How Spectacular is Qatar Airways’ 787 Business Class?

Qatar Airways business class on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a pretty spectacular experience. The relatively short six hour flight between Stockholm and Doha is perfectly timed for an elaborate dinner service.

Check-in opens approximately 3 hours before departure and I requested to be moved to seat 1A which was granted. Next I spent some time in the Stockholm Arlanda Lounge after which I left and headed to the gate. At Stockholm you wait in seats at the gate before actually boarding which is how some airports do it.

QR168 – Stockholm Arlanda to Doha (ARN-DOH)
25 August 2017
Boeing 787-8 – A7-BCB
Seat: Business Class 1A
Departure: 17:35 Arrival: 00:40+1

Friendly cabin crew greet you at the door and direct you to your seat. The 787 entryway features high ceilings and on the Qatar aircraft there is a bar area which is set with flowers during flight.

There are no overhead compartments in the middle of the business class cabin. Everyone shares the ones above the window seats and there is always plenty of space for all carry on luggage.

Qatar’s Business Class Seat

I find the seat to be very inviting. In fact, it makes me smile as it almost demands you to sit down and enjoy. The space is laid out to feel both intimate and spacious at the same time which is an achievement.

Ample storage is provided in a compartment by your leg and there is also provision for device charging. By your shoulder is a shelf which also has the magazine and safety card storage. Row 1 features extra space in the foot well compared to the other rows due to the layout. As it is the bassinet row for people with babies, it is only available at check-in. Menus are delivered by smiling cabin crew and they also ask if you would like a drink before departure. I chose a – say it with me regular readers – Champagne. This is delivered along with a hot towel. As boarding is completed, a variety of newspapers are offered followed by the taking of meal orders. Now everyone is on board and it’s time to go!

Safety and Schmutz

FC Barcelona featured on the Qatar Airways safety video earlier this year and I found it less than spectacular. This time it is gone and a new video is in its place. Alas, I can’t find it on YouTube to show you.

Cleaners must have missed a tiny bit of my tray as I found an amber coloured substance on the front facing me. I decided to ignore it and enjoy my flight. Once in the air, a post departure drink is delivered with nuts as a prelude to your meal.

Qatar’s 787 Dreamliner Toilet Has A Window!

Windows in a toilet is something I usually find in first class. It certainly is a nice surprise to find it in business class and the view is spectacular too. Who doesn’t like seeing the engine?

In addition to the usual Rituals products for washing or hydrating, Qatar Airways provides a few extras. These come in the form of little packets for brushing your teeth or shaving. Very handy! The toilet is not quite as nice as the one on the newer Airbus A350 but it is still very good.

It’s Time For Dinner

Being the shy sort, I always order every single course on the menu. I specifically saved my appetite for the on board meal as I enjoy it so much. Your tray is set with various elements and a napkin is folded into a triangle and laid on your lap.

First off a palate cleanser is delivered and it never disappoints. Served from a trolley, the crew inform each passenger that it is smoked corn with beetroot. It is quite tasty. Soup is next on the menu for me and the crew deliver this with a lid on. Once the dish is placed on the tray, the lid is removed and you’re free to chow down. Qatar Airways cabin crew are trained so that once you finish each dish, it is removed and the next dish comes out promptly. I have learned to linger over each dish to prevent the next one arriving too quickly. That’s what I get for being a fast eater!

Internet Interlude

Wireless Internet is offered on board the Qatar Airways 787 Dreamliner. Passengers are provided with a small free allowance and after this it is US$5 for 30 megabytes of data.

For social media use such as uploading a picture to Facebook or sending a Snapchat snap it is okay enough to use with a phone. It is not fast and you run through your allowance swiftly enough. It’s nice to have on board though but I would like to see it free in business class like on Aer Lingus.

More Of The Spectacular Dinner

Three more courses to go, so stay with me. A nice appetiser salad of smoked salmon and radishes on a bed of potato salad is delivered next. Utterly delicious and also not too heavy which I like.

I love a Thai curry and so that is the selection I chose for my main dish. Usually dishes that should be spicy on a flight are just not so I expected the usual relatively bland tasting curry. Praise the lord and hallelujah! The look of surprise on my face when I tasted the first mouthful must have been a picture. Actual hot spice in a Thai curry on an aeroplane! Spectacular and exactly how I like it. I am very impressed with this dish, it’s a winner. Once I had inhaled that gorgeousness a lemon tart promptly arrived. I love lemon tarts and this one lived up to my expectations. Sweet and lovely so this made me happy.

Mocktails and Chocolate

In addition to a range of cocktails, Qatar also have a bunch of spectacular mocktails. These are bursting with taste and I always like to have a few of them when flying.

Godiva chocolates are handed out to all passengers after the meal which are nice to enjoy when settling in to watch a movie. The chocolates are smooth and velvety and oh so tasty!

The Self-Service Bar and Movies

At the entrance door there is a bar area with fruit, Champagne and glasses so you can help yourself during the flight. The area is fairly dark and most people tend to stay seated so I am not sure how popular this is.

Opposite the little bar is a magazine rack. The set up seems to be a little bit of a waste of space but it does look nice. Now to the entertainment system on Qatar, which is called Oryx One. Initially I decided to watch the Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn comedy Snatched until I realised the extensive censorship on what was being said. When the mouth says “pussy” and the voice says “puppy” it’s fairly obvious. I switched to the far less likely to be censored Hitchcock classic Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Censoring movies is something I completely disagree with. If the airline is worried about offending people, a notice should play at the beginning warning of the content.

Are These The Loser Seats?

There are two seats at the back of the business class cabin right behind the magazines. On each side are the toilets though the doors thoughtfully face forward and not side on like most toilet doors on aircraft.

Since no-one was sitting there I had a good look at them. In actual fact if you and a friend are a pair of chatty Cathy’s this could be the perfect place for you. It’s away from the main business class cabin and it’s very private. These could actually be the best middle seats in the house. Soon enough the mood lighting becomes brighter and it is time to land. The crew clear up the cabin and you arrive at your destination feeling quite fresh and quite sated. Another spectacular flight is at an end.

Overall Thoughts

Business class on the Qatar Airways 787 Dreamliner does not disappoint. The mood lighting provides an excellent cabin ambiance when it is in use and the large windows provide a great view outside.

Service is nothing short of consistently superlative which always amazes me. Nothing is too much trouble for the friendly crew – even pictures at the door during boarding!

While I am not impressed at the censorship of the movies there are other options available. In fact, with box sets of the Star Wars movies as well as the Lord of the Rings series and Alfred Hitchcock movies, it seems the system is deliberately angled towards films with broad appeal that will not offend.

The on board meals on this flight were some of the best I have ever had in the air. Actual spice in a Thai curry is a revelation and other airlines should take note to make the dishes how they are supposed to actually be. Qatar Airways business class is spectacular and I rather like flying with them.

Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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