Qatar Airways launched daily flights to and from Dublin in mid-2017, its first ever service to the Republic of Ireland, opening up a variety of destinations in the Middle East, Asia and the rest of the world to Irish travellers, as well as the choice of another premium airline.
The Flight/Route: QR0020, Dublin to Doha.
Duration: 7 hours 5 minutes, dep 07.35, arrive 17.40.
The Aircraft: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Cabin/Seat: Business Class, Seat 3A.
Baggage Allowance: 40 kgs.
Frequent Flyer Program: Privilege Club.
More Information: Visit Qatar Airways Website.
Overview:
I was planning another work trip, and considering flying to London to make a direct connection to Singapore, when a colleague told me about Qatar Airways launching flights from Ireland the previous year. Flying via Doha, I could travel conveniently from Dublin with a couple of options for flight departure times depending on which day I planned to travel. I opted for an early morning flight on a Saturday for an easy seven hour day flight to Doha, which had a two-and-a-half hour layover before continuing on to Singapore. The total flight time would be just over 15 hours, with the first flight by day, and the onward flight overnight arriving in Singapore on Sunday morning.
Check In/Lounge:
Qatar Airways recommends checking in three hours before departure, which meant arriving at the airport in what felt like the middle of the night. In truth it was around 5.30am, having completed online check in at home, and Terminal 1 was buzzing with activity. Completing check-in was quick and easy, and within minutes I was on my way to the Dublin Airport Executive Lounge, located in the main terminal after security, which the airline uses for premium passengers. Fortunately it opens at 4am to accommodate those early morning departures. The lounge had a full lineup of facilities including food and drinks, but it was super busy as it’s used by a large number of other airlines including Priority Pass members. I had left home on an empty stomach, so I decided that a little breakfast was in order before boarding the flight; what was on offer was quite basic.
The Seat/Entertainment:
This Dreamliner aircraft I flew on had a two-class configuration, with 22 seats in Business Class seats and 2-3-2 in Economy. The Business Class seats are laid out four in a row, with the window seats facing away from the aisle, and the centre seats facing towards each other with a discreet partition which is ideal for couples travelling together. My seat was row 3 facing the window, and about halfway down the small cabin. No sooner had I sat down than a flight attendant greeted me with a big smile and a hot towel, also offering me a welcome drink. It was a bit early for champagne but I thought, what the hell. The Business Class cabin is all decked out in off-white and maroon and the seat is a generous 22-inches wide which reclines to an 80-inch flat bed at the touch of a button. There’s also plenty of storage, and a large, flat personal screen; Qatar Airway’s Oryx One system has a staggering 4,000 options to keep you busy during a flight, including movies and a lineup of audio channels featuring music and TED talks. Other perks included noise-cancelling headphones, bottles of Evian and bag of toiletries.
The Food:
I don’t usually eat much on flights, and enjoyed a small, simple breakfast in the lounge before boarding I wasn’t especially hungry. Also, thanks to a lack of sleep and a crazy early start, he glass of champagne I quaffed on arrival went to my head, so I was keen to put my flat bed seat to the test rather than eat. One of the perks of flying business class these days, including with Qatar Airways, is that you can request your meal at any time during the flight, as well have courses in any order. And when you’re flying ex-Doha you can pre-order your food online as part of your booking. As I started to bed down, I could see the onboard food being delivered around me was very much restaurant style. The dishes were nicely presented, and extra touches such as warmed bread, and personal salt and pepper pots add to the overall experience. I opted to have my meal well into the flight, which was a nice enough marinated lamb loin with dauphinoise potatoes and ratatouille, with a glass of red.
The Service:
Overall the crew was friendly and efficient, quickly prepping plane and passengers for an on-time departure. Throughout the flight, they seemed really eager to please, maintaining their positive attitude, and are there in a flash if you needed anything. Someone walked through the cabin every 15 or so minutes at least to check on passengers.
UltimateTravelMagazine.com Loves
- The seat was extremely comfortable, and I loved the noise cancelling headphones.
- Qatar Airways has a good frequent flyer program and is part of the oneworld group.
Insider Tips
- If you're travelling solo, book a window seat as the privacy screen between the business class seats in the middle doesn’t make those seats that private.
We've partnered with Qatar Airways to bring you the best flight deals including Business Class worldwide
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