Is Qatar Airways QSuite The Best Business Class Flight?
Is Qatar Airways QSuite The Best Business Class Flight?
A flight review of the Qatar Airways QSuite business class
The year is 2021. It’s the age of the pandemic, and I’m willing to bet few people are getting on flights. Myself included. So, I haven’t had the chance to test the Qatar Airways QSuite in a while, but my memories of it remain.
The last time I travelled on a Qatar Airways QSuite was a few years ago, and it was a brilliant experience. It transformed the way I see flying (if you can plump for business class).
Don’t get me wrong, 99% of the time I fly economy. But out of the few business class flights I’ve taken, my favourite is the Qatar Airways QSuite.
There’s something about it that just works harder than other business class experiences.
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What is a Qsuite on Qatar Airways?
The QSuite is the name of a business class area on board some Qatar Airways planes.
And it’s called the QSuite, because you literally have your own ‘suite’ on board. Or as close to a suite as you’re going to get.
The Qatar Airways QSuites feature fully reclining seats that you can transform into a horizontal position, so you can sleep lying flat.
There’s a spacious area in front of you where you can really stretch your legs, and a roomy footrest for when you want to chill. There’s also plenty of room on either side of the seat, and the area is partitioned and can be closed off with a sliding door to form the ‘suite’.
When it comes to dimensions, each QSuite seat is 21.5 inches wide. If you’re reclining the seat to the flat position, the bed is 79 inches long.
And lastly, the seats are arranged in both the forward and aft facing positions.
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So what makes the QSuite different to the usual Qatar Airways business class?
There are two big differences. The first is that you get a fully private area with the QSuite. Close the door and the space around you is all yours. This is unlike the other business class experiences, which feature roomy seats but no partitions between passengers.
And if you’re travelling in a group of two or four people, you can lower partitions to create a shared space for when you want to be social. They go back up again anytime you want some privacy. Last time I flew, I saw it worked well with a couple and their two children.
The other difference is that you get a bit more space with a Qatar Airways QSuite. There’s plenty of room around you, and lots of storage space.
At 21.5 inches, the TV screen on the QSuite is also bigger and offers 4000 options, so more space to enjoy loads of shows and movies! And the media panel also has a power port, with USB and HDMI capabilities.
And lastly, unlike the usual business class on Qatar Airways, the QSuites have seats that lie fully flat. They also come with proper pillows, fluffy and encased in Oxford pillowcases. The result is maximum snooze and comfort.
What are the amenities like on the QSuite?
In terms of amenities, the QSuite includes a welcome pack from BRIC’s and Castello Monte Vibiano. There are a couple of skin care items, an eye mask, and some fluffy socks. It’s a thoughtful pack, and everything feels luxurious.
And if you’re on a night flight or a long-haul flight, you’ll also get a set of pajamas from the White Company (which you get to keep).
When it comes to wi-fi, everyone gets 1 hour free, and then you can pay an additional cost to access the super-fast wi-fi for your whole trip. I paid £10 for whole-flight access.
Qatar QSuite food and drinks menu
On Qatar Airways flights with QSuites, the business class area includes a social bar space. The bar is separate from the QSuite cabin and has plenty of seating to enjoy a drink or just relax a bit.
Back to the QSuites, you can order food and drinks whenever you like – and as much as you like. When you’re used to flying economy, it’s a bit of a luxury.
Here’s a breakdown of the QSuite food menu:
Starters:
- Soup of the day
- Signature Arabic mezze
- Poached prawns on vegetable linguine
Mains:
- Chicken maglooba
- Herb crusted loin of lamb
- Vegetable jalfrezi
- Plus a selection of breads
Desserts:
- Banoffee pudding
- Fresh berries with almond syrup
- Gelato selection
Light options:
- Afternoon tea
- Steak sandwich
- Cheese plate
Snacks:
- King prawn cocktail crostini
- Duck spring rolls
- Mini chicken shawarma with garlic tahini
- Blue cheese croquettes
- White chocolate and almond dates
For the purpose of writing about it, I tried most of the food on the QSuite menu.
I loved the steak sandwich the most, which I had as a first snack. Later in the flight I tried the poached prawns on linguine, followed the herby lamb. All of it was delicious, and I can’t fault the QSuite food menu.
Oh and they also give you lots of extras, like these Godiva chocolates.
Which Qatar Airways flights have Qsuites?
Not all Qatar Airways flights have QSuites, so when you book business class you may either get them, or the older business class layout.
You can find QSuites on the following Qatar Airways planes:
– Boeing 777-200LRs
– Boeing 777-300ERs
– Airbus A350-900s
– Airbus A350-1000s
But it’s important to say that some of the above planes run QSuites, while others run the older business class cabins.
The best way to check is to look at the seat map configuration. If the seats are in a 1-2-1 layout then it’s a QSuite cabin. If they’re in a 2-2-2 layout, then it’s the older business class cabin.
Have there been any changes in relation to Covid-19 and the pandemic?
Although I haven’t flown on a QSuite in the pandemic, I’ve read about a few changes. The first is a reduction in cabin staff, which could possibly effect the speed and smoothness of service.
The other is that food is now not served like they did before – ie restaurant-style with a candle and the plates laid out on a tablecloth. Instead the dishes are served with plastic lids and on a tray, although the dishes themselves are still china.
Apart from wearing PPE and masks, those seem to be the two main changes to the Qatar Airways business class experience as a result of the pandemic.
Overall thoughts on the Qatar Airways QSuite
My experience of flying on the Qatar Airways QSuite is one of the best memories I have of flying. And if you can plump for business class, and the route suites your holiday plans, I’d choose to fly on the QSuite over every other option.
I think the level of comfort and service on the QSuite is above and beyond some other business class experiences I’ve had. And the biggest draw of course is that you get your own private space, which is possibly the best thing you could hope for on a flight.
Have you travelled on the Qatar Airways QSuites? What’s your experience of them? Let us know :)
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