Qatar 777 Seatguru

This Qatar QSuites Business Class Review is from our Doha to New York JFK flight, the last of our African safari. For the prior posts please see:

Qatar QSuites 777-300ER Cabin and Best Seats

Flying a Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER soon? Get the best seat possible with our Qatar Airways 777-300ER seating chart and traveler seat reviews. A short review of our trip to Doha flying Qatar Airways.Departure date: July 21 2017Flight: QR274Gate: F9Scheduled departure: 16:20Actual deparure: 16:48Sche.

Qatar QSuites on the 777-300ER offers 42 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, across 11 rows (row 7 only has 2 middle seats). Note that all A and K window seats are rear facing, but assuming that's not an issue, those are my top picks as best seats. Why? Because these seats are closest to the window, whereas B and J seats, although also window seats, have the seat closest to the suite door and the aisle, so closer to foot traffic and not as quiet or private.

I do recommend avoiding seats that are close the galleys or lavatories, that is, rows 1, 6, 7, and 8. That leaves 3A/3K, 5A/5K and 10A/10K as the best seats for solo travelers, or even for those traveling together who don't need to sit together, and prefer window seats.

If you are traveling as a group of 4, you can request quads formed out of middle pairs of seats, so that you can more easily enjoy a meal together. While 5 quads are possible, I'd suggest trying for the most central one in the forward cabin, 3E/3F combined with 4D/4G so that you won't be too close to the galleys or lavatories.

Qatar QSuites Business Class Seat

Qatar QSuites Business Class seats are 2.5 inches wide, good for Business Class; Qatar A320 and Etihad A320 Business Class are also 21 inches wide, Cathay Dragon A320 Business Class seats are 20 inches wide and American Airlines Business Class on the A321 transcon is only 19 inches wide.

Next to the seat is a bench, which encloses storage space. There's a tray for a phone and small items, and a bottle of Evian water is already there, handy for when you get thirsty mid-flight.

Seat Controls are Below a Curved Counter Area Next to the IFE Screen, within easy reach of the seat. There's a Do Not Disturb (DND) button for privacy that you can press; it illuminates your seat number outside the suite in red.


Here's my Qatar QSuites Business Class YouTube Video Review:

Qatar QSuites Business Class Menu and Dining, DOH-JFK

It was quite hectic when we boarded, as business class was sold out, with no empty seats, and the flight crew clearly had their hands full. I asked one flight attendant hurrying by if I could have a some orange juice, but it was at least 7-8 minutes until she was able to bring it.

Usually an oshibori (refreshing towel) is brought at the same time as the welcome drink, but in this case I was only asked at the time my juice was brought if I'd like a cold or hot towel (a nice touch–Qatar is the only business class I'm aware of where you're given this choice). The towel came a few minutes later.

Our flight departed at 1:20am from Doha, and while we'd gotten some sleep at the Oryx Doha Airport Hotel, it wasn't a full night. As soon as we were at cruising altitude, I enlisted the help of the flight crew to make my son's seat into a flat bed, so he could get some more rest.

As I hadn't had any dinner the night before, I was quite hungry, and opted to have dinner. Here were the menus for our Doha to NYC flight:

While meals were being heated up, we were served a drink and some mixed nuts, although the nuts were room temperature and not warm.

Qatar 777 Seatguru - Image Results

There was a tofu amuse bouche that was ok, although I'm not a big fan of tofu and didn't care for it. The crab amuse bouche on our outbound Chicago to Doha flight was far better.

Neither of the appetizer choices appealed, so I went straight to the main course, for which I'd chosen the Smoked King Fish. The fish itself was tasty, if a bit overcooked, but the vegetables were considerably overcooked. It also seemed to be missing the olive tomato salsa and rocket salad.

Qatar Airways Flight Information - SeatGuru

The highlight of the meal was definitely the molten chocolate cake dessert, even though the interior wasn't that molten. It was attractively plated, however, and the raspberry coulis was a welcome complement to the rich dark chocolate. Unfortunately the macadamia nuts noted in the menu description were missing.

Prior to landing we had some breakfast. Unfortunately, there weren't any more Greek yogurt parfaits available–the purser confided, when I asked, that there were only 7 loaded for the flight, even though there were 42 passengers on this full business class flight. She was able to find me some plain yogurt from economy, which I appreciated, even though it wasn't very good.

Fortunately there were still some berries left from the dessert menu, so I had those, along with some orange juice, to start.

I followed that with the Emmental Cheese Omelet, which was fine but not memorable, and came with a chicken medallion, overcooked asparagus and potatoes. There were supposed to be some button mushrooms, but they were were missing from the plate.

