Advertisement
Qatar Airways’ Qsuite was hailed as the world’s best business class cabin at this year’s ‘Oscars of aviation’ – the Skytrax World Airline Awards.
But the best, it seems, is destined to get better.
Qatar Airways, which also won the “World’s Best Airline” award, unveiled the “Qsuite Next Gen” at the Farnborough International Airshow yesterday, seats that the airline says will be available on the new Boeing 777X in 2025.
And the verdict? An aviation expert who attended the launch and tried out a test version of the kit declared it to be even more impressive.
The most striking improvement is undoubtedly the ‘Companion Suite’ window.
Qatar Airways unveiled the ‘Qsuite Next Gen’ (above) at the Farnborough International Airshow. In the current Qsuite’s ‘quad mode’, the entertainment screens partially block the view of passengers facing in. But in the new version, the screens fold flush against the walls.
Part of Qsuite’s claim to fame is its ability for passengers to create a quadruple grouping in the middle of the cabin, with two pairs of seats facing each other.
In it next generation cabinA companion mode will be available for pairs of passengers who have booked window seats, with a divider that lowers between two facing single seats to create a new social space.
Rhys Jones from the travel site en:headforpoints.com He said: “I think this option is going to become a very popular option. The ‘Companion Suite’ concept is what really makes Qsuite Next Gen different.”
Meanwhile, the ‘Quad Suite’ has been modified so that the space can be completely opened up.
In the current Qsuite, entertainment screens partially block the view of passengers facing the aircraft. But in the new version, the screens (4K OLED devices from Panasonic) fold flush against the walls. Qatar Airways boasts that the new Quad Suite will be “the largest social and productivity space in the sky for up to four passengers.”
In the next-generation cabin, a companion mode will be available for pairs of passengers who have booked window seats, with a divider that lowers between two facing single seats to create a new social space.
A feast for the eyes: the new Qsuite features Panasonic 4K OLED entertainment screens
The new seats are also larger, Rhys notes: two inches wider, one inch longer in bed mode and 4.5 inches wider in sleeper mode.
He adds: “With the centre pair converted into a double bed set, it is, surprisingly, almost 25 centimetres wider than before.”
Rhys also reveals that the already massive side table is even bigger and that additional storage options include a lockable slide-out drawer.
The new seats are larger: two inches wider, one inch longer in bed mode and 4.5 inches wider in bed mode.
Qsuite was hailed as the world’s best business class cabin at this year’s ‘Aviation Oscars’. Above: A close-up of the new version
Rhys Jones, of travel site headforpoints.com, said: “What Qatar Airways has done is take an industry-leading position and make it even better.”
Qsuite Next Gen will be featured on the new Boeing 777X (above)
Can the new suite be retrofitted onto existing Qatar Airways aircraft? It’s too spacious for the Dreamliner, says Rhys, but could perhaps appear on the A350 as well as the 777X, also called the 777-9.
He concludes: “At first glance, Qsuite Next Gen may appear to be a modest improvement over the original Qsuite. Look a little deeper and the opposite is true. What Qatar Airways has done is take an industry-leading position and make it even better.”
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Engineer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “We are delighted to have finally unveiled the highly anticipated Qsuite Next Gen at the Farnborough International Airshow.
‘Qatar Airways has once again raised the bar on its award-winning product, the Qsuite.
‘We look forward to welcoming media and partners to our stand throughout the week to experience the future of business class travel with the world’s best business class on board the world’s best airline.’