Qatar Airways has earned a stellar repute for its distinctive enterprise class choices, and just lately launched a brand new era of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners outfitted with a brand-new “Enterprise Suite”. This new enterprise class product took to the skies again in June 2021, marking a brand new chapter in Qatar Airways’s already spectacular enterprise class lineup.
The Enterprise Suite is engineered to ship the identical stage of consolation and class because the award-winning Qsuites; nevertheless, some modifications have been made to suit the 787-9 aircraft’s narrower body.
With many prior journeys with Qatar Airways beneath my belt and a eager curiosity within the newest improvements in air journey, I used to be curious to see how the Qatar Airways Enterprise Suite stacked as much as the airline’s different merchandise.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Reserving
Qatar Airways presently operates 11 wide-body 787-9 planes in its fleet, which have the capability to fly to a variety of long-haul locations; nevertheless, the airline has largely chosen to deploy these planes on medium-haul routes in the intervening time. Consequently, the Enterprise Suites accessible on these planes can most frequently be discovered on flights between Doha and varied European cities.
For award bookings, Qatar Airways Privilege Membership affords extremely aggressive charges with minimal surcharges. On this case, I booked a one-way flight from Barcelona to Doha for 45,000 Qatar Airways Avios plus €90 ($130 CAD) in taxes and costs.
Whereas redeeming Avios might incur greater prices in comparison with AAdvantage miles, it’s necessary to notice that particularly for Canadian travellers, incomes Avios is commonly extra accessible and handy than accumulating AAdvantage miles. Subsequently, it could be worthwhile to preserve your AAdvantage miles and as a substitute decide to redeem Avios.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Floor Expertise
Qatar Airways’s enterprise class passengers departing from Barcelona usually obtain entry to the Joan Miro Lounge within the non-Schengen departures space.
This third-party lounge affords a reasonably strong pre-flight expertise with modern and trendy décor and a spread of facilities, together with a buffet unfold, various seating, workstations, and showers.
For these departing from Doha, you’ll have entry to the flagship Al Mourjan Enterprise Class Lounge, which represents a way more spectacular possibility that’s consistent with the lofty requirements of Qatar Airways’s enterprise class merchandise.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Cabin
There are a complete of 30 enterprise class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, with every suite offering direct aisle entry.
Upon getting into the Qatar Airways 787-9 enterprise class cabin, I instantly famous its beautiful visible enchantment, as one would anticipate from Qatar Airways. Moreover, the cabin includes a distinctive mixture of reverse herringbone and herringbone seating that’s not generally seen.
All through the cabin, the airline’s signature maroon branding tastefully accents the house, and an entryway on the rear of the cabin includes a textured wall adorned with the Qatar Airways emblem. Moreover, the cabin boasts a show of roses that provides an additional contact of sophistication to the house.
Regardless of my flight going down in January, nicely after the 2022 FIFA World Cup had handed, I used to be stunned to seek out some themed facilities nonetheless current on board.
The cabin boasts a slick vaulted ceiling that runs the size of the house together with recessed overhead bins, giving it a spacious really feel, albeit smaller and shorter than the Qsuites cabin. Furthermore, the enterprise class cabin has a neat little “walkway” that results in the far aisle with out having to undergo the galley.
Be aware that the center seats within the enterprise class cabin are angled in the direction of the aisle and away from one another, which is an attention-grabbing characteristic in comparison with the same old setup with them angled in the direction of one another.
Consequently, {couples} might want to keep away from the center seats; nevertheless, the center divider will be lowered electronically by urgent the “down” buttons on each side of the partition concurrently.
General, I extremely advocate selecting window seats for the most effective expertise, which additionally comes with a sliding door that gives quantity of privateness.
The primary seven rows of the cabin are aligned with one another, whereas row eight is offset from the remainder of the cabin, offering additional privateness for solo passengers.
It’s additionally price noting that the suites in Row 5 should not have home windows.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Seat
As I made my method via the enterprise class cabin, I arrived at Seat 7K. The seat design instantly echoed that of the Qsuites, with fake marble consoles, rose-gold touches, and Qatar Airways’s signature burgundy accents, which occurs to even be my favourite color.
After settling in, I took a second to begin exploring the brand new seat. Positioned on the again of the seat in entrance of me was a big, high-resolution 18-inch high-definition leisure display screen.
On the again of the seat in entrance of me, there was a big literature pocket, which was flush into the vertical floor.
Beneath the leisure display screen, there was a notably small footwell, with no under-seat storage accessible. An absence of storage appears to be a minor gripe that some passengers have with these new enterprise class seats.
The tray desk was sturdy, and easily slides out from beneath the leisure display screen. It was additionally designed to swivel as much as 90 levels, permitting for simpler entry and motion even when the desk was in use.
Positioned to the suitable of the seat, the adjustable armrest could possibly be lifted to the specified top or lowered to extend the seat’s width when within the upright or lie-flat positions.
Located to the left of the plush seat was a compact two-tiered console desk, with ample house for just a few drinks or a small laptop computer.
A panel located above the console desk was residence to the in-flight leisure controller, a common energy outlet, a USB port, and the headphone jack.
Alongside the sting of the console, I discovered the seat controls inside simple attain, which included three preset positions, separate buttons for adjusting the leg relaxation, and a “Do Not Disturb” button.
Above the console, there was a storage compartment outfitted with a mirror on the within and a shallow storage compartment that got here with a set of headphones.
A bigger gentle fixture full with three completely different brightness settings could possibly be discovered up prime by your shoulders, in addition to a secondary pop-up studying gentle.
Lastly, probably the most notable characteristic of the Enterprise Suites is, after all, the sliding door. The suite’s door supplies a pleasing layer of added privateness, cocooning you in your personal personal house.
