3NT Review: Qatar Airways Flight 182, Vienna to Doha

Aircraft: Boeing 787 Dreamliner

Date: 1 OCT 2014

Travel Class: Business

3NT’s Verdict: Great service on a beautiful plane.

Qatar Airways B787 Business Class
Qatar Airways B787 Business Class

 

I checked in for my flight from Vienna, Austria to Doha, Qatar approximately 1.5 hours prior to scheduled departure. The Business Class check-in counter had no line, and the woman working the counter quickly tagged my checked luggage, handed me an invitation to the lounge, and directed me to the lounge and gate D28. Security checks for the D Gates in Vienna take place at the individual gates, so you are able to proceed quickly through passport control to the lounge without having to pass through screening. The lounge itself is a simple but respectable affair with the usual food and beverage offerings.

 

The gate opened at 10:30, but I had been told just to be at the gate before 11:15, so I proceeded leisurely towards the gate around 11:00. Most passengers were already inside the gate area, so there was only a brief wait for security screening. Boarding began only moments after I passed through security. Business Class passengers were boarded first, and I was personally escorted to my window seat by one of the flight attendants. On board the new 787 Dreamliners, Qatar Airways has a 1-2-1 seating format in Business Class. The seat was quite comfortable and very attractive with dark wood and Qatar’s signature burgundy accents. The window seats are slightly angled towards the plane’s extra large windows that use an adjustable tinting system to block out light rather than the old plastic shades. All business class seats fold out into completely flat beds of adequate length for most passengers.

 

Qatar Airways B787 Business Class Seat
Qatar Airways B787 Business Class Seat
Qatar Airways B787 Business Class Seat
Qatar Airways B787 Business Class Seat

The flight attendant assigned to my side of the cabin politely introduced herself to me, took my jacket, and asked if I would like a drink and a hot or cold towel prior to departure. She promptly returned with a fresh limeade and a cool towel and notified me that she would be by to take my lunch order shortly after takeoff.

 

The Business Class amenity kit is produced by Salvatore Ferragamo with separate kits for men and women including hand cream, lip balm, and fragrance. Another packet included socks and eyeshades. The menu and wine list were handsomely presented in an elegant burgundy leather folio.

Qatar Airways Business Class Amenities Kit
Qatar Airways Business Class Amenities Kit
Qatar Airways Business Class Amenities Kit
Qatar Airways Business Class Amenities Kit

 

Once in the air, the cabin supervisor came by to introduce herself before the flight attendant returned to take my meal order. I enjoyed the Classic Arabic Mezze, Monkfish with Rice, and Cardamom Panna Cotta. The lobster amuse-bouche was excellent, and the rest of the food qualified as some of the best I’ve had in the air. The best part of the meal service was that it was on-demand instead of cart service, so the flight attendants did a great job of providing timely service tailored to each passenger with very little wait between courses.

Qatar Airways Business Class Menu, QR 182
Qatar Airways Business Class Menu, QR 182

 

The Oryx Inflight Entertainment System had an easy-to-use handset and an excellent variety of programming. Noise-cancelling headsets and a bottle of water were available in a compartment under the armrest of each seat. One of the many nice features of the entertainment system was the ability to check flight progress with an interactive map on the handheld controls without interrupting the movie playing on the large personal video screen.

Qatar Airways B787 Business Class Screen and Welcome Drink
Qatar Airways B787 Business Class Screen and Welcome Drink

 

The flight passed quickly, and before I knew it, we were on the ground in Doha with the flight attendant handing me my jacket. The plane stopped at an apron position, and there was a dedicated bus to take Business Class passengers to the vast new Hamad International Airport terminal.

 

This was an excellent flight with superior service on a very pleasant aircraft. Is there anything I would change? I wish airlines wouldn’t design the business class seating in such a way that one’s legs are boxed into a narrow compartment that limits leg movement. It’s a common problem on modern long-haul business class seats that presents only a minor discomfort, but it is an area for further improvement in the future.

 

Qatar Airways has this agent’s respect for their quality of inflight service.

 

 

 

Qatar Airways Business Class Amuse Bouche
Qatar Airways Business Class Amuse Bouche
Qatar Airways Business Class Mezze
Qatar Airways Business Class Mezze
Qatar Airways Business Class Fish
Qatar Airways Business Class Fish
Qatar Airways Business Class Dessert
Qatar Airways Business Class Dessert