This was my second attempt at flying on Qatar’s newest business class seat, having had a seat change on the last one. The B787 is not wide enough to be able to be refitted with QSuites so Qatar introduced a new seat for the latest version of the B787 in 2022.
I was flying from Oslo to Bangkok via Doha on, a great open-jaw fare which returned from Amsterdam (£1500). The latest Qatar sale has some decent prices here.
Check-in
I am not a fan of Oslo Airport, which they seem to have been “improving” forever. The Qatar check-in desk is right down the far end of the terminal, and then you have to walk all the way back again for security and then back in the same direction as check-in to get to the lounge!
The last time I checked in at Oslo, it was a bit of a mess, but this time, it was very quiet, and the agent managing the area guided me straight to a check-in agent.
The Lounge
BA and Qatar use the OSL lounge. I will go into more detail in a separate review but cover a few basics now. There is a previous lounge review here.
The OSL Lounge is located in the terminal on the mezzanine level by gate E8. There are stairs and a lift to take you up to the lounge beside the Starbucks.
The lounge has two parts: the standard side and a premium side available for BA Goldcard/Emerald Oneworld members.
I headed for the premium side which had definitely got worse since I had last visited. I thought the drinks selection was bad in the main part with wine on tap, but, no, it turns out it can be worse….wine in a jug! Seriously, who thought this was a good idea for a premium lounge? Obviously, it is just what they have on tap in the main part that is then left to sit for a few hours just to really make it taste delicious! Needless to say, I gave it a wide berth!
They usually have salad, soup, bread, and snacks, as well as a hot dish, but I wasn’t eating on this occasion as I planned to eat onboard.
There was a cheap sparkling wine that was just about drinkable.
Boarding
Boarding at Oslo is always something of a shambles in my experience with Qatar. They have a separate seating area at the gate (which is the very furthest gate, so it’s a bit of a trek) for business class passengers. They also always give a very early boarding time. If you are not in a hurry, I’d advise getting on much later in the boarding process.
The gate area was at least well-equipped with charging points in case you needed a last-minute boost. They called business class first, but as was the case the previous time, we all just ended up freezing on the jetbridge for about 15 minutes, which is not my idea of fun. I have no idea why they insist on doing this for so long every time, as it’s not a great start to a flight.
Once we were finally onboard, things got a lot better. I was offered a welcome drink and knowing that they had the rather lovely Alexandra rosé champagne from Laurent Perrier I asked for a glass of rose champagne. I love how Qatar give you a choice of champagnes for a pre-departure drink. THere was also a bottle of water already at the seat.
I was also given a Diptyque-scented hand towel. I absolutely love the scent of these and have been known to ask for extras as they are a lovely way to freshen up on the go.
The amenity kit, which was also by Diptyque, was already at the seat. It was a little disappointing that it was in a box, not a bag, but I suppose that’s a good way to make it sustainable while still looking nice.
Inside, there were generous sizes of face cream, lip balm, body lotion, and a fragrance spray. As it was a daytime flight, no pajamas were given out.
Unbelievably, in 2024, they are still giving out COVID-19 hygiene kits, which just seems like a crazy waste. If people are still worried about COVID-19 now, they should just bring their own stuff, in my opinion.
Seat and cabin
The seats are laid out in a normal forward facing 1-2-1 configuration, unlike the QSuites. The middle seats have a divider which can be lowered right down. You can tell quickly whether it is a B787-9 with the new suites or the older B787 non-suites by looking at Google Flights to see if it is shown as an individual suite or lie-flat seat.
This gives you the ability to join the two middle seats to make a sort of double bed like the QSuites. The interesting part about the divider that I have not seen before is that both people have to press the divider button to work, which I like. If you’ve had an argument with your other half or your travel companion is irritating you, you can just keep the screen up!
The seats are very similar to many other airlines’ reverse herringbone suites and definitely feel smaller than the QSuite.
I was in 4K. I usually pick a seat in row 3 or 4 so I am near the front to get served early but not too close to a galley or toilets.
The main drawback with the new suite is the less storage space compared to the QSuite which has a big ottoman. This design only has one small cupboard at head height which comes with a mirror. There is nowhere to store larger laptops.
