When the opportunity arose at the beginning of March to fly return from Cairo to South America in Qatar Airways Business Class for 800 Euro, I didn't hesitate for long. As I'm a big fan of the QSuite and the segment from Doha to Sao Paolo is flown with this cabin, I decided to book a trip from Cairo to Asuncion in Paraguay (click here for my recommendations on what to do in one day in Asuncion). This article focuses on the flight from Sao Paolo to Doha (QR780) in mid-April.
Details:
Route: Sao Paolo (GRU) to Doha (DOH)
Airline: Qatar Airways
Airplane: B777-200LR
Departure: 8:15pm
Flight time: 14h 45min
Class: Business Class
Seat: 8A
Check-In:
My journey started in the morning at the Aeropuerto Internacional Silvio Pettirossi airport in Asuncion, Paraguay. After a short drive from my hotel, I found myself at the LATAM check-in counter just under 2 hours before departure and received the three boarding passes for my journey back to Cairo (ASU-GRU-DOH-CAI). Check-In was quick and easy with no line at the Business Class counter.
Boarding:
After landing in Sao Paolo, I made my way to the American Express Centurion Lounge, which is located right at the beginning of Terminal C. I used the next 5 hours until boarding to study, relax and take a shower. Even though the lounge can get very crowded, especially in the evening, the selection of food and drinks was really good. After a good 15-minute walk, I reached my gate C325 at around 7:20pm. As usual, boarding is done in groups with an extra lane for Business Class passengers. Boarding started exactly 45min before departure and was very efficient. After I had shown my boarding pass and passport, I boarded the B777-200LR, which took me to See Paolo in just under 15 hours.
Rating: 4/5
Seat:
If you catch an aircraft with the QSuite, you can look forward to an outstanding in-flight product. On the one hand, the seat offers a great deal of privacy and, on the other, a high level of comfort. My seat on this flight was 8A, a rear-facing seat in the second Business Class cabin.
The special feature of the QSuite is the door, which can be closed for maximum privacy. More and more airlines are taking a leaf out of Qatar Airways book and install doors in Business Class.
There is also a shelf on the left-hand side for placing drinks and a compartment with headphones and a bottle of water. The seat controls are also located directly under the shelf. In addition to the standard functions such as adjusting the seat into a lounge or reclining function, there is also a massage function.
Like any good Business Class seat, this one can also be converted into a flat bed. The crew will also provide a soft underlay and prepare the bed on request. I haven't slept as well as I did on this flight for a long time.
Rating: 5/5
Amenities:
It's not just the seat that is impressive, but also the amenities that Qatar Airways provides for every passenger in Business Class, even on much shorter flights. When boarding the aircraft, an amenity kit from Diptique and a small pillow (which can be taken home) were already at the seat. The amenity kit contained socks, an eye mask, ear plugs and a variety of different creams. Toothbrushes, razors and a facial mist were available in the washrooms.
After I had taken my seat and stowed my hand luggage, I was brought a two-piece pyjama set as well as slippers, which were both very comfortable. The pyjama is made by "The white company" and is of very high quality. In addition, a blanket and a large pillow were provided, but neither of these could be taken along.
Rating: 4.5/5
Food and drinks:
But what is a good seat without good food? Here, too, Qatar Airways knows how to impress, especially by offering an on-demand service throughout the flight. This means that you can order from the extensive menu at any time and are not limited to a fixed time period as with other airlines. Shortly after boarding, I was presented with a selection of welcome drinks: Orange juice, signature drink or champagne. I opted for the signature drink, which is a lime and mint drink. Along with the drink, I was handed the extensive food and drink menu.
Shortly before the start, I was asked about my preferences for dinner. I decided on the Brazilian Tapas as a starter, the Bobo de camarao as a main course and the pineapple tart as dessert. About 20 minutes after takeoff, the table was already set and the warmed nuts as well as an amuse bouche were served. I don't know of any airline that sets the table so stylishly (including candle and bread basket).
Both the amuse bouche and the starter in the form of Brazilian style tapas were very tasty. These consisted of a kind of cracker with three different salsas (aubergine, pepper-onion and a sour cream-like one). The presentation in particular simply stood out.
Unfortunately, the main course and dessert were not quite as delicious. ‘Bobo de camarao’ is a traditional Brazilian dish consisting of rice, prawns and sweet potatoes served with a coconut-heavy curry. The flavour was solid, but nothing more. The pineapple tart for dessert was unfortunately a little dry. After the table had been cleared, I made my choice for breakfast the next morning: I decided on the buttermilk pancakes with caramalised banana and an ice cream sundae with fresh berries. As soon as I woke up, I was asked if I wanted breakfast and after a short time, the table was set again and breakfast was served.
This time, the food was on point as well as delicious and especially the pancakes were just outstanding. I also ordered a cold platter an hour before landing and was also given a packet of Swiss chocolate, which were both good as well.
Rating: 4/5
Service:
The service on board was also convincing: I felt comfortable during the entire flight and every wish was read from my lips. Drinks were constantly topped up, the table was laid with great care and hot towels were provided several times during the flight. They also proactively offered to make my bed when I visited the washrooms. On this flight, there was no room for improvement from my point of view.
Rating: 5/5
Final result:
I have flown with Qatar Airways several times and have never been disappointed once. The service and especially the outstanding seat are particularly convincing. Even though the food on this flight wasn't as excellent as I'm used to from Qatar Airways, it was still way above average ( = European competitors). It is not without reason that this product has rightly been described as a market leader for years.
Check-In and Boarding: 4/5
Seat: 5/5
Amenities: 4.5/5
Food and drinks: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Total: 22.5/25
Bravo!