Business class travel is a luxury that many of us will never experience – but if you do get the chance then it’s fair to say that Qatar Airways might just be the best airline to do it on.
The carrier has won World’s Best Business Class two years in a row, and I can see why.
From mouth-watering food to the ultimate in comfort, Qatar Airways has got the art of business class down to a tee – especially now that’s it’s the first airline flying the brand new A350.
I flew from London to Singapore via Hamad International in Doha – the airline’s base in Qatar – and I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be happily getting on economy ever again.
My route was from London Heathrow to Singapore Changi Airport, and my holiday started the second I got to the airport.
After an express check-in (goodbye to queues snaking halfway around the departures lounge) I arrived at the serene Qatar Airways business class lounge at Heathrow.
The lounge itself is striking and tranquil – you don’t feel like you’re next to the runway at one of the world’s busiest airports one bit.
Sleeping on clouds: Business class on the A350 offers a comfortable and private space to relax
Serene welcome: By conveying the ambience of a hotel, a tranquil mood is created at Qatar Airways business class lounge at Heathrow
Intimate: Passengers can unwind on the sofa clusters in Qatar Airways business class lounge at Heathrow
Guests can enjoy a broad range of meals and an endless wine list in the dining area of the Business Class Lounge at Heathrow Airport
There’s lot of white, and marble, and an abundance of fresh flowers. I immediately started feeling like I was in a very high-end hotel.
The lounge is spacious but also quite intimate and you’re never left waiting around trying to catch a waiter’s eye – service is personal and immediate when ordering food.
You can choose from a set menu at the restaurant, or you can pick whatever you fancy from the deli. Basically, you can stuff your face, and that I certainly did.
I plumped for a delicious leek and potato soup followed by a chicken biryani – and a breathtaking assortment of Ladurée pastries and cakes for pudding.
The wine list is endless, with more vintage whites, reds and champagnes than you could ever hope (or be recommended!) to try. I stuck to the Bollinger Special Cuvee Brut, and the attentive waiter made sure my class was never any less than full.
Make a splash: The imposing water feature makes a spectacular statement at Hamad International Airport
Qatar Airway's Al Mourjan Business Lounge is sprawling and able to accommodate a large number of travellers
And a chocoholic like me couldn’t fail to be impressed by the selection of sweets in large glass jars – Lindor, mini eggs and fudge. Little touches like that are what make Qatar Airways business that little bit more luxurious. And fun.
Our stopover in Doha was just 45 minutes on the way there, so we didn’t get to check out the lounge in the state’s capital, but on the way back from Singapore we had a couple of hours to spare and I can confirm that the lounge at Doha is on a whole different scale.
It’s huge – like a separate hotel itself – with a huge, imposing water feature.
We were feeling a little tired due to our very early morning flight and the time difference flying back from Singapore to Heathrow but the beauty of business class is that you can ease jetlag and fatigue with options like the luxurious spa-like showers at the business class lounge, which totally woke me up – not forgetting the delicious coffees and cuisine from the lounge’s restaurants.
The Boeing 787
The high life: The 787's high definition touch screen is intuitive and packed with the latest entertainment
Classy travel: The 787 business class seats can be adjusted at the push of a button
The flight from Heathrow to Singapore on a Boeing 787 was a dream, not partly because I was so excited about flying business class.
We were greeted with champagne and fine wine upon boarding the plane – skipping the queues, of course.My seat had tons of legroom, and a fancy device for switching the position of the seat at the touch of a button.
Numb bum or achey neck? Not here. There’s a fluffy pillow and a comfy duvet for when you want to sleep, and if you need more pillows, just press a button and an attendant will be with you in a moment.
Each passenger has ultimate privacy and their own screen (left) while the on board dining is of high quality (right)
I felt like I was really being looked after once I was on board the plane, and my attendant made sure I wanted for nothing.
It was like being waited on hand and foot. But if you require privacy, then that’s what you get, too – I did work on my laptop on my way back to London, and I wasn’t disturbed once.
You get a comfy Qatar Airways sleep-suit to change into on board at your leisure – I put mine on after about five minutes, because there’s nothing I like more than being in pyjamas. Each passenger also get a bag full of Calvin Klein toiletries, too – just like at a luxurious hotel.
