As a US-based flyer, when I think of the big Middle Eastern airlines I think of epic long-haul flights on 777s, A380s, and other big planes. But can those airlines deliver a great experience on smaller single-aisle aircraft?
We got to find out on an A320 flight from Doha to Zanzibar on Qatar Airways, Skytrax’s best airline in the world for 2024. Over the course of the six-hour flight we got a close look at the airline’s narrowbody business class seat and “medium-haul” service style.
So what should you expect onboard a Qatar A320 compared with their 777s, 787s, A350s, or A380s? Read on to find out. And as usual we have some window seat views for you to enjoy along the way.
Premium cabin passengers get access to a dedicated check-in area and security checkpoint.
We had to take a moment to appreciate the famous lampshade bear sculpture. Is it cool? Is it weird? Is it both? You be the judge.
There’s a ton of good food and useful amenities at the airline’s Al Mourjan lounges. We’ll have a separate story about Qatar’s lounges and the ground experience at their Doha mega-hub.
Even though the terminal at Hamad International is huge, Qatar Airways has grown so much in recent years that a lot of the airline’s operations are at remote stands instead of jetways. That does add a bit of hassle. But from an AvGeek perspective it means great views of the action on the ramp:
Meet the Seat
We rolled up to the Airbus A320 that would be taking us on our six-hour journey to Zanzibar.
Qatar has two different business class seat configurations on their A320 fleet. One has recliner seats like you’d find on most airlines’ A320 or 737 business classes. But the other configuration, designed for longer flights like ours, features twelve lie-flat seats up front.
The Collins Diamond seat design has two seats per row on each side of the aisle. It’s a nicer seat design if you’re traveling as a pair, since otherwise there isn’t much privacy from your neighbor.
Overall it’s a great seat for an A320 business class cabin. Not quite as good as some other single-aisle business class seats that offer unobstructed aisle access for every seat, like JetBlue Mint for example. But still well above average.
Service got started with a hello from the flight attendant, a pre-departure drink in real glassware, and an intro to the airline’s dine-on-demand service. If you’re flying Qatar business remember to look at the menu early since they take your full meal and drink order before takeoff.
Even at night it’s easy to appreciate the amazing scale of Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Check out the view as we took off:
As the Doha city lights faded behind us the double-chimes went off and the flight attendants kicked into high gear.
Starting the service
We were invited to have meals at any time and any order, as is the usual for Qatar flights. Here’s a look at the menu for the flight:
And here’s a look at the drink list:
Pasta can be boring as an inflight meal. This dish wasn’t. It tasted great and I appreciated the fresh vegetables.
A quick dessert rounded out the meal.
Our flight attendant crew was amazing. Still, we could tell that the labor-intensive dine-on-demand service style had them working on overdrive.
Settling in for the long(ish)-haul
Inflight entertainment systems vary across Qatar’s fleet. On this A320 the screen was large, and the library of movies and TV was plenty for this flight though not as expansive as Emirates’ system, for example. The inflight map design took me back to the 2000s.
These seats go fully flat when you’re ready to sleep.
It was a soft and comfortable bed, and the airline’s bedding is excellent. I got a few hours of quality sleep before waking up in time for a pre-landing view and breakfast.
Just like dinner, breakfast was plated beautifully.
For a breakfast at the end of a medium-haul flight this felt way above average.
The views on descent into Zanzibar were beautiful:
The verdict
All in all, this was a comfy ride for a medium-haul narrowbody flight. Sure, all else being equal its a nicer ride on Qatar’s longer-haul widebodies. Especially if you’re flying solo, since the A320 seat doesn’t offer the same universal direct aisle access or privacy that Qsuite and Qatar’s other widebody business class seats do. But you still get the benefits of a comfortable lie-flat seat with nice finishes. In the end it’s a good enough platform to allow the airline’s service to shine and to land well rested.
Just remember that part of the airline’s A320 fleet has standard recliner-type seats. So you’ll want to pay attention to the seat map when you book.
We’ll be back with more stories about our time flying Qatar Airways, including a long-haul experience with their QSuites seat. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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