Flight Review: Qatar Airways Boeing B787 Dreamliner Business Class

Receive complimentary breakfast at Luxury Hotels

Mar 3 2017, 7:02 am

This trip report reviews a Qatar Airways flight on Boeing B787 Dreamliner in Business Class from Brussels to Doha. We have already reviewed Qatar Airways Business Class on Boeing 777-300ER, along with a previous trip from Brussels to Doha which was also flown in Business Class on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Qatar Airways does not have its own lounge at Brussels Airport. Its Business Class passengers have access to the Brussels lounge Oneworld.

Qatar Airways Business Class Cabin On B787 Dreamliner

The QA B787 Dreamliner features 22 flatbed seats in Business Class located in a single cabin, which has to be one of our most beautifully designed airplane cabins. A combination of white, pink, and red tones gives the cabin an ultra-chic look. Entering the plane is quite remarkable as QA chooses an open design (contrary to the galleys that are the entryways in planes of most other airline companies). The moment you enter the Dreamliner via the Business Class cabin door, you are struck by a feeling of space, comfort, and luxury. There’s a bar with a shiny table and lunar-shaped light on one side of the entryway and an equally shiny library on the other side. Most seats (20 in total) are located in front of the bar, spread over 5 rows. Behind the library are two extra middle seats, located in their own private cocoon, which are a perfect choice for couples or friends traveling together (although they don’t come with any view). A vaulted ceiling stretches the length of the Business Class cabin, and recessed overhead bins provide a feeling of spaciousness.

The Business Class cabin seats feature a herringbone 1–2–1 configuration, similar to the one you find on American Airlines and Cathay Pacific to name a few. This is a favorite Business Class layout as each seat faces forward, and each passenger is assured of direct aisle access. There’s also a significant amount of privacy: the Business Class seats on the sides are angled toward the large windows while the seats in the middle are angled towards each other – with middle seats placed a little more upfront than the side seats – so your fellow passengers don’t directly look into your seat.

Business Class Seat Review

I was seated in 4K, a window seat for this particular flight. See seat plan of Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787.

QA’s Business Class on the Dreamliner is very comfortable and among the best in the skies. The seat has a pitch of 50 inches (127 cm) and a width of 22 inches (56 cm). The seat is angled towards the windows (for window seats) or the plane’s centerline (for middle seats). In front of each seat is a 17-inch (43 cm) Android TV (more on that below), with a footrest hidden in the compartment below the entertainment screen. Larger items, such as your carry-on bags, can be stored under the footrest. The large, wood-trimmed, shiny tray table is located below the TV screen and is released by pulling it towards you, after which you can fold it out.

Besides, the seat is a large shelf, which provides space for magazines, the safety card, and the menu, and which can be used as an extra table to put your laptop or other belongings on when the dining service starts. On that side of the seat, you also find a large storage compartment, a reading light, the remote control for the inflight entertainment system, an electronic touchpad control (to dim or brighten the windows), and the controls to adjust the seat configuration, ranging from the upright takeoff position to a flatbed. The other side of the seat features a rather robust armrest with a storage cabinet with a bottle of water and noise-canceling headphones.

At the touch of a button, the seat converts into a generous 80-inch (203 cm) long, 30-inch (76 cm) wide flatbed. The bed is wider than the seat (30 inches or 76 cm) as the armrest disappears in the flatbed position. One disadvantage of the flatbed is that your legs and feet rest on the ottoman below the fixed table and entertainment screen, so they may hit the table as you move position during your sleep.

What are the best Business Class seats on QA’s B787-8?

The window seats in rows 1 to 4 are the best for solo travelers. Those traveling with a companion will prefer the middle seats, especially those in row 6, since these two seats are located in their own little private space between the two lavatories. The worst Business Class seats on QA’s B787-9 are probably the ‘window’ seats in row 5 since they do not have a window.

Amenities On Qatar Airways

A light blanket and thick pillow were placed on the seat upon boarding. Before takeoff, the crew also handed out Giorgio Armani amenity kits, which were packed with goodies for the flight and bathroom back at home. QA lady’s amenity kit contains Armani Si fragrance and perfumed body lotion, while male Business Class passengers get Acqua di Gio fragrance and aftershave balm. Not forgotten are the basics, such as eyeshades, socks, earplugs, lip balm, and a hairbrush.

Food On Qatar Airways

Upon boarding, I was offered a choice of a hot or cold towel and a glass of Champagne, orange juice, water, or QA’s signature drink, lemon mint.

One of the areas where QA excels with its Business Class product is the quality and presentation of the food. This was a short flight of only 6 hours, and only one meal service – breakfast – was offered. You could also order some light snacks later in the flight if you got hungry again. I choose the following items from the menu:

Coconut and banana smoothie, with oat crunch
Cured salmon with caper berries and egg, cream cheese with chives
French toast with mixed berry and coulis, vanilla mascarpone cheese, and honey

Before landing, I ordered some more food from the menu:

Smoked chicken, sun-blushed tomato, and crouton salad, with parmesan cheese and mustard dressing
Fresh fruit

Inflight Entertainment

Every seat features a touchscreen Android technology control unit, which allows you to navigate through an interactive system, offering more than 1,000 movies, TV programs, music, and gaming entertainment options in a sophisticated and user-friendly way, just like the latest smartphones. The touch-screen control unit has a unique dual-screen interface allowing you to play games on your handheld device while enjoying a movie on your personal screen.

Inflight Bar

During the flight, the crew sets up the ultra-stylish bar at the back of the cabin. On one side of the shiny table, they put a bottle of Champagne with luxurious glasses, while a large fruit basket and some chocolates were on the other side.

Wi-Fi was available for purchase once onboard the aircraft. There were 2 variant Wi-Fi passes that could be booked and used as often as you wanted: 3MB is $2 USD and 10 MB is $5 USD, and you had to pay by credit card.

Review by our friends at Luxury Travel Expert

Note: Benefits & upgrades subject to availability. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing. Terms & conditions apply. Enquire for more information. Benefits offered correct at the time of writing but may be amended at discretion of the vendor. Posts may be sponsored by the proprietor or brand being appraised. All opinions remain our own & are in no way influenced.