Flight Number: QR906
Route: Doha to Canberra (Sydney to Canberra)
Aircraft: Boeing 777
Class: ‘QSuite’ Business Class
Seat: 5K
Duration: 1 hour
When Qatar Airways launched their highly anticipated Doha to Canberra route, Vacations & Travel was invited to join them in celebrating the new route, and I was honoured to experience a taste of the inaugural flight on its way to Canberra during a stopover in Sydney.
For this special occasion, we are travelling on a Boeing 777, which features Qatar Airways’ award-winning new Business Class ‘QSuite’, and from June 2018, the route will be serviced by this same offering.
We are warmly welcomed onboard and it’s easy to see that this state-of-the-art, wide-body jet has all the mod cons and creature comforts for a superior flight experience.
QSuite accommodates 42 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, with fully customisable private suites and lie-flat beds, including the first-ever fully lie-flat double bed.
There are front-facing and rear-facing seats, so the four seats facing each other in the middle can be customised into a fully adaptable, private quad simply by moving around the TV monitors and privacy screens.
My seat is fully reclinable into a lie-flat bed with a decent-sized footwell at the end. Plush velvet bedding, cushions and pillows are also available, as is a hardcover Bric’s case containing Castello Monte Vibiano amenities, and I feel a pang of sadness that this is a short flight!
Thoughtful technology features are especially impressive, with an intuitive control and power centre conveniently positioned within easy reach. You can also plug in your phone/iPad/laptop and watch your own movies on the high-resolution monitor, but with 4000 entertainment options, including a vast variety of new-release films, on Oryx One, I doubt you’ll feel the need.
I don’t get the chance to experience Qatar’s much raved about inflight cuisine due to the short flight time, but I sneak a peek at the menu and that pang hits me. Guess I’ll just have to book a long-haul flight to Doha next time!
The verdict: The innovation and thoughtfulness behind the QSuite design, combined with Qatar Airways’ signature luxury touches and exceptional service make this airline’s business class feel more like First.
