Review: Qatar Airways Business Class Boeing 777 Qsuites
This review covers my business class flight with Qatar Airways on their Boeing 777 with Qsuites from Casablanca to Doha.
Qatar Airways flight to Doha
After my visit to the underwhelming Royal Air Maroc Zenith VIP Lounge at Casablanca Airport, it was time to head to the boarding gate for my flight to Doha.
I was immensely looking forward to my Qatar Airways flight as it was operated by a Boeing 777 with Qsuites, and it would be my first time trying out this groundbreaking business class product.
For further details on how I booked the flight, do read the introduction of this trip report.
In short, I paid $309 for an economy class ticket on Qatar Airways from Casablanca to Bucharest via Doha, which I upgraded to business class using Qcredits.
Boarding
My excitement soared as I caught sight of the beautiful Qatar Airways Boeing 777 at the gate.
There were relatively few people hanging around at the boarding gate, and it turned out later that the flight to Doha was only lightly booked in both business as well as in economy class.
Boarding therefore commenced rather leisurely, with business class passengers as well as oneworld elites being given priority.
Casablanca (CMN) to Doha (DOH)
Qatar Airways – Flight QR1398 – Boeing 777-300
Plane registration number: A7-BAT
Business Class – Seat 3A
Departure: 1.50pm – Arrival: 00.05am (+1 day)
Flight time: 7h15m – Distance: 3,569 miles
Qsuites business class cabin
Not all of Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777s are equipped with their premium Qsuites business class product.
Some of Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777s boast a modern reverse herringbone seating arrangement (in an all-aisle access 1-2-1 configuration), while others feature a more outdated 2-2-2 seating configuration across the cabin.
The specific Boeing 777-300 I was on has a business class cabin with only 24 Qsuites, although Qatar Airways operates other Boeing 777s with a more premium-heavy configuration with 42 Qsuites across two separate cabins.
I did certainly love the looks of the business class cabin as the dark burgundy colours and the sleek design of the Qsuites made it look quite elegant.
Different Qsuites
There are several reasons why Qatar Airways’ Qsuites is such a groundbreaking business class product, and the unique cabin configuration and diverse seating options are two of them.
The Qsuites in the even-numbered rows (row 2, 4 etc.) are positioned facing forward, while those in odd-numbered rows (1, 3 etc.) are backwards-facing.
If you are travelling together as a couple or as friends you will probably prefer the odd-numbered seats such as 1E-F or 3E-F in the middle, as these seats are positioned next to each other, which makes it much easier to have a conversation during the flight.
The great thing about these seats is that they can convert to a double bed if you want to sleep close to your partner!
If you end up in one of the seats as a solo passenger, there’s no need to fear your privacy being intruded upon, as a divider screen positioned between the middle seats can be raised or lowered as needed.
The even-numbered Qsuites (2D-G, 4D-G) are situated farther apart, providing more distance between each seat, but also closer proximity to the aisle.
If you’re travelling as a family of four or a group of friends, it’s possible to create a sort of 4-person suite by lowering the partitions when selecting a block of four middle seats (like 1E-F plus 2D-G, or 3E-F plus 4D-G).
When travelling alone, the best Qsuites are the window seats.
Also these window seats are staggered, with the forward-facing Qsuites (2B, 2J, 4B, 4J etc.) having their seat situated closer to the aisle, while the backward-facing Qsuites (1A, 1K, 3A, 3K etc.) have the seat right next to the window.
These backward-facing Qsuites would be my pick of the bunch as a solo traveller as the side console next to your seat puts further distance between you and any potential noise and movement from the aisle.
Qsuites business class seat
When booking my ticket, I had assigned myself seat 3A, one of the backward-facing seats positioned closer to the window.
The Qatar Airways Qsuites are very well-appointed and have everything you might look for in a modern business class seat.
Perhaps the most important feature is that each Qsuite is equipped with a sliding door, giving you the option to open or close it for additional privacy.
Although the business class seat itself doesn’t look like the plushest of seats you can find on an aircraft, it is highly comfortable and spacious.
The Qsuite business class seat on the Boeing 777 measures 21.5 inches (53cm) in width and transforms into a fully flat bed that spans 79 inches (2 metres) in length.
The footwell is spacious too and you will have plenty of space to wiggle your feet, both in upright position as well as in fully-flat position.
With a seat pitch of 103 inches (2 metres, 62 centimetres) each Qsuite also has a lot of personal space and doesn’t feel cramped at all.
Seat details and storage space
There is plenty of storage space for your personal belongings in your Qsuite.
Right next to the seat you can find a storage compartment, in which you will find the headphones and a bottle of water.
This is a handy place to store your passport, glasses or toiletries you might need during the flight.
There is more storage space for small objects on the counter right next to your inflight entertainment screen.
On this counter, a pillow, blanket, and amenity kit were neatly arranged, with the flight menu tucked into a small gap below.
