Return to Thailand 2022
Chicago | Doha
10 May 2022 | Tue
Flight | Chicago O’Hare to Doha Qatar
First Time Flying Qatar Airways Business Class
Having never flown in business class before, we had no idea what to expect. However, we were caught off guard and immediately loved the perks before we even boarded the plane – hello priority boarding! This was a nice bonus that we forgot was included! 😊
From the moment we walked through boarding and into the business class section, we were impressed, dazzled, and overwhelmed (remember now, we were first-timers! 😊). After being shown our seats (we had the adjoining center Qsuite – I (Dean) entered on the left side of the plane, Kanchana on the right side). We were then immediately greeted and welcomed by our personal flight attendants. After quickly taking a few pictures of our Qsuites, we started settling in (placing our carry-on bags in your own dedicated overhead bin).
Our Qsuite Layout
Our flight to Doha, Qatar was on a Boeing 777-300ER. The Qsuite arrangement for this plane was in a 1-2-1 pattern, with one Qsuite on the left, two Qsuites in the center, and one Qsuite on the right side. I think there were a total of 43 Qsuites on our plane, with 24 in our forward cabin section and 18 in the back cabin section.
The center “Quad Section Qsuite” is brilliant in its design as it can be arranged in various combinations:
- Quad is Divided into Four Sections – for four different individuals, traveling separately
- Half Quad / Two Divided Sections – One side for couples or parent & child – the other side for two different individuals. *Forward side half quad can be set up as a double bed (parent & child)
- Two Half Quads – Each side for couples or parent & child. *Forward side half quad can be set up as a double bed (parent & child)
- Open Quad – great for a group of friends or family of four
Our Qsuite Quad was divided into halves, for two separate couples. Our two Qsuites were at the back of the section (facing the front of the plane), so we had a wall behind us, which we feel was the best combination for privacy.
Features of Qsuite
Upon arrival at your Qsuite, you will find the following:
- Sliding Entry Door with 52″ High Privacy Walls
- Multi Reclining Seat – can lie flat to make a bed (Flight Attendants Performed Turn-Down Service)
- Built-in Section for Your Feet – allows you to stretch out when sleeping
- Large Foldable Tray Table
- Various Storage, Counter, and Shelf Space
- 21.5″ Touch Screen Monitor – with over 4,000 menu options
- Media Panel – with removable remote control, seat controls, international AC power outlet, USB ports, and HDMI
- Adjustable Reading Light
- Storage Compartment with Padded Lid – came with headphones and a bottle of water. Great place to store miscellaneous items.
- Padded Seatbelt – designed to be used while sleeping
Amenities
- Phitek Noise-Canceling Headphones
- Pajamas – from The White Company (Pajama Top and Bottom)
- Slippers
- Blanket
- Two Small Pillows
- Protective Kit – hand sanitizer, gloves, and a mask.
- Diptyque Amenity Kit
- Nourishing Lip Balm – enriched with roses and violets
- Fresh Lotion for the Body – infused with the scent of orange blossoms
- Essential Face Cream – nourishing and replenishing, with prickly pear extract to boost radiance
- Diptyque fragrance – ‘Eau Rose’ Eau de Toilette – an infusion of the finest damascena and centifolia roses, or the brand’s signature ‘34 Boulevard Saint Germain’ Eau de Toilette with notes of amber, patchouli, cinnamon and rose.
- Laderach Chocolate Truffles
Pre Departure Champagne
After getting settled into our Qsuites, we were shown two sets of menus for food and wine. We immediately ordered two flutes of champagne. Followed by a few more pictures, etc. – we were doing our best to take it all in.
Our Two Menus | Pre-Ordering Meals and Drinks
Before preparing to take off, our attendants went over the menus, giving us suggestions.
Dinner and Wine
We went ahead and pre-ordered a few of the most popular items such as Gambas Rojas Seared Prawns, Classic Arabic Mezzem, and Slow Roasted Beef Cheeks and along with a few glasses of wine (all served after take-off). The dark mood lighting was not great for pictures, but we did our best to capture most of our food items. Later, for breakfast, we both tried the Wild Mushroom Omelette with Chicken Sausage.
All the food we tried was fantastic and so much better than the usual economy choices!
Great Entertainment Choices, Flight Data & Getting Ready for Bed
While we were having our dinner, we started reviewing our entertainment choices – movies, TV shows, and music. They had already dimmed the lights at this time, creating a purple hue throughout the room (matching the colors of the airline).
Qatar’s vast entertainment offerings were definitely the largest selection we had ever seen. This also includes several options to view your current flight data and navigation.
After watching a few movies, I got up to go to the bathroom and was surprised to see that many people had already gone to bed. But then it dawned on me that our flight had taken off around 8 pm, so after dinner, it was time for many to go to bed. We kind of still wanted to watch more movies (which we could have), but being first-timers in business class (wanting to experience everything) we decided we should probably go ahead and request the “turn down” service. After a few minutes, our flight attendants had our seats fully converted into a bed.
After this, we completely lost track of time. I’m not quite sure how long it was, but we were able to sleep comfortably for several hours. After this, we raised our seats and continued watching a few more movies. After a short time, they brighten the overhead lights, and it was time for breakfast.
Breakfast
For breakfast, we both tried the Wild Mushroom Omelette with Chicken Sausage (greens, mushrooms, beans, and fresh tomatoes), croissant with butter & jelly, and strawberry and banana smoothie. Just like our dinner, it was all delicious.
Awesome Bathrooms and Finishing Out Our Flight
I forgot to take pictures of the bathroom area. Our section had a choice of three bathrooms. The one single thing that made them stand out was their size – I’m thinking maybe one and a half to two times larger than the standard bathroom found in economy. They were always clean every time we used them.
For the remaining portion of our flight, we continued watching a few more movies while enjoying a few miscellaneous snacks and food items.
Our Experience – Very Impressed, But It All Went By Too Fast!
So, in the end, how did we like it? It was awesome! — we thoroughly enjoyed our experience with Qatar Airways Business Class. We had always dreamed of being able to fly business class one day but never thought it would happen. So for our first time flying business class, Qatar Airways did not disappoint!
As I stated at the beginning of this post, “we were impressed, dazzled, and overwhelmed” which was all true, but it went by so fast! Our 14-hour flight felt like it went by in an hour, and It wasn’t something we were expecting. Normally, the long flight to Thailand (13-15 hours) is the most dreaded part of the trip – that is, when flying economy. Change it to business class, and it’s entirely a different experience!
YOU DO NOT WANT IT TO END! 😊
We were very impressed with our entire flight experience – the multi-functional Qsuite (layout, 21.5″ touch screen monitor, media panel), awesome food selection with adult beverages, our personal flight attendants, upgraded amenity kit, impressive bathrooms – I could go on. But in the end, we did our best to take it all in and enjoy every moment! Our only regret was that it went by too fast! 😊.