There is a magazine rack that you may squeeze a tablet or small laptop into and there’s also a small cubby underneath the seat which maybe is designed for shoes.
There is also a reasonable sized area in the armrest which holds the water and headphones that you could put a few bits into.
The business class suite, transforms into a 79” fully-flat bed, and the arm rest can be completely stowed away if you wish, giving more available width for sleeping at the shoulder area.
There are three preset positions for the seat – bed, landing/take-off and relaxed, but you can also raise or lower the leg rest separately which is something I really value. There is also do not disturb which is handy. For some reason we were told we were not allowed to use the suite doors on this flight and that they would not be unlocking them.
One big positive about the seats is the softness of the padding. I have always found the QSuites very hard even with a mattress topper but I found this seat very comfortable for a short sleep even without any sort of matress topper. Personally on a long overnight flight I would pick the Premium suite over the QSuite. The foot well also felt very wide compared to many other business class products and as a side sleeper I found it easy to get comfortable.
There was a good size table that was firm enough to work on without it bouncing.
I also really liked the pretty design of the side lights in the suite. There was also a reading light as well.
Food and drink
I am pleased to report the food and drink were as good as I would expect from Qatar. The crew members serving me was also lovely and not at all robotic which is a crisitcim sometimes aimed at Qatar crew.
Menus were handed out for drinks and food as the cabin crew member introduced herself.
And here are the wines and drinks:
I started with the Grand Cuvee Alexandra champagne which I urge you to try if they have it onboard. It is was above the standard you would expect in business class.
This was served with a selection of nuts.
Next the table was laid up including the little candle that looks so attractive. I was offered a choice of oils to go with the warm bread. This one of my favourite parts as I’m in love with the spicy lemon oil. If anyone know where you can buy it let me know! Butter is also provided.
Next came the amuse bouche which was a prawn with salmon roe.
I went for my usual mezze for a starter which was delicious, if very filling with such a generous portion! It consisted of baba ganoush, hummus and tabbouleh with Arabic bread. I tried the chardonnay with this which I really enjoyed.
I then went for the chicken mashkool. I always find the Qatari dishes on board particularly god, so I try to order them. This was really delicious and full of spice but not too fiery. I love the way they are presented so well and garnished with fresh herbs. Certainly different from some of the slop you get served on BA!
I was pretty full by now but determined to squeeze in the cheese course as it is usually excellent. I also had a glass of the Bordeaux which I enjoyed but was not as good as the previous Pauillac they had. I was pleased to see a rosé on the wine list as well. It felt like a very extensive choice of hig quality wines.
There were snacks available either from the crew or some were laid out at the back of the cabin. I had my favourite karak chai before landing as well.
Before the end of the flight, Läderach chocolates were handed out to everyone.
Entertainment and connectivity
The suite has the latest technology, including a 13-inch Panasonic IFE touch screen that feels large in relation to the seat’s position. You can control the TV via its touchscreen, or you can use the separate handheld controller that allows you to have something separate on the screen, such as the moving map. The handset’s screen had great definition as well as the main screen.
There were plenty of recent films and TV programs to choose from, and I also enjoyed the camera showing views of the outside of the aircraft.
In terms of charging there are plenty of options with a multi-country socket, USB C and USB A ports and even wireless charging. This is a little bit of a gimmick as it takes so long its a bit pointless. Instead I had my phone in the holder while charging from the USB port. It was a handy place to keep your phone within reach.
The wifi worked very well and you get 1 hour free as a Privilege Club member. It only costs $10 anyway which is very reasonable.
Conclusion
I thought the Premium suite was a definite improvement over the older B787 seats and although not as spacious as the QSuite, I found it very comfortable. I would definitely not be disappointed to see this instead of the QSuite on a future flight. The food and drink was as good as I’d expect from Qatar and the crew were also lovely.
It’s a shame their prices have gone up since COVID-19, but you can still find decent prices on some routes. Qatar is still my favourite business class product overall, but I would not choose to fly from Oslo if I could get a similar price elsewhere.
After arriving in Doha I went to visit the new Garden Al Mourjan Lounge which you can read about in this review.
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