[Krsnp]

Dear All,

Happy new year!

I just had my first flights after a few years with QR (and the first in premium cabins), and I thought of sharing my experience with you. Will split this into 3 parts (AUH-DOH, DOH-CGK, and Al Mourjan Lounge) so as not to make it too lengthy. Posts with pictures are available in my blog here: http://middleclasstraveller.weebly.com.

Happy reading!

*****************************************************************************

Part 1: AUH – DOH (F, though actually J since QR call all their short-haul J flights – like the one I had – “First Class”.)

I arrived at Abu Dhabi International Airport at 06.35 AM, pretty much last minute to catch my flight at 07.45. However, thanks to the fact that passengers are no longer required to go through security screening prior to checking in and that my passport was already registered on the e-gate system, I still had around 15 minutes for a quick breakfast of coffee and croissant at the Al Reem Lounge. The lounge itself is compact but had all my preferred breakfast items (coffee, pastries, fruits, and a selection of plain and flavoured yoghurt) so it was perfect for me at that time.

As expected, the boarding gate was shown open at 07.00, although strangely enough, the display turned to “Last Call” just one minute afterwards. When I arrived at the gate, however, the boarding had not even started yet. I was initially confused as the flight number was not displayed on the screen at the gate and in fact, the board separating premium boarding was branded Etihad and its airline partners (QR is not one of them). Being one of the first passengers to board the bus, I had to wait for considerably a long time until everyone got on board a little past 07.30.

The boarding on the plane, however, was quick and by 07.45 everyone was already in. The A320 we had had 12 First Class seats (3 rows of 4) which looked and felt elegant in black leather and ample leg space, although as expected, had no IFE. My original seat was 2A, but I moved to 1F before take-off (the only other occupied seat was 1A, and the lady seated there spent at least half of the trip applying make-up – not judging, I just found it amusing). Shortly after being seated, I was offered a welcome drink, Arabic coffee, and dates. I was still in the festive mood (haha) so I tried my luck and asked for a glass of champagne. Not only did I get that, I was offered if I wanted brut or rosé. Wow! Which other airline serves two types of champagne in a 40-minute flight?

As I sipped my Lanson Rosé Label, the Cabin Service Manager introduced herself, addressing me by name (the first time since my Etihad flight from Yerevan back in 2014!) and offered further assistance. The aircraft was stationary for very long time before began taxiing. If I remember correctly, it was around 08.05 when we finally took off. In the meantime, I asked the crew why the aircraft bore Al Maha livery, not QR. I was assured – rather apologetically – that Al Maha is owned and operated by the same company, and despite the brand confusion, the interior of the plan was exactly the same and that I should not be worried. Well, given how great things had been so far, I had zero reason to complain, really.

We then immediately proceeded with light breakfast service, which consisted of fresh orange juice or mango & mint smoothie, seasonal fresh fruit, salad of feta, cucumber, olive, and plum tomato, beef pastrami and cornichon canapé, and either haloumi cheese and lamb arayes with mint mayonnaise dip or ricotta cheese and baby spinach tart with the same dip (both served with warm Arabic bread). I also asked for a glass of Billecart-Salmon Brut to accompany. Considering there were only the two of us and that the dishes were all pre-plated and served altogether, the service was not very efficient but the breakfast itself looked beautiful and tasted very good. I actually felt bad that I only had time to eat a few bites of everything. Other than that the flight was smooth and uneventful and we were out of the aircraft on time.

ARRIVAL

This was my first time in Doha’s new Hamad International Airport (previously HIA, now DOH – replacing the old Doha Airport) and I found it to be very sleek and modern but felt a bit sterile. I had applied for a transit visa online earlier (complimentary if you fly QR on both legs although there are other T&Cs) so I could actually exit immediately. However, it was still early and I still felt sluggish so I asked if I could use the Al Mourjan Business Lounge for a few hours. I did anticipate “No” as an answer as the lounge may be located close to the departure gates, but instead I received a “Yes, of course!” and was immediately provided direction (I will write a separate review on the lounge).

I spent short of one hour in the lounge before heading to QR’s city tour desk downstairs in the duty free area). The next tour would start at 11.00 (there are four per day) but registration was accepted only until 09.45 or until it reached full capacity. The registration process was a swift and I was asked to be back at the desk at 10.00 to allow enough time to go through the immigration and obtain the necessary transit visa for the tour (this visa, unlike mine, is valid only for the duration of the tour). There is a dedicated immigration lounge with comfy couches, light snacks and a coffee machine at the airport (not just fast-track gates) and I was the only one there, so went through very swiftly.

