The greatest flight trip report ever written is Sydney To Heathrow On A Plane. Honorable mention goes to 8 bottles of Dom from Los Angeles to Bangkok on Singapore Airlines and to A Consultants life. Tales from the road at 35,000ft.
However the medium has shifted to video, and maybe the best effort so far in under 3 minutes is this review of Qatar Airways QSuites? It’s a ‘fish out of water’ story, with relatable observations from someone not used to traveling in the front of the aircraft.
- “I searched the seat configuration online to see which was closest to the kitchen, cause that’s the one I want.”
- “As soon as I sat down, one of the flight attendants come over and said do I want some of his warm nuts? And I’m thinking what kind of freaky airline is this?”
- “The way I studied this menu like it was the Harvard entry exam. There were words I’d never seen before… normally they just ask me chicken or beef.”
- “I asked which mains were better. She said ‘you can have both.’ Oh, I’m sorry, excuse my poverty.”
Qatar Airline Business Class review by Jabz is so hilarious. pic.twitter.com/cchNMzfbZ0
— Aji Bussu Onye Mpiawa azụ (@AfamDeluxo) September 9, 2024
What was your first time up front – probably using miles – like? Flying long haul for me it was Los Angeles to Sydney on United, but I’d had the seat cross country as an upgrade several times. I still remember that first time in the big recliner. Lunch from Los Angeles to Washington Dulles was an almond-dusted shrimp appetizer, followed by steak, and a cheesecake. I had the Sunday New York Times, a few cocktails, and I was genuinely disappointed by the tailwinds that day that brought us in early.
Haha this reminds me of when I picked my 14 year old daughter up from the US to take her to the country where I was working as an expat. Fortunately, we got bumped up to business class, 1A and 1B. As they came out with the tray covering and silverware and handed us the menu, she looked over at me and said “Daddy, you must be important or something!” Haha that made my day – made my decade!
It’s “Qsuites,” nor “QSuites.”
This shows clearly the the level of education that is provided in USA schools.
Fun article. My first time sitting anywhere other than economy was a double treat. First, in 1985, the organization I was working for got me a business class ticket to fly United from San Francisco to Seoul and then on to Manila. Then, at SFO, I asked the gate agent if there were any window seats available. He said, “What about 1A?”
I have no idea why he upgraded me to First. But I still recall the comfy lounge chair, the endless bubbly and, most of all, the delicious roast beef (and seconds) carved right at the seat.
Many FAs with US carriers would have similar reactions. I don’t know if their benefits extend to fly their partners’ F or even J.
When I was onboard TATL UA Y, the FA was giving out meals by simply saying ‘beef or chicken ‘. Of course there was no menu. I asked him how they were cooked, he seemed surprised and just said ‘I don’t know. I haven’t seen them.’, without looking around other pax’ already opened meals.
Nowadays, even pet foods have more descriptions than just beef or chicken.
We recently flew LHR-SAN on BA in Business and my reaction was similar to this guy’s. I’ve been in domestic first lots of times but a long-haul in Business on a non-US airline was a very nice experience. The food was quite tasty and the FA’s were patient with my inability to work my seat. The only negative was the cabin was too bright to be able to see some of the movies. It was a daytime flight on a 787.
TWA 767 across the Atlantic in F. I think I was in one of the solo seats in the 2-1-2 seat up, but no memories of being the least bit impressed. Next time TWA 747 across the Atlantic in F, snagging one of only 3 seats with no one next to you. The lingering memory is how unmemorable it was.
@ Gary — Premiumest! Upcoming to PH Maldives. Been 2 years since QR, so looking forward to it! So nice to get away from the not-so-premium airline…
My first time flying international was also my first business class. 2003 British Airways Club World. I was still mildly new to the points and miles game and got in on a cheap WT+ fare and ended up with an op-up. Needless to say it kind of ruined me for economy since then. Was kind of sad to see that as of last year that state of the art 2003 Club World seat still exists on some of BAs aircraft in 2024.
My first time in first was on CO, from DEN to LHR. On DC 10. Using miles. Something like 40K round trip. They brought me a jar of caviar, with all the sides. And an ice cold pint bottle of Stoly, to quench my thirst.
Always had a warm spot for CO.
Was flying for my wedding from NYC to India in 2011 and ticketed on Qatar airways economy, and while boarding was bumped by surprise to business class on JFK-DOH segment.
Needless to say that experience got me hooked on the miles/points game ever since and made countless trips on various carriers on premium cabins as a hobby.
The food service is long in business class. The first time I flew, I said I needed a long flight to eat and sleep. It takes 2 hours to finish service. The attention was scary. I woke up, and the flight attendant was there in two seconds.
Flying back from Jo’burg to USA, my daughter, 18, and I were snowed in at JNB for 2 days. Our Air France flight had been cancelled, and there were no economy seats available on our booked return route, JNB-DUS then DUS-ATL. AF was paying for our hotel and meals, so I was making trips in the hotel shuttle van back and forth to the airport to find a pair of seats on an aircraft getting into the US.