I also had a decaf cappuccino that was good, although as I've mentioned in other Qatar posts, my favorite hot beverage on Qatar flights is the Karak Chai with cardamom. Since it's caffeinated, I didn't want to have it this time, as we'd be arriving in NYC early morning and would need a nap to get back on schedule.

Qatar QSuites Flat Bed and Sleep Quality

Qatar QSuites seats recline into a flat bed that is 79 inches long. Most business class products provide a blanket but no sheet or mattress pad, whereas Qatar does provide a quilted thin mattress pad to cover the seat, and a pillow case for the large pillow, both very nice touches, in addition to the blanket. Here's a close-up of the quilted mattres pad:

Since the bed remains on the very firm side, I find it much more comfortable to bring along an inflatable Thermarest mattress pad. Thanks to the mattress pad I was able to get several hours of sleep on the flight.

The Verdict

This was our second Qatar QSuites Business Class flight, and as with the first, it was a full cabin. I like many aspects of the hard and soft product, including the closing suite doors and privacy of the suite, especially the rear-facing A and K window seats; the use of a mattress liner and pillow case; pajamas and slippers; and dine on demand dining.

On the other hand, given how full the QSuites cabin is on major routes such as between JFK and Doha and Chicago and Doha, these routes really should be catered better so as not to run out of basic breakfast choices, such as the yogurt parfait, and should be staffed better as well, since there was a long wait for virtually everything I requested. I also dislike the lack of room in the footwell area.

As business class products go, I still prefer JAL Sky Suite Business Class as long as I'm in a window seat, since the suite is extremely private, without the cramped footwell issue of Qatar QSuites or other Business Class products such as Brussels Business Class and SWISS Business Class, plus, JAL Sky Suite Business Class provides an airweave memory foam type mattress pad, which no other business class product provides.

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I previously posted this review against the 777-300 ER seat plan as there was no Q-suite seat plan for 777-300 ER last year. I flew Business Class on 2 December 2018 from Sydney to Doha and deliberately booked on the 777-300 ER, not my normal choice of aircraft, as I prefer the A380 for long haul, but I was desperate to try the Qsuite, which is yet to be fitted to the A380. Many of Qatars fleet of 777-300ER and 777-200LR have been fitted, but check seat maps and ask if you want to try it, which flights it is available on, because it is definitely worth it; better than many First Class products.
Essentially Qsuite has a 1 - 2 - 1 configuration with 48 suites in Business Class. Suites alternate between forward and rear facing. Rows 1-6 are ahead of the front exit and rows 7 to 11 are behind the second entrance/exit door, so if you are in 1-6 you board separately and dont get disturbed, in 1-11 you still board first but then have all economy boarding through the door ahead of you and coming past. Until take off your sliding door to the suite is locked in the open position. I was in 11B which is a window, left hand side, forward facing and last row before economy class curtain divider. First the pod or suite itself. Simply outstanding, it really is like your own small room with ample bench space, large fold out table with several adjustments. One thing they got right now is the seat pitch, old business you always sat too high and slightly reclined which felt awkward and lifted your feet off the ground, this is flat and straight backed now. One thing I really liked now, is the seat doesn't have a leg extender anymore that raises you feet off the ground, instead the seat slides forward or backward to bring your legs closer to the feet rest. The leg extender always left your legs at an odd angle and still hanging down so no good for DVT on long flights. One thing I wont say I disliked but was a bit annoying, the main storage bin to the left under a cushion is well tucked away but a bit fiddly trying to get the lid open and closed. Then if you have stuff on top of the cushion and want to get into the bin, you have to move it all and the lid gets caught on the seat belt unless you lift it out of the way. But aside from that very comfortable and like a little oasis, especially with the sliding door that fully seals you in.
QatarThe seat position itself in 11B, great view of the engine and wing leading edge and despite being near the economy divider curtain, it was ok, didn't notice anything. If you are one of these people though who really prefers no disturbance of curtain being drawn and closed or a family maybe behind you in economy with a young child, then get a seat further forward. The Qsuite though is outstanding and so much better than the old business pods which were still a great product, but now you sit lower and are enclosed and feel very private as you dont see everyone else now, the old seats you sat up very high and could see everyone. I only marked entertainment down slightly as the World Map on this flight was a version with less control than normal.
Service as always impeccable on Qatar and staff exceptional in Business, but that has always been my experience in economy as well with them. I forgot the stewards name serving my section of about 6 people, but he was from Serbia had been with them 2 years, so if you read this, big thanks to you, your manner and service was above and beyond.

Qatar 777 Qsuite Seatguru

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