When shut, there’s a slight discernible hole between the door and wall panel, and it’s barely decrease than the door in Qsuites.
The flight crew secures the door within the open place throughout taxi, takeoff, and touchdown, however it may be closed as soon as the aircraft reached cruising altitude.
General, the seat is remarkably snug and supplies an honest quantity of privateness. The one draw back was the dearth of cupboard space, however then again, the seat had loads of shoulder room.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Facilities
As we progressed in the direction of take-off, the flight crew kindly supplied me a selection of welcome drink, and I opted to begin with the Charles Heidsieck Rosé Reserve, as I usually affiliate Qatar Airways with rosé. The airline is without doubt one of the few to supply a choice of brut and rosé, and the airline’s branding additionally jogs my memory of the colors generally present in rosé wines.
Through the flight, I additionally had an opportunity to look at the Diptyque amenity package that was left at my seat. Whereas the model is well-respected, I couldn’t assist however really feel that the paper field it got here in appeared a bit low cost.
Nonetheless, as I’ve already collected just a few of them, I made a decision to carry onto the package to provide it away to my family and friends later throughout my journey.
Contained in the package, there was lip balm, physique lotion, face cream, and Diptyque eau de toilette fragrance.
The flight attendants additionally offered me with the enterprise class menus: one for meals and one for drinks.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Meal Service
As soon as we reached cruising altitude, the in-flight service started in earnest. The flight attendants had already taken my order previous to take off, after I’d had an opportunity to peruse via the menus.
The meals and non-alcoholic beverage menu for my flight learn as follows:
And the alcoholic beverage menu for my flight learn as follows:
I started with a glass of mango juice earlier than the meal and later switched to the Laurent-Perrier Champagne throughout meal service. At this level, Qatar Airways’s signature vibrant purple temper lighting was turned on simply in time for meal service.
To begin, a shrimp amuse bouche was adopted by a smoked purple pepper soup appetizer. This was a reasonably tasty begin to the flight, however the smoked purple pepper soup lacked the spicy kick I hoped for.
Subsequent up was an Arabic mezze appetizer of muhammara, tabbouleh, and hummus served with recent pita bread. The dishes supplied a spread of flavors and textures to savour, and have been as scrumptious as all the time.
For my principal course, I opted for the saloona big prawns with saffron-infused rice, which was undoubtedly a spotlight.
The prawns have been of a beneficiant measurement and cooked to perfection, and got here slathered in a zesty sauce that added an exquisite burst of taste to the dish.
For dessert, I opted for the fruit salad, which was wonderful. I used to be particularly impressed by the beneficiant chunks of mango in it.
In between meals, there was additionally a snack and fruit basket arrange within the walkway in the back of the enterprise class cabin, which was handy for many who needed to seize a fast chew.
It’s price noting that service onboard this flight was considerably hit and miss. There have been instances when my water or drink wasn’t topped up, and my tray wasn’t withdrawn for some time after I used to be completed.
Whereas the general stage of service on Qatar Airways is often superb, I’ve discovered over the course of many flights that it is probably not flawless, as exemplified on this explicit journey the place it was considerably beneath the same old requirements.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Mattress
Earlier than placing the seat into lie-flat mode, I made a decision to take a look at the restrooms. There are two situated on the very again of the enterprise class cabin.
Contained in the restroom, you’ll discover a generously sized house that boasts some spectacular options, similar to touchless sinks and home windows. A baby-changing station will be lowered on prime of the bathroom seat, and the restroom is thoughtfully stocked with toothbrushes, toothpaste, and splendid Diptyque facilities.
Heading again to my seat, the enterprise class seat simply converts right into a lie-flat mattress with simply the contact of a button. It measures a snug 77 inches lengthy, which is barely shorter than the mattress present in Qsuites.
It’s necessary to understand that in lie-flat mode, the 787-9 enterprise class seat is narrower than Qsuites and has a extra restricted footwell. For shorter flights inside Europe and South East Asia, this shouldn’t pose an excessive amount of of a problem; nevertheless, for longer journeys, I’d advocate choosing Qsuites for probably the most snug sleeping expertise.
For these travelling as a pair, it’s additionally price noting that these enterprise class seats don’t type an entire double mattress like those present in Qsuites. As an alternative, solely the heads of each passengers are situated subsequent to one another, whereas the our bodies face away.
Qatar Airways 787-9 Enterprise Class – Leisure
Every enterprise class seat is provided with a beneficiant 18-inch high-definition leisure display screen, with entry to Qatar Airways’s customized in-flight leisure system, Oryx One.
Oryx One affords a big selection of leisure choices, together with over 1,000 motion pictures and in style TV reveals. The system’s intuitive interface is straightforward to navigate.
Along with its spectacular choice of leisure choices, Qatar Airways’s 787-9 Dreamliner additionally options two out of doors cameras, one dealing with ahead and one dealing with downward.
The forward-facing digicam captures breathtaking views of the aircraft’s flight path, whereas the downward-facing digicam supplies a chicken’s-eye view of the panorama beneath.
Conclusion
The Enterprise Suite on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner from Qatar Airways is actually consistent with the airline’s award-winning enterprise class choices, and serves as a worthy various to Qsuites.
Though it doesn’t present fairly the identical stage of spaciousness or an entire double mattress within the sky as present in Qsuites, the Enterprise Suite nonetheless manages to ship on consolation and privateness, and stays extremely aggressive towards many different airways due to its well-thought-out seat design and sliding door.
Regardless of some minor drawbacks on this explicit flight, such because the occasional lapses in service, I used to be fairly impressed with my expertise in Qatar Airways’s 787-9 Enterprise Suite – though I’ll undoubtedly proceed to hunt out Qsuites each time attainable sooner or later for a further stage of consolation.