I think the AF ladies were tired of seeing me because on the third day they booked us on a DL-777 nonstop JNB-ATL, on the new lie flat “beds”. On a 16.5 hour flight I slept a straight 11 hours, punctuated only by the meals at the start and end of the flight. It was great!
My first was ANA in 2014 on a 787. I was stunned to discover that business class lavs had windows in them, and that the range of drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) was so much larger! Imagine my disappointment to learn that the window in the lav was not typical, and that US airlines still only have “tea or coffee” up front, not 20 different kinds of green tea.
I think I still don’t know how I’m supposed to make my bed in INTL business despite many more trips since then
It wasn’t even this century – LAX-HKG in business on CX as part of a six-week paid sabbatical my company gave all its employees every four years (pour one out for Tandem Computers, RIP). That would have been 1992. I wasn’t able to snag one of the seats on the upper deck of that lovely old 747, not even knowing that was a thing at the time, but I remember keeping the amenity kit as a memento of the journey for at least a decade.
You get two first times, the first time you fly business then the first time you fly Arab airline business.
Most memorable ‘upgrade’ was from Tokyo to Washington DC alone on a Boeing jumbo. The front was overbooked and they offered me enough money to get a custom tailored suit and seats in the back.
“How many” I said. (I’m 6’9″ so this was not a trivial question).
“How many do you want?”
“Five” I said
“No Problem”
I folded up the armrests, took a pill, and got about 8 hours of the best sleep ever on a plane!
First time up front was RT JFK-CDG in first class on Pan Am way back in September 1989. If I recall, the flight was 70K miles per person, which I earned from a crazy flying promo. It was called the Half-Fare-No-Fare promo, so we flew coach to Germany with 1 ticket at half price, and then coach to Hawaii with one ticket free. The Hawaii flights had a stop in California, where we had to deplane, but the 2 flights had the same number. You could earn a big bonus by flying 3 segments. However, the promo fine print didn’t specify unique flight numbers, so Pan Am agreed to give me the bonus miles which got us enough for our Paris flights. The flight was around $7K pp – I remember pricing it out. Ah, the good old days…..
I’m a bit fuzzy on the details as to plane type (I think an Airbus) but first was 2 rows of recliner seats in a 2-2-2 config. Smoking was allowed back then. We were in row 1 on the right side and 2 chain smokers were seated behind us. Meal service was elaborate, somewhat involved, and since the galley was right in front of us, not the quietest premium cabin experience for an overnight flight. At least the smokers knocked it off for awhile. 🙂
On the daytime return we were in row 1 left side of a 747. Across the aisle row 1 only had a single seat occupied by an older, obviously well-heeled, woman who was probably wondering how these “newbies” were in first class. We had legroom for miles and the FAs were wonderful to us. My DH is a charmer, aka an excellent salesperson, so we had a great flight.
Alas, after that we only had enough miles to fly in economy. except for a few domestic transcontinental flights in first when TWA mistakenly elevated me to Gold, until we took our first business class flght in 2009, RTon AA JFK-FCO in angled seats. And then not again until 2013.
We learned how to collect a lot of miles starting in 2011. Also, now we are fortunate enough to be able to pay for biz if we have to (but hoping not). Our most recent flight was the long way home from Seoul in Qatar Qsuites: ICN-DOH-JFK, using AA miles. What a treat!
Oops, just remembered that my girlfriend and I were bumped to first class on our outbound flight JFK-SJU in a 747 back in spring 1975. The whole time we expected to be removed back to coach. Talk about newbies.
First time was QF on a 742 from AKL-SYD on the upper deck, though the flight was too short and I too young to appreciate it. For international F it was also QF for SYD-BKK-LHR before CDG on BA. I’ll never forget the little tapes that they made available so you could watch what you wanted to when you wanted
I will never forgot my first flight to Hawaii from LA with my parents. We got an Op UP from UA – so here I am a 12 year old at the time flying in the nose of a UA B747! I still remember the flight – it featured UA’s “Trader Vic’s” service and was Hawaii-themed.
Incredible memory, especially since I recently came across an old photo of my Mother flying First Class to Hawaii!
My first time was Air New Zealand LAX-Samoa-Tonga-Auckland (I got off in Tonga) on an older configuration 767. It was the first time I slept on a plane even though these weren’t lean back seats and not lie flat. And it was the first time I experienced in seat TV (on a tiny little monitor). Actually the best part of this experience was getting into the old Air New Zealand lounge in T2. I took a shower and everything and ate pretty good.
But that was the first time flying on miles. The first time flying in first was a TWA 747 Zurich-JFK in 1973. I was like 7 and I’ll never forget it. I was given a menu with pictures and was going to order ice cream and other wonderful things. But then I fell asleep and when I woke up we were an hour out from JFK and I missed out on my feast. I’m still traumatized about that…
As someone who is tall, flying first class was a realization that i could actually fly without severe physical pain. the added accoutrement are nice, but just having a pain-free flight is the goal. I’ve flown 1st or better ever since.
