Airline review: Qatar Airways, Airbus A350-1000, business class (Qsuite), Doha to Sydney

Little homes in the sky: Qatar Airway's business class Qsuites.

THE ROUTE

Flight QR908 Doha to Sydney

THE AIRCRAFT

The A350-1000 boasts the widest cabin body and largest overhead bins of any other aircraft, and the widest seats in this category of aircraft. There are 281 seats in economy class and 46 Q Suites in business class.

THE LOYALTY SCHEME

Privilege Club, part of the OneWorld Alliance.

CLASS

I'm in 11F, a business class Q Suite. This rear-facing seat is on the aisle at the back of the cabin behind the exit row-cum-galley. The cabin has a 1-2-1- configuration with alternate forward and aft-facing seats; people travelling in groups of four can create a single "quad" suite in the centre seats by sliding back the privacy panels.

DURATION

13 hours 55 minutes.

CARBON EMISSIONS

About four tonnes. Passengers can offset past and future flight emissions via a dedicated web portal. Various technologies have been introduced in an effort to achieve net zero by 2050.

FREQUENCY

Daily

HEALTH

Passengers are supplied with a protective kit containing disposable gloves, a mask and hand sanitiser. However, mask mandates appear to have been relaxed. The aircraft's advanced air filtration system provides some protection. At the time of writing, visitors entering Doha must be fully vaccinated and provide proof of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of travel.

CHECKING IN

Departing passengers must show their approved COVID status on Qatar government's Ehteraz app before entering the terminal (all visitors aged 18 and over are required to register with the app before arrival in the country). The app is experiencing some teething problems the day of my flight and won't display my documents; no doubt this will be resolved before crowds arrive for the FIFA World Cup in November. I'm allowed to show printed copies of my vaccination documents instead, and am afforded star treatment by Al Maha Services, a meet-and-assist amenity at Hamad International Airport. I'm whisked through a VIP check-in area which has its own lounge and immigration control. The service includes a fun buggy ride from Qatar Airways' Al Mourjan Business Class Lounge to the gate (my first time on one of these carts) and sets the tone for the upcoming journey. The experience opens a brief window into the lives of travelling luminaries; I'm not sure how I'll return to the queues of old when next I travel.

BAGGAGE

Business Class passengers can take 40 kilograms of checked luggage and two pieces of hand luggage not exceeding 15 kilograms in total. Checked bags should not weigh more than 32 kilograms.

THE SEAT

Each suite is enclosed by dividers and a sliding door with a "do not disturb" feature, which provide privacy from neighbours. The seat converts into a fully flat bed 79 inches (200cm) long and 21.5 inches (54.6cm) wide. Some of the cabin's adjacent seats can be turned into a double bed, for those travelling in pairs. There's a deep cubby hole between the seat and the door in which I store my belongings, and a spacious table beside the TV screen. There's one toilet in this eight-seat rear section of the cabin, on the opposite aisle from mine; access is via the galley, which can get busy at meal times. The vegan leather amenities bag in my suite contains heavenly fragrance, lotions and lip balm from French Perfumer Diptyque. Soon after take-off the flight attendant hands out pyjamas; during the turn-down service a comforter is attached to the flattened bed and a pillow added.There's a soft blanket in the foot well beneath the TV screen.

FOOD

There are Western dishes on the menu but I'd be crazy to forego the Middle Eastern fare routinely served up by this airline. The soup of the day is a rich coconut brew and the Arabic mezze includes baba ghanoush, hummus and tabouleh. I'm keen to try the vegan dishes and smack my lips on the tofu and vegetable dumplings with miso goma sauce. The fresh berries are accompanied by a little jug of rosewater syrup. I have a sweet tooth and it's too small a splash for me; the flight attendant brings me a second jug. Before take-off I enjoy a flute of Charles Heidsieck Rose Millesime, and at dinner I order a glass of Louis Latour Montagny Permier Cru Chardonnay. Tasmania's Joseph Cromy estate features on the wine list with a 2018 pinot noir, and there's a comprehensive selection of cocktails, beer and spirits. I wake early and order a cappuccino. I'm tempted later by the Nutella doughnut with apple compote and creme anglaise, but am vindicated by the Arabic breakfast of feta cheese, olives, tomato, cucumber and a glorious bowl of foul medames. Business class passengers can order light eats throughout the flight – detox rocket salad, pulled oxtail sandwich – and an afternoon tea of finger sandwiches, warm scones and French pastries.

ENTERTAINMENT

The widescreen TV offers no end of entertainment, with a seemingly infinite list of recent and classic movies, TV shows, documentaries, Ted Talks, podcasts, games, audio books and music. I prefer to read, and the night light turns my suite into a bookworm's cocoon once the cabin has been dimmed.

SERVICE

The cabin manager is from Fiji, and my flight attendant from Tunisia; both exude infectious post-lockdown energy – though Qatar Airways has in fact flown ceaselessly throughout the pandemic, carting supplies and providing a lifeline for stranded passengers. Though the business class cabin is full, they're happy to stop for a chat and replenish my water bottle.

ONE MORE THING

There are no overhead bins in the middle aisle, giving the area a vaulted sensibility and adding to the illusion of space in an already spacious cabin.

THE VERDICT

Privacy is priceless, and the Q Suites surpass regular business class services in the matter of such rare airborne comfort. Add butler-like service and gourmet cuisine, and they become little homes in the sky.

OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE

★★★★½

Catherine Marshall was a guest of Qatar Airways and Discover Qatar. See qatarairways.com Al Maha Services is at al-mahaservices.com/AlMaha

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