Here you will also find the controller for your inflight entertainment screen, along with the seat control buttons to adjust the recline and footrest.
Each Qsuite is outfitted with a power socket and USB ports to charge your electronic devices.
Amenity kit
At my seat, there was already an amenity kit placed – a dark-green bag from Bric’s filled with cosmetics and toiletries from Castello Monte Vibiano, along with socks, an eye mask, and earplugs.
Qatar Airways also provides complimentary pyjamas in business class from The White Company, although on a daytime flight like this you need to pro-actively ask for them.
Welcome drink
Some ten minutes after I was settled in my seat, one of the two friendly flight attendants serving my aisle during the flight came by with pre-departure beverages.
There was a choice between water, fresh orange juice, and a lime and mint drink as welcome drink, and I opted for the latter.
The lime-and-mint drink was certainly refreshing and tasty.
The flight attendant also handed out refreshment towels and biscuits from the Qatari brand Qinwan, which came in a special edition box with ‘Eid Mubarak’ printed on it to celebrate the end of Ramadan.
Departure
Although boarding did seem to take quite a while, we pushed back from our gate on time.
Taxiing across the apron toward the runway at an airport on a different continent is always fun as you can spot numerous planes from exotic airlines rarely seen back home.
Taking off from an airport while being seated backwards overlooking the wing and engine was certainly a fun experience.
Although I’ve experienced this thrill before on an ATR 42 turboprop with Sky Express in Greece and Cabo Verde Airlines in Cape Verde, it’s an entirely different experience on board an aircraft as large as a Boeing 777!
From the window of my Qatar Airways Boeing 777 I enjoyed the fine views over the cities of Casablanca and Mohammedia, as well as the Atlantic coastline of Morocco.
Drinks service
Once we reached cruising altitude, the on-board service kicked in immediately.
Flight attendant Marie from the Philippines, who was taking care of me and the other passengers in my aisle during most of the flight, stopped by to ask about my meal preferences and whether I wanted a drink.
Second later, she came with a flute of champagne and ramekin of nuts.
I do think the “love, work, travel, repeat!” motto printed on the Qatar Airways pillowcase was a good match with my glass of champagne, which I certainly enjoyed.
Menu
The food menu and wine list were already at my seat when I boarded the plane.
Qatar Airways has a dine-on-demand concept in business class, which is great as you can decide yourself whether you want to enjoy a meal straight away or perhaps prefer to sleep in a bit first.
I told Marie that I preferred to have lunch immediately and that I really didn’t mind it to be a drawn-out affair, emphasising that there was certainly no need to rush.
Below you can find pictures of the food menu as well as the drinks list – apologies if they are somewhat blurry as I only took them later in the flight when the cabin lights were dimmed.
The actual Qatar Airways business class wine list, which I didn’t picture as there were just too many pages, included the following wines:
– Laurent Perrier brut champagne (non-vintage)
– Charles Heidsieck Rosé Millésimé champagne (2005)
– Louis Latour Montagny Premier Cru Chardonnay (La Grande Roche, France, 2018)
– Esk Valley Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand, 2018)
– Montesole (Greco di Tufo DOCG, Italy, 2018)
– Château Haut-Sarpe (Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2012)
– Zarihs Syrah by Borsao (Campo de Borja DO, Spain 2015)
– Josef Chromy Pepik Pinot Noir (Australia, 2018)
A sweet Moscatel dessert wine from Spain, as well as a 20-year-old Tawny Port from Dow’s, were available as well.
Lunch
The meal service began as Marie set up my tray table for lunch, placing a tablecloth, water glass, and fake candle on it.
I was also given some bread, butter, olive oil and salt and pepper.
The first course was a tasty tomato soup, which I paired with a glass of Charles Heidsieck vintage rosé champagne.
As appetiser I opted for the classic Arabic mezze – as it’s a dish you can’t really go wrong with.
The mezze, which beautifully presented and came with some Arabic pita bread on the side, was indeed delicious.
Feeling in the mood for a mid-air celebration, I spontaneously decided to have a little wine tasting and slowly started to make my way through the Qatar Airways wine list, starting with some white wine to accompany the mezze.
For my main dish, I chose the chicken machboos with fragrant basmati rice, roasted carrots, sweet pepper and fried onions, which was surprisingly unremarkable and lacking in flavour.
Although I wasn’t a fan of the Australian Pinot Noir, the Spanish Syrah went down great with the food.
The kunafa dessert sounded highly tempting, but feeling quite full from the meal, I opted for the caramel gianduja cake with frosted hazelnut instead, which I paired with the Moscatel dessert wine.
Overall, it was a highly enjoyable meal with some beautifully presented food and quality drinks.
Cheese and port
The meal service wasn’t yet entirely over, as I also decided to have the cheese board and a glass of Dow’s 20-year-old Tawny port.
