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VCE-HKT via DOH, BKK with Qatar Airways and Thai Airways in J

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VCE-HKT via DOH, BKK with Qatar Airways and Thai Airways in J

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Old Feb 18, 2017, 11:31 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: Aug 2014
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VCE-HKT via DOH, BKK with Qatar Airways and Thai Airways in J

Hello,

This is my first report that I am publishing. I do apologize for some bad quality pictures, I hope that you will enjoy my trip report.


Departure Airport: Venice Marco Polo International Airport
Arrival Airport: Doha Hamad International Airport
Airline: Qatar Airways
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Class: Business Class
Seat: 2E (Lie-Flat)

Departure Time: 16:40
Arrival Time: 00:10
Flight Time: 5:30 hours

I arrived at airport around 14:30. After entering terminal I quickly found Qatar Airways check-in area. Check-In was done in few minutes, there was no other passengers at Priority Line. Afterwards I proceed to security check-point. There was Priority Line for Business Class so I passed security check point in less than 5 minutes.



Qatar Airways use Marco Polo Club Lounge which is located on 2nd floor. Lounge was under renovations so it had very limited facilities. There was basic snacks and drinks as well as reading material and Wi-Fi. Lounge was very crowded due to limited capacity and many flights departing that afternoon. At 16:00 when boarding was called I proceed down to gate. They were using single jet way for boarding, but there was dedicated gate agent for Business Class and Privilege Club members.

Once I settled down at my seat, flight attendant offered me pre-departure drink of my choice and cold or hot towel. I choose orange juice which was chilled with ice and hot towel which was at right temperature. Later flight attendant came to me to ask me about dinning choices. Qatar Airways is offering Anytime Dinning with various choices for starter, main course and dessert. I have chosen lunch after takeoff and refreshment prior landing.



Menu

Afterwards flight attendant brought me amenity kit. It was Armani branded kit which include cologne, lotion, lip balm, ear plugs, eye mask and socks. Dental kit and shave kit where available at lavatories.



At around 16:20 boarding was completed and we took off few minutes earlier than scheduled. About 15 minutes after takeoff cabin crew started with bar service. I order Coke which was served with ice and nuts. About 45 minutes after take-off, meal service started.

In mean time I was exploring IFE (In-Flight Entertainment System) which offered an decent choice of movies and TV shows. Headphones where good quality and comfortable to wear. Screen was medium size but still it offered good viewing experience. Remote control for IFE (In-Flight Entertainment System) was touch screen remote.


IFE Screen


IFE Remote

Seat was an older style lie-flat seat. Seat was extremely comfortable in both sleep and relax position. Seat had adjustable headrest. Seat had also privacy panel, power-outlet, USB port and reading light.

On Qatar A330-200 there is 4 rows of 6 seats in configuration (2-2-2), in total 24 seats.


Seat Controls

About 45 minutes after takeoff, meal service began. First course was Amuse Bouche which was salmon with mash potato. Salmon and mash potato where both very tasty.


Amuse Bouche

Second course was a starter which I choose a Classic Arabic meze. It included a pita bread, hummus, tabbouleh and muhammara. Pita bread and muhammara where very tasty, while hummus was also good but I ate better humus on airplane. While I didn’t like taste of tabbouleh, for my taste it had too much of parsley in. In general appetizer was very good and tasty.


Starter

Third course was a main dish. I choose a chicken with machboos sauce. Chicken was great, very tasty and full of aroma from sauce. It was served with some rice which was also great. And I liked mostly the mint sauce which was served with the chicken. Mint sauce gave special flavor to a chicken. In general I was impressed with main course.


Main Course

Fourth course was a dessert. I choose a Panna Cotta witch had coconut flavor. It was topped with mango sauce. I didn’t like dessert that much, it was too sweet for me. I was also served coffee. Espresso was very good and had aromatic taste.


Dessert


After meal service was complete we were already about 2:30 hours in flight over southern Mediterranean Sea near the Egyptian coast.
So I decided to sleep for a bit. I woke up about 1:30 hours before decent to Doha. I noticed that crew placed chocolate and water bottles to every seat.

After I woke up, they served me refreshment straight away. It was a salmon appetizer. It was a salmon with some potato and tomato’s. Salmon was great, while potato and tomato’s where also good. In general, appetizer was very good.


Refreshment

We landed on-time at Doha and taxied for very short time to remote stand. They used 2L doors for disembarkation and crew make sure that Business Class disembarked first. There was separate bus for Business class passengers. Ride to terminal was not very long, about 5 minutes.

After I proceed straight to transit security check-point. There was separate line for Business and First Class passengers. After I went straight into lounge.

