before departure, you have 50 minutes to clear immigration, claim your bags, clear customs, and check-in your bags for your next flight. And that's if your arriving flight is on time. If you're an Olympic sprinter and immigration is quiet, you could pull it off. But remember Murphy's Law. Your flight may be late, immigration could be a madhouse, and you might be randomly selected for a customs check.
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Can you take two different airlines?
Technically, you're flying on separate point-to-point tickets with separate airlines \u2014 but virtual interlining services fill in the gaps. With search sites like Skyscanner, DoHop, and Kiwi, you can get to more destinations around the world that include mixing and matching low-cost and full service airline schedules.Can connecting flights be different airlines?
However, please be aware that if your connecting flights are booked separately the airlines are under no obligation to transfer your checked baggage to your final destination. Nor to compensate you if you miss your connection due to the first flight being delayed.Do I have to recheck bags on a connecting flight with different airlines?
It depends on how your ticket was booked. If your flights were booked under one ticket, your bags will be checked through to your final destination. If your flights were booked under separate tickets, you will need to collect your bags and recheck them before your connecting flight.Do I need to transfer my luggage on a connecting flight?
Unless the connecting flight takes place in a country that requires all passengers to go through Immigration and Customs, checked baggage will automatically be transferred to the next flight.Muscat International Airport - Transit and Transfer information
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