TRIP REPORT – The time I flew round trip to Sydney for £1080 in business class
December 8, 2018
REVIEW – Qatar Airways : Business Class – Doha DOH to Sydney SYD (A380)
December 14, 2018
Qatar Airways (QR)
- Flight: QR 176
- Class: Business Class
- Seat: 2A
- From: Oslo (OSL)
- To: Doha (DOH)
- Duration: 6h30
- Aircraft: Boeing 787-800
- Status during flight: OneWorld Emerald (AA Executive Platinum)
- Cost: £1080 OSL-DOH-SYD round trip in Business Class
THIS IS A FOLLOW UP REVIEW. FOR MY FIRST REVIEW OF THE QATAR DREAMLINER, WITH ALL OF THE GRANULAR DETAILS CLICK HERE.
Intro
OSL is such a joy to depart from. High ceilings, friendly staff, spotlessly clean and a very manageable size. I do sometimes envy the Scandinavians; not only do they have some of the most impressively functional airports but they also have business class airfares – are a mere fragment of what we are accustomed to in London.
After yet another evening spent at the Radisson Blu OSL (a hotel which was the starting point for numerous £350 business class flights to the US) I awoke excited for another familiar travel experience, the beautifully elegant and very intimate cabin of Qatar’s Dreamliner…
Pre-Departure
I was warmly greeted at the door and shown to my seat, certainly not necessary in such a small cabin but I appreciated the gesture. The FA also addressed me by name and thanked me for my loyalty as a OneWorld Emerald before offering me a choice of PDB .
Many carriers don’t offer service on this level in First, let alone business class. There are people out there that refer to Qatar crews as robotic but this welcome seemed anything but and really set the scene for the wonderful flight that was to follow.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – B787.
I opted for a glass of rosé champagne before take off and was offered my choice of either hot or cold scented towel to go with it. Seeing the chill of a grey Oslo October outside, I went with a hot, rose scented towel to warm me up.
The Flight
Qatar Airways : Business Class – pre departure beverage.
Shortly after we finished our climb, the crew came around to distribute drinks and mixed warm nuts.
I decided to switch from the Lanson Rosé to the Billecart Salmon Brut. There was no mention of dine on demand by the crew but given the short flight time I can’t imagine that many people would have asked to delay their meal. Especially not once the smell of saffron and chicken started to permeate the cabin.
Menus were distributed prior to take off and I must say that I was surprised by the quality of some of the wines. Billecart Salmon is one of the best business class champagnes served on any airline but the Chateau Smith Haut Lafite 2011 is on another level. A fantastic Bordeaux that retails for north of $100 and justifiably so. Singapore Air doesn’t even offer a dessert wine in their First Class Suites, so seeing a Sauternes in business really shows how Qatar cares about the breadth of its cellar.
Food Menu
Drinks Menu
Qatar Airways : Business Class – in flight meal.
I like the fact that they properly set the table on Qatar rather than resorting to the table cloth on a tray system used by so many other carriers. The large selection of breads does seem a little wasteful though – even at my most carb hungry I’m unlikely to eat more than one.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – in flight meal.
The cured salmon with horseradish and chive potato salad was excellent both in terms of taste and presentation. The salmon was only very slightly salty, a lot fresher tasting than traditional smoked salmon. I paired this with a glass of Chablis, which worked very well.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – in flight meal.
Usually having a soup plus a starter is an extravagance reserved for First Class. On Qatar business, everyone gets a soup and they are universally amazing. Mine was so good that I finished it in about thirty seconds, prompting the worried FA to ask if she had heated it enough.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – in flight meal.
My main took quite a while to arrive (the downside of having such an extensive menu is that each passenger takes up more of the FA’s time). It was worth the wait however. The chicken was extremely tender and the grains of rice separated perfectly.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – in flight meal.
I rounded out the meal with a glass of Sauternes and the fruit platter. The selection was a little melon heavy but the berries were a good indicator of how fresh everything was (I swear I sometimes buy raspberries and they manage to go off before I even get them home!).
Qatar Airways : Business Class – bathroom.
After lunch I headed to the bathroom, where I was greeted by this beautiful flower display, Rituals cosmetics and best of all…
Qatar Airways : Business Class – view.
…this amazing view of the engine!
Qatar Airways : Business Class – bar area.
After the meal service was over the staff set up a very elegant bar. Sleek black marble, a bucket of champagne, recessed lighting and an ethereal blue glow filtering through from the tinted windows ahead. A real sight to behold. No other business class cabin comes close to this level of class.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – view.
I spent a couple of hours drinking Saffron Chai and enjoying the views, before drifting off to sleep.
Qatar Airways : Business Class – snack.
I awoke to find my cups and glasses cleared and a pack of Varhona chocolates waiting for me.
I ordered a glass of ice water and a double macchiato to wake me up and kept the cookies for Kamara – a tactic that has saved me from her hanger more than once.
Conclusion
As the sun set on yet another excellent flight with Qatar Airways, I couldn’t help but wonder how this airline gets things so consistently right when others struggle so much. The seat is excellent, the cabin design manages to be simultaneously spacious and private feeling. The crew are attentive, the drinks list is better than some other airlines in First and the bathrooms are spotlessly clean and well stocked with amenities.
It is truly hard to fault Qatar’s Dreamliner Business Class.
- Part 1:
- Qatar Airways: Business Class – B787 – Oslo to Doha
- Part 2:
- Qatar Airways: Business Class – A380 – Doha to Sydney
- Part 3:
- Shangrila Sydney : Deluxe Grand Harbour View Room
- Part 4:
- Park Hyatt Sydney : Opera Deluxe Room
- Part 5:
- Qantas Domestic Lounge : Sydney
- Part 6:
- Qantas : Business Class – A332 – Sydney to Melbourne
- Part 7:
- Grand Hyatt Melbourne : Grand Suite
- Part 8:
- Sights and food in Melbourne
- Part 9:
- Qantas Domestic Lounge : Melbourne
- Part 10:
- Qantas First Class Lounge : Sydney
- Part 11:
- Qatar Airways : First Class – A380 – Sydney to Doha
- Part 12:
- Qatar Al Safwa First Class Lounge : Doha
