My Almost Private Flight on Qatar Airways’ QSuites!

Qatar Airways’ groundbreaking, award-winning Qsuite made its U.S. debut on December 16, 2017 as it arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (having already made it’s European debut earlier in the year at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport and London Heathrow Airport).

The Qsuite, which is offered in Qatar’s Business Class, First in Business, has received accolades for, among other things, it’s innovative double bed and private cabins for up to four people with privacy panels that stow away. All the components are adjustable, so that the center four seats can be transformed into a private suite, suitable for couples or family or even business meetings.

Almost a month after it’s debut, I had the opportunity to see and experience the Qsuite in person at a media event at JFK airport. The guests, mainly reporters and journalists, were transported from New York City to JFK’s General Aviation Terminal.

We did not have to go through security or metal detectors! At the  airport, we were greeted by Qatar Airways Vice President for the Americas, Günter Saurwein. 

Mr Saurwein explained that there are now two flights daily from JFK to Doha – an Air Bus 350 in the morning and a Boeing 777 at night. The flight takes about 13 hours from New York and new destinations are being added monthly. He explained that all new planes (except 380s) have Qsuites, and the existing fleet has been retrofitted to also have Qsuites. If you want exact numbers, there are 42 Qsuites in 777s and 36 in 350s.

We were then transported over to the plane. We were invited to take photos before boarding. This is a magnificent plane, right?

We were then invited to go on board the 777 (a working plane, that would be leaving for Doha a few hours later) to meet the staff and chefs – experience the Qsuites in person and be treated to a mini-service as if we were in flight. (okay, how cool is that?).

We boarded and were warmly greeted. We were asked to take seats in the front business section (leaving the rear business and economy sections open for photo taking).

First things first, I had to check out the bed! (pretty darn comfortable!)

Economy looked pretty nice too:

I then took a seat in one of the four-seat Qsuite areas. This would be my home for the next hour or so.

Sometimes the lighting would go purple (or was it the champagne?).

The Qsuite was state-of-the-art. The attention to details was simply incredible!

Did I mention I was given an amenity kit and pajamas? (SWEET!!)

The entertainment system looked phenomenal – with a vast array of choices. I was having too much fun to really use it though.

We were served champagne or wine from the wine list, given menus and chose our main courses.

As I was in a four-seat area, appetizers were served for the group.

My favorite – I love Middle Eastern appetizers.

For the main course, I had Chicken Biryani.

Always room for dessert, right? This molten chocolate cake was to die for!

I didn’t want to leave, but they had to get the aircraft ready for the real passengers. So then, without further adieu, the attendants brought us our coats and we deplaned. We had arrived in Doha, uh, no JFK. No passport control, no Global Entry, instead, I was on the E train back to Manhattan. And guess what? No jet lag!

Here is Qatar’s video of the Qsuite –