LIKE: Compared to the other premium short-haul and regional services I have flown in, this was definitely the best. Everything felt absolutely premium.

DISLIKE: I really cannot think of anything major.

VERDICT: A truly premium experience.

[Krsnp]

Part 2: DOH – CGK (J)

I arrived at the airport at 16.25, so I could take a shower and relax a bit before my 19.10 flight. As expected, premium passengers of QR have their own dedicated entrance – and an entire check-in section for themselves – separated with partitions and with a lot of couches, a coffee & soft drinks area, and of course, dedicated immigration counters. I was once more blown away by how far the airline would go to please their premium passengers.

After doing some last minute duty free purchases, I headed for Al Mourjan Lounge. Being more tired than hungry, I decided to go straight to the Quiet Zone for a nap and a quick shower. I finished right about the time boarding started so I walked briskly to Gate A11, where my flight would depart. The boarding room was already almost full when I arrived, an indication of how the flight would be.

We flew in a B-787, and my seat was 2K. I had flown a few times in a B-787 with WY, and I love the amount of privacy I get in WY’s enclosed cabin design. Compared to that, QR’s reversed herringbone layout offers less privacy, but still provides direct aisle access. There are no partitions between seats; however, the window seats are designed facing the window (not the aisle), which means you need not worry about making that awkward eye contact with other passengers. Of course, this also means that you cannot peer out the windows without getting up your seat (I personally do not feel this is a disadvantage).

So I would not call the layout my favourite, but there are a few things I liked about it. Firstly, the amount of space around the seat was massive. In particular, the side tables and the compartment next to my legs proved useful. There was also another compartment under my armrest, but this was already occupied by the headphone and a bottle of water. The dining table also quite conveniently slides out from under the IFE screen. The only two things I did not quite like about the layout was the position of the IFE screen (too close to your eyes for that size) and the footrest, which I felt was restrictive in a sleeping position (first world problem, I know!)

At the seat waiting were a full size pillow, a blanket, and an amenity kit in a Giorgio Armani pouch. The kit contained eyeshade, socks, lotion, and a travel size EDT, while dental and shaving kits were available in the restrooms.

The premium cabin was full, including the two seats at the back, but the service was great and remained upbeat throughout. The Cabin Service Manager, Moira, was very pleasant and showed genuine care for her guests (yes, she used my name a few times). There was a female guest and her crying baby among the passengers and she took effort engaging and entertaining them during the flight. The other crews, although not as amazing, were nonetheless still better than most others I have flown with.

I requested for (guess what?) a glass of Billecart-Salmon Brut champagne and a cup of cardamom karak chai (i.e.: milk tea) before take-off. The champagne was of course very well welcome, but the chai was superb. We were also offered a pajama set as well as the menu for dinner and light breakfast, both served course-by-course. For dinner, I selected marinated prawns as my starter, stir-fried beef as my main, and the Dacquiose biscuit as the dessert.

The prawns were lovely and of a good portion size. I honestly could not trace the saffron, but the rest of the dish was flavourful and left me satisfied. The main course, however, was simply outstanding. Easily one of the best dishes I have had in the air. The beef was very tender and juicy, the rice was fragrant and tasted the way it should, and the black pepper sauce gave the entire dish a kick without being overpowering. Indeed, I was told it was the best-selling option. The dessert was fine, but not something I would write home about. Being one without a sweet tooth, I had perhaps better ordered sliced fresh fruits instead. To wrap it up, I asked for a cup of chamomile tea with honey, and also received a Varlhona chocolate bar.

I asked to be woken up at 06.40 (local time Jakarta) for breakfast, and selected mango and mint energizer (this was not available, I was told), orange juice, Chinese congee, and Bircher Muesli, with café latte on the side. Again, the breakfast met expectation, especially the congee which was really moreish. All in all, I was very impressed with both meal services.

During and between the two meal services, I also managed to watch Jason Bourne and a bit of Now You See Me 2. I appreciated the IFE screen size (17”) but unfortunately the resolution was not the best (Oman Air’s was fabulous) and the handheld controller was not always responsive. Also, there were continuous announcements about phone calls being prohibited on board popping up on the screen. This only occupied a few inches at the bottom, but got irritating after some time. Onboard wifi is complimentary for the first 15 minutes, but I only found it out when the flight was descending so I would keep it for next time.

We touched down slightly delayed at 07.45, but it seemed that we were the only international passengers at that time. As a result, I was already heading out of the terminal around 25 minutes later.

LIKE: Almost everything. The hard product was superb and the service was among the best I have experienced flying premium. The ground service for premium passengers was also amazing.

DISLIKE: The IFE resolution could be upgraded and the position was too close. Also the footrest was on the small side (but I am being picky).