Lounge is very big and very nicely decorated. It is one of the nicest lounges that I ever had been to. I just drank few glasses of tonic water and a coffee. Lounge offers many seating areas, restaurant, sleeping rooms and business center. Lounge staff is very friendly and helpful. I less than hours I left to my onward gate.


Departure Airport: Doha Hamad International Airport
Arrival Airport: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport
Airline: Qatar Airways
Aircraft: Airbus A380
Class: Business Class
Seat: 14A (Flat-Bed)

Departure Time: 03:05 (03:40 actual departure)
Arrival Time: 13:20 (13:40 actual arrival)
Flight Time: 6:25 hours (scheduled)

At about 2:30 am I proceed to gate. Boarding was already in progress. I took elevator to upper boarding area where I boarder the A380.

Once I settled down to my seat, flight attendant asked me about pre-departure drink and cold or hot towel. This time I decided for cold towel and a lemonade. Lemonade was delicious and cold served with ice.


Pre-Departure Drink

Afterwards flight attendant brought me amenity kit. This time it was Brick’s branded kit which include hydrating facial, anti-age cream, lip balm, ear plugs, eye mask and socks. Dental kit and shave kit where again available at lavatories.


Amenity Kit


Amenity Kit Content

Afterwards flight attendant came to introduce herself and asked me about dinning choices. I choose light snack after take-off and breakfast about 2 hours prior landing.


Menu

At around 03:40 boarding was completed which was delayed due to off-loading bags of few passengers. After take-off cabin lights remained dimmed.
In mean time I was exploring IFE (In-Flight Entertainment System) which offered a decent choice of movies and TV shows. Headphones where good quality and comfortable to wear. Screen was large size offered good
viewing experience. Remote control for IFE (In-Flight Entertainment System) was touch screen remote.


Screen


IFE Remote

Seat was a brand new mini-pod seat. Seat was extremely comfortable in both sleep and relax position. Seat had adjustable headrest. Seat had also power-outlet, USB port and reading light. Seats have also blue ambient light which is switch off when seat is in flat-bed position.

On Qatar A380 there is 12 rows of 4 seats in configuration (1-2-1), in total 48 seats.


Seat Controls


Reading Light and Magazine Pocket


Shoe Box


Water Bottle and Headphones Compartment


Storage Box


Seat in sleeping position

About 30 minutes after takeoff, meal service began. For snack I choose a chicken salad which was delicious. Only I was missing some spices on chicken, chicken taste was quiet plain.


Snack


After meal service was complete we were already about 1:30 hours in flight near coast of India. So I decided to watch a movie and then to sleep for a bit. I woke up about 2:30 hours before arrival.

In about 30 minutes after I woke up they served me my breakfast. First they served me a starter which was a salmon with avocado and horseradish. It was very delicious. Salmon was very good.


Starter

Second they served an omelet with steak and potato. Steak was good, while omelet was tastelessly plain and potato was just average. I was little disappointed with dish, maybe my expectations were too high. But Tabasco sauce and pepper added taste to omelet.


Main Course

We landed delayed at Bangkok and taxied for long time to gate. We disembark from upper deck and I went straight to immigration. Priority Line saved me much time, I was done with immigration in about 5 minutes. I proceed to luggage reclaim and I got my bags in few minutes. After I walked back to upper level where I found my onward flight check-in area. Thai uses check-in area A which was about 15 minutes’ walk from arrival hall. Airport was very crowded and busy.

Check-In at Thai Airways Counter was quick and I proceed to security check-point. In about 15 minutes from re-checking I was again at Thai Airways Domestic Lounge. Lounges is medium size and offers mainly only seating area with few office desks. Food was average limited to snacks and drink selection was basic. Lounge was very crowded due to many departures at afternoon.

Departure Airport: Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport
Arrival Airport: Phuket International Airport
Airline: Thai Airways
Aircraft: Boeing B777-300ER
Class: Business Class
Seat: 14B (Flat-Bed)

Departure Time: 17:25 (17:50 actual departure)
Arrival Time: 18:45 (19:30 actual arrival)
Flight Time: 1:20 hours (scheduled)

Boarding started at 16:40, when I left lounge few minutes later. Boarding was very chaotic and there where separate line for Business Class and Star Alliance Gold. There were many people pushing in into priority line. After we waited inside a bus for next 10 minutes till bus was full. We drove for about 5 minutes and bus stopped next to jet way. This was a time that I realized that they changed aircraft from B747-400 to B777-300ER. After entering a jet way there were two jet ways one for Business Class and other for Economy Class, even that there were no signs.

