TRIP REPORT: Best short haul premium product?
TRIP REPORT | INDEX
After the meal service the lights were dimmed and everyone closed their blinds, so the cabin was dark. At one point I even fell asleep.
The lavatory had all kinds of amenities, including shaving kits, toothbrushes, perfume, and they were always clean.
Route: Belgrade – Doha
Date: March 5
I arrived at the airport a bit earlier than planned just as check-in opened, which was a breeze. After passing passport control, I noticed the airport was eerily quiet. It was really deserted, and I guessed it was because of the virus. But after checking the departures board it didn’t seem there were any flights within the hour. Later the airport got much busier as Air Serbia flights from Europe started arriving, as well as Etihad and Qatar.
While at the airport, I noticed that a lot of hand sanitiser dispensing machines have been put up, as well as signs reminding people to wash their hands. A few people were wearing masks (mostly Asians) but other than that I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. However, I did notice that the airport boarded up the area where it is building a new bus gate (this is in the unrenovated part of the terminal where there used to be stairs to the toilets). Also, in the A concourse, the entry to the gates have been moved to the side so there is no congestion and lines in the corridor anymore.
The aircraft for the flight to Doha was downgraded to an A320 (from the A321) because of the coronavirus. From what I can notice on their website, all flights will be on the A320 until 29th of March. Since I was travelling in business class, this actually turned out to be great because it meant I would fly in the airline’s upgraded short haul product, which is probably one of the best in the industry. Qatar has A320s with both the upgraded cabin and the standard cabin, which is also featured on all their A321s. You can work out which product you will get based on how many rows the seat map is showing when booking your ticket – 28 with the upgraded seats, and 30 with standard ones.
I was surprised that the flight seemed to be relatively full despite the virus. Qatar begins boarding their flights extremely early (at all airports) so the plane would depart on time. Boarding started exactly an hour before the scheduled departure time. There were 6 of us in business class (capacity is twelve, so each of us had an empty seat next to us).
The cabin on this A320 looks great in my opinion. Lie-flat seats without obstructing the passenger behind you when the seat is reclined, big screens and pull-out tables. Immediately behind the seat and to the side is a storage compartment, which is also where you could plug in your headphone jack and a USB. Waiting in this area were a pair of headphones, a bottle of Evian water and a small amenity kit. There is also a power socket located at the bottom of the seat. Each seat also had a pillow and blanket waiting.
Service was very good and attentive. Two ladies were working the cabin. Both introduced themselves individually to each passenger and informed us of the flight time. Menus, drinks of choice and hot or cold towels were all provided before departure. We pushed back right on time.
I won’t bore you with all the details, so I will let the photos do the talking. The food was great with a huge selection of meals and beverages (forgot to take a pic of the dessert), as was the entertainment system. I really don’t think there is an airline that offers such a premium product on a short haul flight.
After the meal service the lights were dimmed and everyone closed their blinds, so the cabin was dark. At one point I even fell asleep.
The lavatory had all kinds of amenities, including shaving kits, toothbrushes, perfume, and they were always clean.
The A320s with the upgraded product also have the “Superfast wifi”. I purchased it and the speeds were great. Ironically, the wifi for the entire duration of the flight costs $20 USD, while the wifi on their A380s and A350 are half the price. Still there is also a complementary option for messaging and social media, as well as a three hour option for $10 USD.
It was a smooth flight and we arrived ahead of schedule. Before touchdown the crew thanked each passenger individually. Doha Airport seemed busy as usual, although quite a few people were wearing masks.
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