VERDICT: Sold!

[Krsnp]

Part 3: Al Mourjan Business Lounge

The lounge is located on Level 3, occupied mostly by Qatar Airways’ premium lounges and the airport hotel (the arrival and departure areas are on Level 2 & 1 respectively). The reception was massive with a long well-manned counter and dominated in grey colour. I was welcome by a lovely Indonesian staff, Nizma, who immediately offered to show me around. Now I had seen pictures of the lounge, so I knew it was big, but I did not expect it to be that huge. In fact, huge is perhaps an understatement. It occupies an area of 10,000 sqm with seats enough to accommodate up to 1,000 guests (a standard football pitch is “only” 7,140 sqm)! Apparently, I arrived at a very quiet time for the airline with perhaps only 10 or fewer people at the time of visit, so the vastness of the lounge made it feel somewhat eerie.

The lounge is divided into several separate zones to cater for different types of guests. This includes a sizeable business centre, cubicles with reclining chairs, quiet zone, two restaurants (a large casual deli serving a la carte menu and a huge buffet restaurant with an open bar), a family zone, and two connected “open areas” with comfortable couches and tablets. What’s more, the lounge is exclusively for Qatar Airways Business Class passengers (First Class passengers have another dedicated lounge, Al Safwa, as do premium passengers of other airlines departing from or through Doha).

In my Abu Dhabi – Doha – Jakarta trip, I only visited the buffet restaurant upon arrival in the morning, and the quiet area in the evening prior to my next flight. I was already quite full when I arrived in Doha, so I did not actually try any of the buffet offering. I only had a cup of café latte and a vegetable omelette. To be honest, neither was outstanding; however, I was quite impressed by the wide variety of the buffet options. There were separate islands for international dishes, Asian/Arabic dishes, and Continental options, not to mention the open bar, which was tempting (unfortunately, after two rounds of champers that early in the morning and a city tour waiting ahead of me, I had to give it a pass). There were enough seats for 160 guests, and given the amount of empty space in between the islands, I am quite sure it would not feel crowded even when the restaurant is fully occupied. The service was courteous and on par with many five-star hotels in the region.

Later on in the evening, I arrived back and headed straight to the quiet zone. This area is located at the far end of the lounge, next to the casual deli but separated with glass doors. I expected to see an open area with chaise lounges, so was pleasantly surprised to see that they actually had actual rooms, each with a large boarding screen, a one-seater, and a long leather sofa. The rooms were not fully enclosed but felt very private. Apparently the rooms were not made for sleeping, which made me wonder what the actual purpose was. They are clearly too big for reading, and obviously not suitable for business meetings either. Anyway, I did manage to make myself comfortable and took a short nap.

I then headed for the shower, and again was very happy with what I found. The cubicle had ample dressing space and a toilet attached, making it comfortably practical. The shower attendant was also very courteous. He asked if I needed any dental or shaving kit, and attempted to engage with me and asked for feedback with his limited English.

So, my overall experience at the lounge was positive. I can understand why some past reviewers felt it to be cold, soulless, and sterile, but I thought the food & beverage offering was great, the service was warmer than many others I have been to, and the separation into several zones served me very well.

[Cloud-9]

Very interesting. I flew on QR last month and also had a prawn dish which was one of the best I have ever had whilst airborne.

Like you I also did the Doha city tour and was fortunate to go on the 8pm one so got to see the nightlights from the higher elevation of a bus as opposed to a taxi.

Oddly I have never been to the Al Mourjan lounge. The first time I transited through DOH it was en route to AUH so went in the Al Safwa. The other two times i have been there the Al Mourjan has been closed so the staff have apologetically requested me to use the Al Safwa! Oh well…

[Krsnp]

Hello,

Yes, the prawn dish was very good indeed. Regarding the city tour, would be quite interesting to see Doha skyline at night, although my cheap pocket camera wouldn’t work as well, I suppose.

I will try Al Safwa on my way back to Abu Dhabi in two weeks’ time and shall write about my experience. My stopover will be only 2 hours this time, though. Hope it’s long enough to experience it properly.

Thanks!

[slotski]

I have flown 28 J class QR flights in the past 24 months. It is by far my favotite airline – I have mainly flown One World J class over this period. Absolutely adore the LHR Qatar lounge.

Regarding the Al Moujan lounge, the first few times I really looked forward to visiting. However now I’d prefer a quick connection at Doha just to connect between flights. The lounge has nice food, but it is sterile, not the most comfortable seating and unless I had a lengthy connection time, getting a shower is a struggle.

