Qatar Airways is famous for its Qsuite long-haul business class. But if you’re considering flying with Qatar, keep in mind that the airline has a diverse fleet with a variety of seat styles. Therefore, it’s important to be a smart shopper and know what you’re getting when you book.
We recently wrote an article about Qatar A320 business classwe’ll come back and dive into Qsuite later. But in this story, we’re going to look at one of Qatar’s other long-haul business class seats, which we flew from Cape Town to Doha on an Airbus A350-900.
Read on for complete details. For those considering Qatar Airways for their future travel plans, we’ve outlined how this seat compares to Qsuite. For those of you just AvGeeking from the comfort of your own home, we have all the window seat views and videos you could want.
On the ground in Cape Town
Before boarding the flight, we enjoyed the Bidvest Lounge, a contracted lounge in Cape Town, Qatar.
It was a beautiful day, perfect for aircraft spotting in the terminal before boarding.
Meet and greet seats
The non-Qsuite version of Qatar’s A350-900 fleet features 9 rows of 36 reverse-herringbone seats.
Every seat is luxurious and spacious. Each seat has two windows for excellent views.
This cabin does not have standard curtains, but instead features push-button-operated double-layer curtains. The first layer looks like blinds and creates a cozy atmosphere, while the second layer blocks out all light. You can see them in action in the video above.
This is one of the older seat designs in Qatar. The interior and finishes look a bit dated but work well.
Each seat has ample storage space, including a large bin next to the seat.
The most striking thing about this cabin is the feeling of spaciousness. There are no doors or screens between the seats and the aisle, but the seats in the middle section do have an adjustable divider separating them.
The absence of any overhead bins in the center of the cabin makes the cabin feel airier and more spacious.
Last but not least, you can’t miss a dramatic entryway. On most aircraft, the area near the main gate is functional, surrounded by galleys and toilets. But on this plane, they kept the area open with a ring light on the ceiling to make it feel more like a hotel lobby.
Whether you like the overall cabin design aesthetic comes down to personal taste. If you need a lot of privacy, you won’t be a fan. But if you like the ambience of a spacious, sunlit home, you’ll love it.
After we settled in, the flight attendant came over to introduce himself and discuss the pace of service for the flight. We had time to grab a boarding drink and start filming the view for the exterior cameras.
The natural beauty of the Cape Town area is on full display during the taxi, takeoff and climb. Here’s one of our favorite takeoff views in a while:
Start service
Shortly after we boarded the cruise, the crew came over for a drink.
Let’s take a look at the wine list:
Cocktail and non-alcoholic beverage list:
Catering menu:
Meals in Qatar Airways Business Class are served entirely on demand: you can eat whenever you want, without being restricted by pre-set meal times. Like most everyone else on this flight, I went to grab a meal right after takeoff.
The small appetizers were ok, but the soup was great.
The main course was the classic in-flight fish (a little overcooked and bland), but beautifully presented.
A cheese platter completed the meal.
For a snack between meals, flight attendants placed bowls of mixed snacks at the cabin entrance.
kill time
For in-flight entertainment, each seat is equipped with a large screen. The sleek interface even lets you pair your phone so you can use it as a remote control. For us AvGeeks, there are multiple external camera views. The movie library is adequate for a long flight or two, although not top-notch.
There are lots of goodies in the boxed toiletry bag.
In addition to the toiletry set, the washroom also has a dental set, a shaving set and some basic toiletries.
Each seat comes with two plush pillows and a thick blanket.
Seat controls are intuitive and well-lit.
In fully flat mode, the seats are roomier thanks to wider-than-average footwells and the ability to lower the armrests to bed height.
end flight
It wasn’t really a night flight, and I was having too much fun to really sleep, so with a few hours until Doha, I had my second meal. It’s even better than the first one, other than that I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
When the crew announced landing, the flight attendant came over with a box of Läderach chocolates.
This was us landing at Hamad International Airport in Doha at night.
We had a great time during our stay in the Doha hub in Qatar. But we’ll leave that for another story.
judgment
It was a great flight, no doubt about it. But how does this seat compare to Qatar Airways’ better-known Qsuite?
In short, Qsuite is probably the winner. But the better answer is that it really depends on your priorities, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
Qsuite is exactly what its name suggests: a suite with doors and lots of privacy. If being able to close the door and enter your own private world is your top priority while flying, the Qsuite is the winner. The Qsuite’s interior, tabletops, and other details/finishes also feel fresher.
But suites with doors are polarizing. For some, they feel too restrictive and claustrophobic. The cabin on our A350 flights is the complete opposite and some may prefer a bright and spacious feel. After trying both, my wife (who was on this trip with me) said she actually preferred the cabin to the Qsuites.
Of course, your seat isn’t the only factor that determines your flying experience. There’s no doubt it’s a good thing to fly a next-generation jet like the A350, which has bigger windows, better cabin pressure and humidity, and other technological advantages. Keep in mind that some A350s in Qatar are equipped with Qsuite and some 777s are not, so to find out what is available when booking, you must look at the seat map.
In the end, our seat from Cape Town to Doha was highly rated and the service made the time fly.
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Note: This trip was booked using miles. Qatar generally offers good award availability if you’re able to book a year in advance when the awards calendar is open, although they have recently increased prices on some redemptions.
