Earlier this week, the long-awaited new Qatar Airways business class cabin was revealed. With this new cabin, they have brought many elements of first class to a business class cabin, which is a great thing! Qatar Airways regularly offers sales and even pretty decent business class prices from European/African cities to the US so it certainly puts their business class in the realm of normal prices. Now, they are bringing, among other things, the double bed in the sky to business class.
The New Qatar Airways Business Class
Singapore Suites is where you will find a very nice double bed in first class and it is a nice feature of Singapore’s A380. But it is really something special to offer that seating concept in a business class cabin. Among other seating configurations, Qatar Airways has done just that – put a double bed seating configuration in business class.
The New Qatar Airways Business Class Cabin – Qsuite
This new Qatar Airways business class cabin, Qsuite, is certainly a game-changer in many aspects. It really creates a way to adapt more for your family/business travel on long-haul flights so that it may even be possible to hope that you could just keep on flying.
The single business class suites also have new features which include the suite concept with the sliding door. The layout looks to be excellent and roomy enough with an excellent entertainment system onboard. In addition to the airlines’ media offerings, the consoles also offer HDMI, USB, and even NFC capabilities to let you use your own content in flight.
Yes, A Double Bed!
From Qatar Airways
In the center of the cabin, this is where the double bed magic takes place. The seating configuration is set up in a quad format with both front and rear facing seating (the same as the single suites). This allows you to have a private area where you and 3 of your co-workers/family members/friends can interact and engage with each other during the flight. Of course, there are privacy dividers that are in place as well so if you are traveling solo, you don’t have to stare at complete strangers. But, if you are traveling solo, one of the single suite areas may be more of your preference.
From Qatar Airways
This new Qatar Airways business class cabin is slated to roll out in their 777 first in June of this year with their Doha – London route and then expand to Paris and New York City. It will be installed first on their 777 and A350-1000 with the rollout to their A380 and 787. But, the A380 and 787 configuration will be a little different due to size and spacing. The actual Q Suite as was seen this week will be what is on the 777 and the A350-1000.
I am pretty excited to try this out! I flew their newish A350 business class to JFK last October (review coming – promise!) and enjoyed the seat and service quite a bit. So, I am confident that this new Qatar Airways business class cabin will be delivered with the same type of refinement and service that is on their planes now.
Check Out Some Great Photos and Video!
Andy from Andy’s Travel Blog was at ITB in Berlin for the announcement and unveiling of the new Qatar Airways business class cabin and, as usual, has some excellent photos of this new suite as well as a video walk-through. Definitely check out his posts on the new Qatar Airways business cabin to see first-hand (photographically speaking) what this new cabin is like.
- Qatar Airways New Qsuite Business Class
- More details on Qatar Airways new Qsuite Business Class
- My Video Tour of the new Qatar Airways Qsuite Business Class
Flying in the new Qatar Airways Business Class
When it initially launches on their Doha – London route, you will be able to book using AA miles just like you can with other Qatar Airways flights. It will cost you 42,500 AA miles for this business class seat on routes that include Doha <-> London and Doha <-> Paris. If you want to try it long-haul when it launches to JFK, it will cost you 70,000 AA miles for the one way ticket. With quality seats like this, it is a little like flying in first class but for a lot fewer miles! Plus, you get pajamas on the long-haul flights as well which is also like a touch of first class!
Takeaway
Innovation on airlines has continued to showcase some great concepts and features. Over the last several years, it was something that has really moved from the first class luxury concept to bring the business class cabin along into a more refined, luxurious flying experience. While economy seems to get more cramped (although with more advanced seats), business class is becoming more of a value with miles and even some cheap fares. I am looking forward to trying the new Qatar Airways business class seat for sure!
There’s certainly been a lot of ink spilled on this, but for all of the enormous praise being heaped on this product, nobody has actually addressed super basic questions, like what is the seat pitch, how wide are the seats, is there ample room for your feet in the fully reclined position, what about privacy in the center when next to a stranger. Sorry to be grouchy about this, and I’m certainly not against the possibility of a double bed, but it just seems a bit obsequious to not question whether it’s as good as they’re selling it to be.
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