While enjoying the cheese and port, I watched from the window how we left the North African coastline behind and flew east towards the island of Malta.
Business class lavatories
Once the meal was truly over, it was time to check out some of the other amenities in Qsuites business class on board this Qatar Airways Boeing 777.
The business class lavatory was kept immaculately clean by the crew during the entire flight, and was stocked with Diptyque toiletries and cosmetics.
IFE
Each Qsuite business class seat on the Qatar Airways Boeing 777 is outfitted with a 21.5-inch HD touchscreen display.
You can also use a responsive controller to scroll through the contents of the inflight entertainment system.
Although it’s not the biggest selection of films, series, music and games you’ll come across in the skies, I though the entertainment selection was quite good and certainly diverse.
I enjoyed watching an old James Bond movie – From Russia With Love – during the remainder of my flight.
Wi-Fi internet
My Qatar Airways Boeing 777 was equipped with “Super Wi-Fi” internet fom Ooredoo.
Although Qsuites business class passengers do not receive complimentary Wi-Fi, the costs are very reasonable as a flight pass for unlimited access was only $10.
It was easy to connect to the Wi-Fi network and pay for the service, which worked like a charm during the first part of my flight.
However, once we flew just east of Malta, the Wi-Fi service suddenly stopped working and remained unavailable for the remainder of the flight.
Sunset
Although it was a bit of a disappointment that the Wi-Fi suddenly stopped working, I was still tremendously enjoying the flight.
I admired the fine sunset views over the wing of our Qatar Airways Boeing 777 as we flew further east towards Doha.
To sober up a bit after all the champagne and wine, I also enjoyed an iced Americano.
Second meal service
About an hour before landing I decided it was time for a second meal and inquired with Wing, the other flight attendant serving me on today’s flight, whether I could order a snack.
I started the second meal service with another glass of champagne, as why not?!
As I’m not a fan of prawns, I decided to go for the second option on the snack menu, which was the hot pot pulled oxtail on a toasted brioche.
The pulled oxtail toast was served with a side salad and certainly hit the spot.
Service
Throughout the entire flight, the inflight service by Marie and Wing was excellent.
Although business class was only lightly booked, both flight attendants really seemed to work hard, and were also highly charming and fun to interact with.
After my flight I wrote a compliment to Qatar Airways, as I think it is important to send positive feedback when you had some extraordinarily good service.
Of course, you can give some compliments and a word of thanks to them in person (and you really should, of course!), but doing this formally can be a good thing to do, as many airlines have performance bonuses for their personnel and putting in a good word can definitely help in this regard.
Qatar Airways did indeed mail me back, saying that “appreciation coming from our valued passengers always motivates us even more to provide the best service possible” and that “our staff will certainly be delighted to hear about your commendation once we pass this on to them”.
Chocolate
Just before the fasten seatbelt signs went on for landing, the crew passed through the aisle one last time to hand out boxes of Swiss chocolate from Läderach.
I thought it was a really nice touch – and needless to say the chocolate was delicious.
Landing
As the fasten seatbelt sign went on, the captain announced that we started our descent towards Doha, where we would have an on-time arrival.
I always like to land at night at airports in the Middle East as the bright lights of the houses and streets always seem to form such a stark contrast to the pitch-black desert.
We overflew Doha, made a sharp U-turn and started our final descent towards Hamad International Airport, where our Boeing 777 had a smooth landing.
Conclusion
I had an immensely enjoyable flight from Casablanca to Doha in Qatar Airways business class.
The Qsuites business class product of Qatar Airways is truly superb, excelling in both its groundbreaking hard product featuring semi-enclosed seats with doors, as well as its outstanding soft product offering a dine-on-demand concept with top-quality food and drinks.
Although not all of Qatar Airways’ widebody planes are outfitted with Qsuites, and last-minute equipment changes are fairly common with the airline, you are in for a treat if you fly in one of their Boeing 777s or Airbus A350s featuring this business class product.
Trip report index
This article is part of the ‘Qatar Airways Qsuites Adventure to Casablanca‘ trip report, which consists of the following chapters:
1. A Stopover Walk Through Barcelona
2. Review: Joan Miró VIP Lounge Barcelona Airport
3. Review: Royal Air Maroc Economy Class Barcelona to Casablanca
4. Taking the Casablanca Airport Train: The Cheap Way Into the City
5. Review: Ibis Casa Voyageurs Hotel, Casablanca
6. Casablanca: Is Morocco’s Biggest City Worth a Visit?
7. Review: Royal Air Maroc Zenith VIP Lounge Casablanca Airport
8. Review: Qatar Airways Business Class Boeing 777 Qsuites (current chapter)
9. Review: Qatar Airways Al Mourjan Business Lounge
10. Travel Blogging: Not Always as Glamorous as It Looks Like