[Krsnp]

Hi Slotski,

I’m based in AUH so normally fly with EY for convenience, or, when I fly to Jakarta, WY. They drop their prices like crazy, their hard products in J are great and I can earn EY miles there too. But QR as an option has moved a few notches up on my list following this trip.

I can understand your point of view on Al Mourjan (especially considering your travel pattern). I too normally prefer smaller lounges where I can get coffee or a round of drinks and small bites without feeling cramped or rushed (my favourite lounge for this purpose at the moment is BOM’s GVK Lounge). Al Mourjan, in my opinion, is ideal only for longer connections. Ironically, its biggest advantage (size, zoning & location) becomes a disadvantage in short connections.

Thanks!

[slotski]

Hi Middleclasstraveller

You’ve hit the nail on the head. The Al Moujan lounge is just far too big, hence why I think it feels cold and sterile. I much prefer the Cathay Pacific model in Hong Kong, where they have a greater number of smaller and cosier lounges spread throughout the airport.

[alainboy56]

Agree with most comments here.
I also use QR out of AUH or even DWC (free parking you see and just 20m from the Terminal)
I flew to Pisa in J in December and also an F return to DOH. QR simply are the best in the region, their hard product is superb.
The Lounges, both Safwa and Mourjan are excellent, let us not be too ‘picky’, just compare them to AZ in FCO or BA’s at LHR.
@midleclasstraveller – just to correct the info given to you re AL MAHA livery branded aircraft. They were initial purchased new in the last 2 years, for a LCC venture in KSA, but this never transpired, and as QR are short of A320’s (see A320neo news), so QR use them on only DXB/DWC/RAK/AUH routes as they are not mainline interiors. there is no IFE, nor even the safety video dropdown screen. I have been told by cabin crew that it will cost too much to strip them out and re-fit them as mainline aircraft. they have started to repaint them in QR colours as I travelled on one to DWC, but it seems their interiors will stay in LCC status, or so the CSO informed me, but of course they could be incorrect, or policy may change.

[goalie11]

Hi Middleclasstraveller

Your thoughts mirror mine from a recent flight with QR from EDI-DOH-DWC in J/F, which was my first with them. I had a bit of a spat with customer services at EY regarding a booking I had with them and told them to cancel it and I would take my business elsewhere. I got lucky in a sale with QR and got the return for £920. As intimated above DWC is a good alternative to AUH if you need one.

That fare turned out to be a real bargain given the levels of service in the air and on the ground just as you described in your very good report. EY are still my first choice to AUH but I was definitely impressed with QR.

[Krsnp]

Hi alainboy56,

QR’s premium hard products are indeed superb, especially when you take into account the entire experience (i.e.: not just what are in the aircraft). And thanks for the clarification. The absence of IFE didn’t matter to me due to the flight duration. Everything else in the plane was actually of a very good quality and more than made up for it.

Hi goalie11,

Ditto, especially since EY’s J at that time was priced almost double what I paid for a superb trip with QR (plus I’m not a big fan of their J cabin in A330 – the aircraft used for AUH-CGK flights). I just hope my return trip to AUH with QR would be as seamless and pleasant now that the bar has been set very high.

Cheers.

PS: I have also finished my new post about my 11-hour stopover in Doha. If you’re interested (or if you know anyone who would), you can read it here: http://middleclasstraveller.weebly.com/blog/my-11-hours-in-doha-qatar

[Cloud-9]

And QR has *the best* safety video in the skies!

[Krsnp]

Hi Cloud-9,

Thanks for the reminder. I don’t know how I could miss it. A lot of fancy safety videos out there seem to have been made more to entertain than to inform. QR’s does both very well.

Thanks.

[Krsnp]

Hello,

I had the chance to spend a bit of time at Al Safwa Lounge on the way back to Abu Dhabi and you can read about my experience here: http://middleclasstraveller.weebly.com/blog/al-safwa-first-class-lounge-doha-airport-qatar.

It is also worth noting that despite not having quite the same wow level on my flight back from Jakarta (e.g.: the food was not as great), I received consistently wonderful service from the crew. For example, although there was no pajama offered by default in this leg (CGK-DOH) due to the flight schedule, the CSD (Joan) went around to look for one and gave it to me with a big smile. Also, I overheard another passenger placing a rather complicated meal request (I want this appetizer at this time, and this dish at this time, and I’ll take this instead of that, etc.) and this was also catered for happily. The CS manager (?) in the DOH-AUH flight, however, was not of the same league. She wasn’t rude or anything, but seemed confused and disorganized (it’s a shame because the other crews were fantastic) – and the only CS-in charge not addressing her passengers by name.

Would be happy to fly with QR again.

Tchao.

[Author]

Posts