Take everything you know and love about Qatar Airways’ groundbreaking Qsuite business class, then add more – that’s the recipe behind the new Qsuite 2.
Flying under the banner of ‘luxury redefined’, the improved Qsuite Next Gen retains the premium high-touch finishes and attention to detail of the original Qsuite.
The airline says a redesign inside the Qsuite has increased shoulder space and leg room, with larger lie-flat and double beds – oh, and the cabin crew will offer a turn-down ‘Make My Bed’ service.
Qsuite Next Gen also goes strong on the sociability factor of its predecessor, which introduced a ‘double bed’ mode plus the ability to join four centre suites to create a ‘family’ configuration.
But this time around the family-friendly Quad Suite is fully open, with TV screens swivelling out of the way to sit flat against the walls.
Perhaps the biggest single advance is that single Qsuites adjacent to the window can also be opened up, with the partition and TV monitors sliding out of the way to create a Companion Suite….
… which is of course ideal for sharing the journey and also enjoying restaurant-style ‘face to face’ dining.
Touch controls activate in-suite lighting with special modes for dining and reading.
There’s also more storage space, including a concealed and digitally-locked drawer to keep your valuables secure during the flight.
The 21.5-inch video screens have been upgraded to 4K OLED panels with Bluetooth audio streaming to your own noice-cancelling headphones or earbuds.
And as expected, the AC power socket is complemented by USB-C fast charging and wireless charging.
Executive Traveller understands there’s also been a revamp to adopt lighter-weight materials and framework to reduce the weight of each Qsuite 2 and thus increase the fuel efficiency of aircraft.
Qatar Airways confirmed the Qsuite Next Gen is bound for Qatar’s also-next-gen Boeing 777-9 jetliners, which the Gulf carrier still expects to see in 2025 and will also feature high-luxe first class suites.
“We will utilise our knowledge and our expertise from having a private jet company,” promises Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al Meer.
“I feel that nobody can develop a first class cabin better than us… we want to combine the experience from flying commercial and from flying a private jet and develop something new.”
However, there appear to be no plans to upgrade Qatar Airways’ current Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 jets with the Qsuite 2 (nor of course the A380 superjumbo, which is earmarked for retirement).
Launched in 2017, the Qsuite drove the adoption of sliding privacy doors in business class, adding a degree of privacy formerly the exclusive domain of first class.
Most other airlines have followed suit, with doors now de rigueur for modern business class.
As such, Qatar’s Qsuite Next Gen will fly into a vastly more competitive world, including a trio of fresh business class offerings set to be revealed over the coming months.
That will include Emirates’ all-new 777 and A350 business class, Cathay Pacific’s 777 Aria Suites and Riyadh Air’s ‘Mercedes Maybach’ business class.
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