A Review of Qatar Airways 787-8 Business Class from Doha to Ahmedabad
by Krish Patel
As one of the world’s best airlines, Qatar Airways is known for their luxurious Qsuite Business Class product. However, the carrier offers a whole range of Business Class seat types across their entire fleet. While it’s not as private and sleek as Qsuite, Qatar Airways offers a solid and comfortable Business Class product on their 787-8 Dreamliner. This reverse herringbone seat is also found on their Airbus A380s and some A350-900s, making it a pretty common seat type in the Qatari fleet. I had the chance to test out the Dreamliner Business Class seat on a recent flight from DOH to AMD, which also marked my first time aboard the -8 variant of the 787.
Doha Ground Experience Overview
Business Class passengers flying out of Hamad International Airport are treated to a premium check-in experience at the dedicated Al Mourjan check-in counter. However, I wasn’t able to experience this service because I arrived off a connecting flight from New York. Instead, I made my way to the Orchid Garden and decided to walk around for a bit before making my way up to the Al Mourjan Lounge North. The Garden is incredibly lush and stunning, with tranquil greenery and various tropical plants that make you feel as if you’re in an actual botanical garden.
In order to reach the lounge, you’ll need to take a set of elevators. Standing right outside the elevators is a lounge attendant who will scan your boarding pass.
Essentially, the lounge is a massive doughnut shape packed with comfortable seating, great amenities, and a plethora of food options. There are several variants of furniture to choose from, including swivel chairs, lounge chairs, and plush sofas. I love how the lounge feels very spacious, with high ceilings and an open layout. Adjacent to nearly every chair are power ports and side table space. You’ll find seats overlooking the indoor garden below, as well as furniture in quiet seating areas where you can read, work, or relax without being disturbed.
Also found in the lounge is a luxurious dining area complete with restaurant-style chairs and a rectangular bar. A variety of beverages are available complimentary, and you’ll also find a cheese selection and made-to-order sushi. It was nice to see a variety of vegetarian rolls, which were all tasty. When you’re ready to order your food, you can scan the QR code to view the menu.
If you prefer a buffet, the Al Mourjan Lounge has a great one. There are plenty of hot and cold dishes and light bites you can help yourself to, as well as a fridge containing soft drinks.
In terms of amenities, the lounge features shower suites, a dedicated smoking room, games room, and kids play area, only to name a few. The showers are incredibly luxurious and come stocked with high-end Diptyque skincare products. I was able to have a nice, refreshing shower during my layover and found the water pressure and temperature to be great. I didn’t see that many people using the games room and relaxation area during my visit. However, most of the showers were occupied.
The Al Mourjan Business Lounge North is a 10 to 15-minute walk from most of the E Gates, which is where my flight departed from. Business Class passengers receive priority boarding, as well as those with elite status either through Privilege Club or the OneWorld Alliance. Boarding was well-organized, with separate queues and jet bridges for Business Class and Economy passengers.
Business Class Cabin and Seat
Pros
Each of the 22 Business Class seats in the cabin offer direct aisle access, which is always a plus on a short to medium-haul flight. The reverse herringbone configuration is a classic Business Class seat layout, and these seats offer plenty of storage and plush padding.
The gray upholstery is quite elegant and I also love the minor splashes of purple seen throughout the cabin. Having no central overhead bins above the Business Class section allows for a more spacious and airy interior, which I’m also a fan of.
If you’re looking to get some sleep, the seat converts into a bed that’s 80 inches long. It offers plenty of width around the head and shoulders and paired nicely with the provided pillow and blanket. Sleeping on this seat fabric was actually quite comfortable, but mattress pads on longer flights can make this a solid 10 out of 10 bed.
Cons
The Business Class seats offer limited privacy and don’t feature high seat walls or partitions. Seats in the central section feature a small divider, but that still doesn’t really offer maximum privacy.
I’d avoid selecting the window seats in row five because they’re missing a window. Other less favorable seats in this cabin include seats 6E and 6F. Their proximity to the lavatory and mid-flight snack bar means that passengers in these seats might find it a bit loud, especially on a longer flight.
Seat Features Guide
Located in front of you is the Oryx One inflight entertainment system, which offers hours of entertainment across many genres. You can choose from hundreds of movies, ranging from the latest releases to Hollywood blockbusters. There are also plenty of TV series to enjoy (including live television and sports), music and audio playlists, games, and a dedicated tab for kids. You can also view the section for information about Qatar Airways and the inflight map.
Beneath the screen is the tray table, which folds out into two massive panels. It’s a great size for either dining or getting some work done. Right below the tray table, you’ll find the leg rest, which offers plenty of space to stretch your legs out in bed mode.
The inner end of the seat plays house to a small side storage unit, across from which is a coat hook. Right below the coat hook, you’ll find a handy shoe storage drawer.
Meanwhile, the main seat console can be found along the windows and includes a pretty big wooden side table. Built into the side table are the IFE remote, preset of seat controls, and USB outlet. The table is backed by a reading lamp and seat pocket for literature.
