Date: February 07, 2016
Airline: Qatar Airways
Flight: QR 0039
Aircraft: A380
Class: Business
Origin: Doha International Airport
Departed: Sunday, February 07, 2015 at 07:55 am
Destination: Paris, Charles De Gaulle Intl Airport (CDG)
Arriving: Sunday, February 07, 2015 at 01:10 pm
Estimated time: 6:25

Five days ago, I had never flown business class, there you go! truth revealed! never thought much about doing so. Most of the flying I do is either on airlines that have a reasonable economy set-up or too short to spend the extra money on a few inches of leg room, and since I am physically short, I never really had a problem with stretching my legs in an economy space.

I also have a fear in flying. Don’t get me wrong, I Love travelling and seeing all new places. But, if there is one part of travel that I don’t love, It is flying. I am the sort of flier with irrational anxiety that the plane will malfunction and crash, no matter how many times I hear or read the statistics about how safe flying is compared to driving. Often times I worry about terrorist hijackings or panic at the idea that I am not in control of the aircraft that’s carrying me. And for the duration of the trip, is entirely convinced the only thing keeping the plane safely afloat at 37,000 feet is my total and undivided attention and prayers.

This makes me feel ridiculous spending the extra money for business class since I am so busy sitting upright and praying the plane to stay afloat …… with my mind. Even if I could afford it, it was hardly worth it. Or so I always assumed.

Boy was I so wrong. About everything. The flight to Paris — where I had been asked to join by my boyfriend, on his expense of course! — is just over six hours.

And so I was so very much looking forward to trying Qatar Airways business Class on the A380, a double decker aircraft that Qatar Airways currently operates on routes to Bangkok, London & Paris.

The A380, launched last October of 2014 can accommodate 517 passengers: eight in First Class, 48 in business and 461 in economy is the latest addition to Qatar Airways fleet, which quite simply change the way I think of flying.

Our flight to Paris (CDG) was scheduled to depart at 7:55AM, so we headed to the gate at around 6:55AM. We were departing from gate A5, which is just a short walk from the famous big bear of the Hamad International Airport. On the way to the gate, I saw some unoccupied MAC PC and open my travel blog for the next lucky user!!!spreading the news!!. I swear, If I could open this blog to almost all vacant computers I see, I would. But we had to rushed to our gate to board plus the excitement of boarding business class.

Upon having our boarding passes scanned by the crew we took the elevator up a level, It was still empty, there is only one passenger before us despite only being a few minutes before boarding and so we took the chance to take a photo of the QA airbus A380. At first I assumed that since it is a double decker plane, it is somehow similar to a double decker bus where you get to enter at the main door and climb a stairs to get to the top where the first and business class cabin is located, Oh well, I forgot it’s an Airbus made.  We didn’t have to climb the stairs as the A380 first & business class gate area leads directly to the upper deck of our A380 business class cabin. 

Upon boarding we were welcomed aboard by the business class cabin crews who checked our  boarding passes and pointed left towards the aisle that leads to my 20F seat. Qatar airways A380 flight to Paris has 48 Business Class seats spread across 4 rows, 1 at each side of the window and 2 at the middle. 

As soon as I found my seat, I was welcomed by a comfortable spacious chair, a soft pillow and a blanket. I was talking to myself, this is what it’s like to fly business class. 

Right after I’ve been seated,  gazed at all the passengers making their way to their respective seat, I finally had a time to consider my surroundings, or in my case figure how things work out (my boyfriend had already removed his shoes, retrieved his earphones, and reclined his seat), he seems to be experienced in traveling business class – speaking to myself this time, watching his every move. 

The first and most important thing you need to know is that the seats recline all the way. ALL THE WAAAAAAY. It’s like flying in your bed. It’s like flying in your bed if your bed came with a crew who served you endless glasses of  wine and three meals and brought you glasses of water and juice and turned down the lights when you got sleepy. It is that good. 

And Oh by the way, that black pouch on the counter next to the chair is an Amenity kit or should I say vanity kit? Inside the pouch are Giorgio Armani lotion, perfume, lip balm, a pair of socks and other stuff, I didn’t really bother looking cause at the back of my mind I was wondering if I am allowed to take even just the pouch. Well, I never really like the scent of Giorgio Armani for a start so I can leave it for the next passenger to use. It’s a great deal and a win-win for both me and Qatar Airways?!

Toilettes, 4 in total are located in both entrance to the business class and on the end of the cabin which leads to the lounge. The Business Class toilet is just about the same size as the economy, maybe a little wider?I can’t really tell the difference in size but it is way too organized I am compelled to take a picture. It has drawers that has brushes and toothpaste, a bottle of refresher, hand wash, lotion, a tissue paper of 3 different kinds-maybe for different use and Oooh a scented roses!.

I knew about the lounge even before I boarded, It is the ever popular lounge of the Qatar Airways A380 my boyfriend has been telling me repeatedly, so as soon as I settled in my seat. I went to see it. I was so excited to take a photo and so I asked my boyfriend to take me a photo right before the crew came to open the bar, hence, empty bar!.

The Lounge on board is a real deal as it provided a venue for passengers to talk and have a break from sitting in their seat. First and Business Class passengers can access it. It has an S-shaped bar and sofa where you can enjoy drinks, cup cakes and sodas. At the back of the bar counter and in front was another straight sofa next to the windows where you can also seat. It is stylish in design and shows careful attention to detail and very well thought about how to make the flying experience feel more outstanding and up-scale.

And so back to my seat, while I was considering the particular angle of support I wanted for my back, a very polite flight attendant came around and handed me a large breakfast menu. I ordered for a fresh orange juice and a cured salmon with citrus fruit. With a big smile she asked me if that was all I wanted to eat. I replied with yes but she insisted on calling her in case I get hungry again.

The same flight attendant would come back from time to time as soon as I finished my orange juice to ask if there is anything I need. Shortly after I finished my meal, a hot towel was handed to me so I could clean my hands.

I then reclined my seat in all possible ways the remote can let me. Reclined my seat all the way and tried to sleep. After 30 minutes of experiencing my  crowning glory of a reclined chair, I thought to myself, I have all the time to sleep after this flight so why sleep on a business class flight and on an Airbus A380.

Before we landed, I asked the same flight attendant if she could served me a salad and an orange juice while my boyfriend asked for a chocolate cake.

It is heaven in business class. Maybe literally. What happened to my fear? There is no fear in business class, For the first time in my life, I wished I was in a longer flight. Perhaps the greatest learning I had on this trip is that comfort is a great treatment for anxiety. 

7 hours later, we were safely on the ground and I was brought back to reality. We only had 2.5 hours to reach terminal 2 of Paris CDG to catch our next (Paris-Toulouse) flight, The convenience of flying business class is not only in the sky. On our way off the plane, the cabin crew handed us a N1 pass that will give us access to fast immigration lane with little to no que at all. We reached terminal 2 in less than one hour.

Now, my only fear is I may never experience fying business class again. 🙂