Innovation: The 787's contemporary interior is futuristic and bathed in purple lighting
I was served Pol Roger rose champagne at my seat, and later in the flight I ate a light, fresh prawn cocktail, a creamy pea and mint soup, chicken with puy lentils and a cherry and almond frangipane tart. I was road-testing the flight, after all.
The business class entertainment system is high definition, touch-screen and very intuitive. I watched Birdman and 10 Years A Slave before I finally gave in to my tired eyes getting heavy.
Sleeping came easily as it was a night flight – and then there’s the all-important flat bed. Business class also has a fantastic, state-of-the-art LED lighting system which encourages you to sleep and then back awake, slowly – like the sun setting and then rising.
This helps with jet leg and time zones greatly, and I arrived at Doha feeling much, much better than I usually would on a regular long-haul flight.
The Airbus A350
Private cabin: Passengers have their own entertainment system and seats roll back into beds on board the A350
After a short stop at Doha we boarded Qatar Airways’ newest plane to Singapore – the Airbus A350.
The plane is the newest generation aircraft of its type, and immediately you notice sophisticated touches in the interior that sets it apart – like a large, domed light, and fresh red roses on the surfaces by the bathrooms.
The seats take a 1-2-1 format in business class (so everyone has direct access to the aisle – no clambering over the snoring person next to you here) and you really do have space to move around – plus vaulted ceilings create even more of a sense of space. You definitely don’t feel like you’re inside a tuna can, that’s for sure.
Leg room: The A350's innovative 1-2-1 format in business class ensures that all passengers have access to the aisle
The food was beyond words – again. There’s an a la carte menu, so you can order whenever you like, when you like – and if you’re feeling greedy you might even have two mains, or two puddings.
The detail on Qatar Airways food is what makes it especially good – it was breakfast time, so I had freshly baked breads with Wilkin & Sons preserves, a delicious bircher muesli, and a traditional Arabic breakfast – the highlight being a tasty potato stew – with Buck’s Fizz, of course. The menus have been crafted by international, world-renowned chefs Vineet Bhatia and Nobu Matsuhisa, and it shows.
By the time we touched down in Singapore I realised I didn’t feel jetlagged like I normally would on an economy long-haul flight – it’s that fully-flat bed that really does it – but also touches like the high-precision air management system for better air quality which leaves you feeling far more refreshed.
The A380
VIP access: A sneak peek of The Lounge which first class passengers on the A380 can enjoy
The end of a holiday is normally sad – but when you’re flying business, you end up looking forward to the flight. On the return leg from Doha to Heathrow, we boarded the A380 back to Heathrow. It’s one of those double decker planes, and has a first class section as well as business.
First class features ultra-wide seats, and there’s room for the table to pull out, so two people can dine, as if at a restaurant. Qatar Airways is one of the few airlines not to give upgrades to first class – it’s that exclusive – but we had a peek, and it was plush to say the least.
The toilets are huge, like at a night club. Spacious doesn’t describe them.
Nightclub in the sky: The bathroom in first class looks as though it belongs in a high-end club and even has fresh flowers
The best bit of the A380 has to be the on-board bar – called The Lounge. After take-off we headed to The Lounge (the third of our trip!) and had a Purple Skies cocktail, properly mixed by one of the attentive crew, may I add.
Lots of business class passengers got involved and we were soon all chatting away about our time spent in Singapore.
It felt extremely surreal being in a bar quite literally in the air – surrounded by fresh flowers and canapes.
A couple dining in the first class area of the A380 (left) and the bathroom resembles one that belongs in a nightclub (right)
Forty winks: The A380's business class seats can also be transformed into comfortable beds
Office in the sky:Seating in the A380's business class has enough desk space to work at while travelling
The first class cabin has enough room for each guest to entertain or unwind in private
I ate my last Qatar Airways meal – very sadly indeed – a chicken rosti, spinach and ricotta pasta and a side of fresh fruit – and relaxed back in my comfy seat for the final few hours of the flight.
And do you know what? When I arrived back at Heathrow I wasn’t jetlagged one bit.
Would I fly Qatar Airways business class again? Undoubtedly. It’s the small touches that do it, but it really is the ultimate in luxury when you fly.
The Boeing Dreamliner 787 (left) and the brand new A350 model (right) which Qatar Airways are the first airline to fly
Qatari finesse: The double-decker A380 on the runway at its Hamad International home in Doha
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