For the fourth and last sector of our journey to Oman, we flew Qatar Airways’ Airbus A320 enterprise class from Doha to Salalah. Whereas we ended up getting Qatar Airways’ previous regional enterprise class, the supervisor on this flight was spectacular, and made this a memorable flight. On prime of that, Qatar Airways’ service providing on brief haul flights in the course of the evening is just unmatched.
How I booked our Qatar Airways enterprise class tickets
Our time in Oman could be beginning in Salalah, so I booked the next in enterprise class for 42,500 American AAdvantage miles plus $74.60 in taxes and charges per individual:
02/16 IB3252 Madrid to Milan departing departing 11:30AM arriving 1:45PM
02/16 QR128 Milan to Doha departing 3:50PM arriving 11:35PM
02/17 QR1130 Doha to Salalah departing 12:50AM arriving 4:20AM
How Qatar Airways markets regional flights
Earlier than I get into the evaluation, I wished to level out an attention-grabbing factor about the best way that Qatar Airways markets the ahead cabin on many flights inside the Center East. No different world Gulf service does this, so I figured it’s value highlighting.
Qatar Airways markets the ahead cabin on many regional flights as being first-class fairly than enterprise class, although these are the identical seats that will be marketed as enterprise class on different flights. What are the implications of this?
So most flights inside the Center East are marketed this manner. For instance, Qatar Airways’ providers to Dubai, Jeddah, Muscat, and so on., all have first-class rather than enterprise class. I think that it is a small profit for locals, who are sometimes subjected to increased fares than connecting passengers.
Curiously on Salalah flights, the ahead cabin continues to be marketed as enterprise class. This most likely comes all the way down to how premium a specific route is, and the way a lot demand there’s.
Qatar Airways Airbus A320 enterprise class cabin & seats
We didn’t have a lot time on the bottom in Doha after our Boeing 787-9 flight from Milan, so let’s get proper into the flight evaluation. Our flight was departing at gate B2, with boarding beginning at 12:05AM. Qatar Airways has two A320 configurations, each of which I reviewed earlier than — there are A320s with absolutely flat beds, after which there are A320s with recliner seats. On this flight we ended up getting the previous product.
Qatar Airways’ A320 cabin has a complete of 12 seats, unfold throughout three rows in a 2-2 configuration.
I assigned us seats 3D & 3F, the aisle and window within the final row on the best. Whereas this product isn’t innovative anymore, it is rather properly maintained.
The legroom in enterprise class on these A320s is great, significantly better than you’ll discover in home first-class in the US. There’s a seatback pouch that accommodates many facilities.
The tray desk extends from the aspect armrest, and may be folded over in half.
The seat controls have been on the far aspect of the seat, whereas the leisure controls have been close to the middle console.
There have been additionally energy shops, together with USB and AC plugs, between the seats.
The overhead consoles had particular person air nozzles for every seat, which is a helpful function.
Qatar Airways enterprise class facilities
Regardless of this being such a brief flight, there was no scarcity of facilities. There was a superb blanket and pillow at every seat.
Then there have been headphones, a menu and wine checklist, a bottle of water, and a protecting equipment.
Pre-departure drinks of selection have been additionally served. I ordered a glass of the lime-mint juice, and was supplied a packaged refreshing towel to go together with it (I didn’t have any alcohol, since we have been renting a automotive in Salalah).
Qatar Airways enterprise class leisure
Every enterprise class seat had a private tv within the heart armrest. The leisure choice was extra restricted than on lengthy haul plane. I used to be so drained at this level that I simply watched the map for all the flight.
Sadly this specific A320 didn’t have Wi-Fi, however that was hardly an enormous deal on a brief flight in the course of the evening.
Qatar Airways enterprise class meal service
Our whole flight time was anticipated to be 1hr55min, and we spent a complete of 40 minutes at our cruising perspective of 35,000 toes, so what was service like? Nicely, fairly darn spectacular. The seatbelt signal was turned off 5 minutes after takeoff, at which level the crew sprung into motion, beginning with closing the curtains between cabins. For what it’s value, eight of the 12 enterprise class seats have been taken, whereas financial system was packed.
The menu for this flight learn as follows:
The wine checklist learn as follows:
The beverage checklist learn as follows:
Significantly, the place else on the planet do you get this sort of service on a flight that’s simply over 500 miles? To begin we have been supplied drinks. I ordered a Weight-reduction plan Coke with ice and lemon, and was served a ramekin of nuts and a refreshing towel to go together with it.