Gernot Trolf says:
September 10, 2024 at 10:56 am
This shows clearly the the level of education that is provided in USA schools.
Sorry Gernot, this tells us nothing about the level of education provided in USA schools because his accent, and national flag next to his name above the video is clearly NIGERIIAN
We all however learned all about your lack of education and obvious biases
Qatar is a terroris-supporting, slave-owning medieval freak state.
Good people shouldn’t visit them, or fly their airline
Got upgraded to flagship on AA. Had a long layover in LAX, so took a shuttle to an airport hotel, worked out at the gym and then returned to take a shower. The flagship bathrooms were, to me, luxurious. Individual spacious bathrooms with a large shower, fluffy towels, ion hairdryer, toiletries; beautifully designed. I took pictures of it to show my friends.
My first time in First Class came aboard a Continental DC-10 from Denver to Los Angeles in 1973. I’d paid $38 extra for the privilege (about $150 in today’s money) and was quite disappointed as I’d expected service to be like it was in the brochures and ads, which apparently depicted service standards found on much longer flights.
Three years later I flew Qantas First Class aboard their 747 from Vancouver to Honolulu with a stop in SFO. Now that was much, much nicer. Hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, a roast carved from the trolley, Mai Tais in the upstairs lounge…
I got used to that Right Away, and since then I’ve finagled my way into First Class on about 60% of my flights since.
As for Business Class – Please… let’s not kid ourselves. There’s no comparison except for possibly Qatar’s meal service. At 6′ and 200lbs, I find those Qsuites pretty tight compared to a proper First Class suite.
But I’ll always have fond memories of that first Qantas flight in International First Class. It wasn’t better or worse than I expected – it was exactly what I expected, which was excellent!
I genuinely don’t remember. I remember the best ones, but I don’t think it would’ve been my first. Probably TATL in some ratty old recliner on my beloved-still NW.
Actually, my first J flight was as an unaccompanied minor LHR-FCO in the 80’s. But it was Air India, so I don’t think I could tell the difference. I do remember the funky wallpaper, the Bollywood film in Hindi playing on a pull-down screen, and the very sweet FA’s who must’ve just wanted to keep an eye on me and gave me the seat after boarding. But there was nothing special about the business class at all, the flight was more exciting due to an unscheduled stop in ZRH because the weather was so bad over northern Italy and later FCO, that I guess someone decided it would be better to land in a country where no one could deplane and wait it out. I slept through all that and made it to Rome roughly 12 hours later. I’ve never flown AI since, and probably never will.
I think your opening paragraph was incomplete as it failed to mention “REF: Mumbai to Heathrow 7th December 2008.” Quite possibly the finest complaint letter ever written.
https://www.reddit.com/r/CasualUK/comments/739cig/is_this_still_the_worlds_greatest_complaint_letter/
Flying TWA to Delhi via London, TWA was late out of ORD so I ended up getting put in First on BA to Delhi due to missed connection; this was back when BA/UA were a team so I got United miles which were awarded at the upgrade level. Back then, I thought miles were “like money in the bank.” Of course it has turned out money is the bank is not like “money in the bank” either. Someone should do a study as to whether cash or miles has the lowest return.
JAL First from SFO to HND. Vintage Bollinger the whole way (a paltry 3 bottles). Upon arrival at the Haneda JAL First lounge, where I had an 8 hour layover, I released an audible squeal of delight, as they had a dedicated Champagne tasting room, whose offerings paired nicely with whatever my personal sushi chef decided to make for me. The only quirky part of my visit to this Nirvana, was that the lounge had a fabulous wood and leather library, filled with locked glass cases displaying probably the world’s finest collection of glossy cocktail table books. I requested one of the cases be opened so I could do a little perusing of a couple of design books that caught my eye. I was told they were not for reading, just admiring through the glass. Quite the layover, before another 7 hours on JAL to SGN.
A big step up from his usual reviews of Spirit and Frontier.
My first time flying business class was on a Boston to London Heathrow work trip on a British Airways 747. I had the outside pod upstairs and the highlight of my experience was the stewardess knocking on my door with “How would you like your eggs, love?”!
On a business trip I once flew around the world SAN-LAX-SYD-ABX, MEL-KUL-CHE-LHR-SAN in 12 days. The company paid for business class airfare amounting to almost $25k.
On the LHR-SAN segment the gate attendant stopped me during boarding and told me I had the wrong ticket. BA had upgraded me from business to first class(I had flown almost 200k BIS miles that year).
I remember boarding the flight, being served great meal and a couple of drams of Scotch and I went to sleep over the Irish Sea. I woke up with the flight over Las Vegas, had a cappuccino and soon landed…I had slept the entire flight