Qatar Airways Airbus A380 Business Class Doha to Bangkok Review

[Click above for the video review.]

• Flight: QR836
• Route: DOH-BKK
• Equipment: Airbus A380-800
• Cabin: Business Class
• Seat: 15K/16K

After a good meal, it was time to head to the gate. We left the lounge, and took the escalator down to the main terminal about an hour before departure.

Since this flight is being serviced by an A380, upon arriving at the gate we were directed by the gate staff to go upstairs to the second floor, which is where first and business class was boarding from. The boarding area was empty when we arrived, but it soon filled up as first and business class passengers started coming in.

We waited for about 20 minutes, then one of the staff called us to board. We went down the long jet bridge and were greeted at the door by the in-flight service manager. We showed her our boarding passes, and  were escorted to our seats by one of the other flight attendants.

Both First and Business Class on Qatar Airways’ Airbus A380 are on the upper deck. Business class consists of 48 flat bed seats in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration, and all the seats are in one large cabin.

We were seated in seats 15K and 16K on the starboard side of the plane. These seats are virtually the same as QR’s business class seats on their 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A350, which I reviewed here, here, here, and here.

Upon settling in, a flight attendant came by to offer us a pre-departure drink and a choice of hot or cold towel. I ordered some rosé champagne and a cold towel.

Another flight attendant also came by to offer us an amenity kit, dining menu, and wine list. Pajamas were also available since this was a night flight.

While waiting for our departure, I browsed through the IFE using the wired remote. There were a good amount of movies, TV programs, music, and games available on demand, but I decided to just put on the moving map and the tail camera.

Soon boarding was complete and the captain came on the PA to announce our departure and flight time of 6 hours and 10 minutes to Bangkok. We soon pushed back from the gate, while the travel prayer and safety video was playing.

The flight attendant working our aisle came by during taxi to take our drink and meal orders after takeoff. It was a good 10 minutes before we got to the end of the runway, after which we had a long and gradual takeoff roll and climb. It was a clear night in Doha, so we had a very smooth start of the flight.

Service began about 10 minutes after takeoff. I ordered a glass of champagne, which was served with a ramekin of mixed nuts.

Since we had a lot to eat at the lounge, I decided to just order something light from the menu. For my appetizer, I ordered the soup. It was flavorful, yet not overly salty – delicious!

Then for my main, I opted for the steak sandwich. The bread was on the hard side, but the meat was tender and delicious. Needless to say I just ate all the filling and didn’t bother with the bread.

After the meal, I wanted to freshen up and change into my pajamas, so visited the lavatory in the rear of the business class cabin. It was on the smaller side, but it was clean and stocked with the usual QR amenities.

After getting back to my seat, I made my bed and slept for a couple of hours.

I woke up about 2 hours before landing as I still wanted to check out the onboard bar and lounge. The bar area is located in the rear of the business class cabin. The area is spacious and beautifully decorated. It features a full bar, with a lounge area for people to sit, socialize and have a few drinks. Some canapés, and other snacks were also available.

I took pictures and chitchatted with the bartender for a good 20 minutes. I was getting hungry at this point, so I went back to my seat and ordered some breakfast.

First my table was set with the usual QR accoutrements and bread basket.

Then I ordered the Bircher Müesli, which was delicious.

For my main meal, I opted for the banana french toast and it was amazing! Probably one of the best breakfast food I’ve had in the sky.

I ended the meal with a cup of latte, which was also served with a hot towel.

After the meal service, I went to the lavatory to brush my teeth and change out of my pajamas. Soon after I got back to my seat, the captain announced our initial descent into Bangkok. Hot towels were again distributed to all business class passengers.

The in-flight service manager then came by to thank us for flying Qatar Airways. She also handed us our landing cards and fast track passes to Thai immigration.

The weather was gorgeous during the initial descent, which made for some great views outside.

Sadly as we got closer to the airport, we hit some pretty bad weather on the way down. Oddly, I didn’t think the turbulence was that bad during the approach.

We had a firm landing, and it started pouring as we were taxiing. It was raining so hard that even after we arrived at the gate, we still had to wait another 10 minutes before the ground staff was able to operate and connect the jet bridge to the airplane.

We soon bid farewell to the crew and disembarked. It was a good 15 minute walk to immigration, but we didn’t have to wait in line very long, thanks to our fast track passes. Before we knew it, we were back in Bangkok and headed to the Grand Hyatt Erawan, where we stayed the night.

Personally for me, it’s always a nice treat to fly the A380. It’s such a huge plane, which makes for a smooth and comfortable ride. Add that to Qatar Airways’ already comfortable seats, delicious food, and excellent service and you got a winning combination. The onboard bar was also a pretty cool and unique experience. Did I mention jammies? Yes, that too! It’s really hard to fault this flight, so I will give it a 9.5 out 10. Nicely done, QR!