Subsequent up was the appetizer tray. I as soon as once more had the Arabic mezze, which got here with pita bread, in addition to one other aspect of bread. It was wonderful, as normal.
For the primary course I ordered the corn-fed sayedieh hen and rice with raita, roasted almonds, and coriander. Whereas the dish didn’t look that good, it tasted wonderful. It’s comprehensible that dishes aren’t plated individually on these brief haul flights, given how brief the flights are.
Ford had the lamb thareed with saffron rice and roasted pine seeds, which he loved.
Subsequent up was dessert, for which I chosen the orange basbousa. I had an americano to go together with it, whereas Ford had a cappuccino.
The meal service on Qatar Airways’ brief haul flights is just superb. Not solely was this flight brief, but it surely as in the course of the evening. As some extent of comparability, on American I’d’ve been fortunate to get a packaged bag of cookies from a model I’ve by no means heard of.
Qatar Airways enterprise class service
An excellent flight attendant could make or break a flight. I wish to give an enormous shoutout to Donia, the cabin supervisor from Tunisia, who couldn’t have been lovelier. I’ll take it a step additional — she was probably one of the best flight attendant I’ve had in years.
Qatar Airways flight attendants are constantly skilled and pleasant, however typically they’re not all that personable. That’s as a result of they work very laborious (given how concerned Qatar Airways’ service is), and typically they won’t have a lot time to cease and interact with passengers.
Donia was a kind of individuals you couldn’t assist however simply love. Despite the fact that this was a brief haul flight in the course of the evening, Donia was so sleek, enjoyable, and type. She genuinely appeared like she cherished her job, and she or he confirmed curiosity in every passenger’s journey, and their general expertise with Qatar Airways.
Moreover, she carried out the entire service in such a approach that made it look simple, when clearly it’s not. Serving this many passengers full meals, whereas additionally participating with them, isn’t simple. On prime of that, there have been some difficult passengers in financial system (together with little children who tried to run into enterprise class), and she or he dealt with that in a agency but sort approach.
Donia is a kind of individuals the place even when she’s carrying a masks, you possibly can inform she’s smiling beneath it. She’s an enormous asset to Qatar Airways, and if I ran the airline I’d give her a promotion or put her answerable for coaching new rent flight attendants. I’m simply unhappy we didn’t get her on a protracted haul flight, although I’d route out of my approach to fly together with her once more.
Thanks, Donia, for being an superior individual.
Qatar Airways enterprise class bathroom
There was a bathroom on the entrance of the enterprise class cabin, which was meticulously maintained. After each use a brand new sheet was positioned on prime of the lid, and bathroom paper was additionally stored in good triangles.
There have been the identical facilities as on lengthy haul flghts, together with Diptyque merchandise, dental kits, and shaving kits.
Arrival in Salalah
The flight time of 1hr55min appeared mighty lengthy to me for a 589-mile flight. I figured there was simply fairly some padding in there. We began our descent simply over an hour after takeoff, which is roughly what you’d count on.
Nicely, because it turned out, we simply had a extremely, actually lengthy descent, which lasted 46 minutes. I’m undecided what precisely was occurring, however we descended very progressively, after which we held at 8,000 toes for some time, earlier than descending additional. We even entered a holding sample earlier than touchdown.
I do know usually it may be busy within the Center East in the course of the evening, however I wouldn’t have assumed that the Salalah space could be notably busy, and for that matter there have been no flights arriving or departing in Salalah across the time we have been touchdown. I do know typically there are simply quirks, so I’m undecided why precisely we had this uncommon descent. I believe the truth that this was our third flight made the descent really feel even longer.
We ended up touchdown in Salalah at 4:20AM, and a minute later have been at our arrival gate. We breezed proper by immigration, and I’ll share that have in a separate publish.
Backside line
Qatar Airways’ regional enterprise class product is in a league of its personal. Getting a full three course meal service with pre-departure drinks, a tremendous beverage choice, and nice bedding, isn’t one thing you’ll discover in lots of components of the world. However what actually made this flight particular was Donia, the distinctive flight attendant.
And to assume that that is Qatar Airways’ “worst” enterprise class product…
For those who’ve flown Qatar Airways’ regional enterprise class, what was your expertise like?