Qatar Airways Airline Review

Seating: B777-300ER: 42 six abreast at 198cms (78 inches) per row; seat width 56 cms (22 inches); 180-degree flat-bed recline. A350-900: 36 four-abreast at 127 cms (50 inches) per row in a 'herringbone' (skewed) arrangement that provides as least as much stretch-out leg room as the B777-300ER and more privacy per seat. Seat width 56 cms (22 inches); 180-degree flat-bed recline. Amenities: Upmarket pack of toiletries and cosmetic goodies, such as Armani Acqua di Gio, plus a stylish tracksuit for sleeping in the Qatar Airways grey and maroon colours.

By far the best thing about Qatar Airways business class for me is the food and beverage. In fact, for me, it is foodie heaven and the service is faultless. A selection from one of the typical menus - appetizers: king crab mango and coriander salsa or North Atlantic lobster rillete. Mains: pulled lamb shank with mesquite barbecue sauce in a wrap (the best thing I have eaten on an aeroplane) or grilled Arabic style spiced prawns. Desserts: chocolate cake with dark chocolate mousse or gourmet icecream (served - with apologies for the required delay in preparation - melting on the outside but frozen on the inside - a favourite I returned to on a later flight). A typical wine list includes French champagne (Billecart-Salmon) and a selection of quality reds and whites from France, Australia and the US. A show-stopper for me, a 1974 Kopke tawny port from the varietal's home turf - Douro Valley west of Porto, Portugal - went superbly with a cheese spread served with crackers, dried fruit, walnuts and chutney.

The Qatar Airways Oryx in-flight entertainment system offers more than 2000 options -movies (from classics to latest releases) and TV, categorised by genre, audio (music and spoken word) and games. As well as a choice from the world's showbiz capitals, there is an array of Arabic entertainment. The operating the system is different on the A777 and A350 and it took me 15-30 minutes to get comfortable with each. That said, I found that, after two long sectors I felt that I had watched most of what was of interest to me. Therefore, on the third and fourth sectors, my attention turned to the in-flight web where it was available and, because I am a geography nerd, the moving flight map. Wifi: standard in-flight internet rates [in both business and economy class]: one hour $US5; three hours $US10; set price of $US20 regardless of the number of hours used - available on A380, A350, B787, A319, and select A320 and A330 aircraft but not on B777-200/300. For travel from Australia, that rules out Sydney (from March 1 2016), Melbourne and Perth, but includes Adelaide (A350 service from May 1, 2016). In December 2015, Qatar Airways announced a sponsorship deal with Gulf communications company Ooredoo under which in-flight wifi on all connected aircraft is free for the first 15 minutes before the above fees cut in - handy if you just want to check emails. if you need laptop power don't be afraid to ask an attendant where the power plug is if you can't find it - I wasted plenty of time wondering. Remember also you'll need a Qatari power plug adaptor, as well as a power adaptor at your destination country. USB port also available.

Qatar Airways says it focuses on little things that make a difference to its customers and the amount of awards it's received over the past six years attest it’s not an idle boast. My flight from Melbourne to New York on both the 777-300 and brand new A350-900 further reinforced that this airline is a world leader when it comes to premium service.