Beneath the seat console is another storage unit, but this one is a lot bigger. Adjacent to the compartment is a universal outlet for charging.
Located above each seat is a reading light and personal air nozzle, which is nice to see.
Other Cabin Features
There are two lavatories for Business passengers, one of which is at the rear of the cabin and the other near the cockpit. The rear lavatory is quite spacious and came stocked with Diptyque skincare products, as well as dental kits. You’re provided with a large sink, well-sized toilet, and even a window. As is the norm on the 787 Dreamliner, the flush for the toilet is a contactless one.
Adjacent to the rear bathroom is the mid-flight snack bar, which remained empty on this flight given the short two and a half-hour duration. However, it was nice to see a bowl of roses on display at the bar. This really makes for a nice place to come and stretch your legs inflight.
Food and Drink in Qatar Airways Business Class
Waiting for me at the seat upon boarding was the menu and wine list. The Qatar Airways wine list highlights the selection of wines and alcoholic beverages, which is pretty extensive and features a diverse range of cocktails. You’ll find all of the non-alcoholic drinks listed on the main menu, which is written in both English and Arabic. Best of all, Qatar offers a dine-on-demand concept in Business Class, meaning you can order from any section of the menu whenever you want during the flight. Only dinner was served on this flight, with a choice of an appetizer, entree, and dessert.
I couldn’t pass on ordering the signature lemon mint as my pre-departure beverage. As always, it was very refreshing and certainly one of my favorite inflight drinks. It’s a very personalized touch how the pre-takeoff drinks are served individually and not off a single tray to multiple passengers.
After takeoff, I was served warm nuts and a post-departure beverage, for which I opted for a pineapple margarita mocktail, one of my favorites.
The food in Qatar Business Class is presented restaurant-style and not in a single tray, which I’m a fan of. I love the attention to detail with the meal service. Touches such as an artificial candle and proper artisan bread basket paired with olive oil and butter are so extra, but really make the fine dining experience a whole lot better.
For my appetizer, I chose the Arabic mezze with fresh pita bread, tabouleh, hummus, and roasted eggplant dip. It was presented beautifully and tasted just as great. Unfortunately, the vegetarian entree I wanted ran out. Instead, I ordered the roasted tomato soup, which was light and delicious.
Dessert was a white chocolate mouse with kaju katli, which is a traditional Indian sweet. It was a little too sweet for my liking and probably not the best thing to have gotten from the menu. I also ordered a saffron karak chai during the dessert service, which was excellent and not too hot.
Amenities in Qatar Business Class
Upon boarding, each Business Class seat already comes provided with the bedding, a bottle of water, and noise-cancelling Oryx One headphones. The headphones fit comfortably and functioned well, efficiently blocking out the sound. On short to medium-haul flights, the bedding consists of a gray and burgundy pillow and thick purple blanket. No socks, ear plugs, or eye masks were offered.
Qatar Airways is in the process of installing free Starlink Wi-Fi across its entire fleet, however, the 787s don’t feature the Wi-Fi service yet. Wi-Fi packages cost $8 to $10 for the entire flight on aircraft without the Starlink service. In addition, Privilege Club members receive one hour of free Wi-Fi.
Booking Details for Business Class on Qatar Airways
One-way flights in Qatar Business from Doha to Ahmedabad start at $860 and can exceed $1,000 depending on the day. The cash fares for Business Class on Qatar Airways can be very expensive, even for medium-haul flights to India. Using points and miles to book this same flight can be a better alternative.
For the same flight, Qatar will charge close to 26,000 Avios before taxes and fees. You can transfer Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Bilt Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points to Qatar Airways Privilege Club all at a 1:1 ratio. If you have Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can transfer those over to The British Airways Club (formerly Executive Club) since both Qatar and British Airways use Avios. Avios points can be moved between any of the airlines using them at a 1:1 ratio.
Another solid option is to use American Airlines AAdvantage miles to book this redemption. Flying Qatar Airways one-way from DOH to AMD will cost 30,000 AAdvantage miles, which can be earned in various ways such as flying American (and their partners) or spending on a co-branded credit card. Recently, Citi added American Airlines as a transfer partner, so if you have a card that earns Citi rewards, you’ll be able to transfer them directly to AAdvantage.
Overall Thoughts
On a two and a half-hour flight, Qatar Airways Business Class aboard the 787-8 is a solid way to fly. Considering that Qatar mostly operates the A320s to Ahmedabad and uses a 787 once a week for this flight, it’s a treat to have a proper lie-flat Business Class seat. The seat is quite comfortable and spacious, but there’s a lot of room for improvement when it comes to privacy as the seat walls aren’t that high. Aside from that, the soft product was truly exceptional, with a world-class lounge, good food for the most part, and plentiful amenities for a flight of this length. Service provided by the Qatar Airways crew was truly exceptional. Our flight attendants were super friendly, proactive with offering service, and spoke with passengers when in the aisles, always maintaining a pleasant attitude. You’re going to have a wonderful Business Class experience with Qatar if you find yourself on one of their 787-8s for a medium haul itinerary.