When I was settled in, purser came and offered me welcome drink which was some sort of ice tea. He also offered me 2 re-fills and cold towels. At about 17:40 doors where finally closed and we were pushed back.


Welcome Drink

In-Flight entertainment was not available on this flight. It first showed a promotional video of Thailand then a safety video and for rest of flight there was air show (map, flight info). IFE remote was just a standard new generation remote that you can find on many aircrafts.

Seat was a flat-bed similar to Etihad old business class. Seat was extremely uncomfortable in flat-bed position. But at lounge reclined position was much better. Seat had adjustable headrest. Seat had also power-outlet, USB port and reading light. Seat had no leg-rest but an ottoman was bellow screen.
On Thai B777-300ER there is 10 rows of 4 seats (1-2-1) and 2 additional middle seats behind doors 2, in total 42 seats.


IFE Remote and Seat Controls


Magazine Pocket and Reading light


Seat in flat-bed mode

About 10 minutes after departure cabin crew started with in-flight meal. It was served on single tray and it include wok style noodles with sea food which were very delicious and a compote with a strange taste. Crew also offered several drinks (water, ice tea and juice). After they passed cabin with Nescafe coffee and tea. I decided for coffee and it was ok, with some sugar and milk.


Meal

Meal was beyond me expectations; I didn’t expect to have a hot meal on such a short flight. Rest of flight was un event full and we landed with delay few minutes before 19:30.

After disembarkation we just went down stairs to baggage reclaim area. In 10 minutes I got my bag and I walked towards arrival hall. There a representative from my hotel meet me and my 27 hour came towards end.

Thank you for reading my trip report.
DC10

Last edited by DC10; Feb 22, 2017 at 6:50 am Reason: some error with links
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Old Feb 19, 2017, 8:18 am
  #2  
 
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Thank you for the report.
Since I have an incoming VCE-DOH I'm glad to see the seat is lie flat and not angled on the A330.
i got the 747 few years ago on the HKT-BKK sector and asked at checkin if I could have the upgrade to the F seat, which they normally do with J service.
Gat way to experience the old school F, at least for once.
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 2:10 am
  #3  
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Originally Posted by Forrest Bump
Thank you for the report.
Since I have an incoming VCE-DOH I'm glad to see the seat is lie flat and not angled on the A330.
i got the 747 few years ago on the HKT-BKK sector and asked at checkin if I could have the upgrade to the F seat, which they normally do with J service.
Gat way to experience the old school F, at least for once.
On A330 there is angle-flat seat which is simmilar to Emirates B777 seat.
I hope to get B747 on return trip.
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 6:48 am
  #4  
 
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Originally Posted by DC10
On A330 there is angle-flat seat which is simmilar to Emirates B777 seat.
Thanks for this report. I'm doing a similar routing next week, albeit DOH-BKK on the 77W, as the 380 was full in the lower fare class, and then on to HKG

Out of interest, when was this trip? I was wondering if the VCE lounge situation has resolved yet - it's normally a nice, spacious lounge with a fantastic outside terrace overlooking the airport. Also the QR forum seems to think the lie flat seats have completely gone from the A330s now - and it's either full-flat front-facing like the 77W, or full-flat but at a slight herringbone, like the UA seats?
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 10:41 am
  #5  
 
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Firstly, thanks OP for a very informative trip report and some lovely photos. Sounds like you had some pretty good flights!
Originally Posted by kt74
Out of interest, when was this trip? I was wondering if the VCE lounge situation has resolved yet - it's normally a nice, spacious lounge with a fantastic outside terrace overlooking the airport. Also the QR forum seems to think the lie flat seats have completely gone from the A330s now - and it's either full-flat front-facing like the 77W, or full-flat but at a slight herringbone, like the UA seats?
I'm reasonably confident that the OP's VCE-DOH was in fact fully flat, not angled flat (assuming everyone is using the same terminology). The seat control and the seat-back shown on his/her photos indicates an A330 fitted with B/E Minipod, which is fully flat.

In any case, for your purposes, QR no longer has any angled flat flying - they are all either fully flat (all long-haul a/c and some A320), or recliners (only on A320).
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Old Feb 20, 2017, 11:51 pm
  #6  
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Originally Posted by stargold
Firstly, thanks OP for a very informative trip report and some lovely photos. Sounds like you had some pretty good flights!I'm reasonably confident that the OP's VCE-DOH was in fact fully flat, not angled flat (assuming everyone is using the same terminology). The seat control and the seat-back shown on his/her photos indicates an A330 fitted with B/E Minipod, which is fully flat.

In any case, for your purposes, QR no longer has any angled flat flying - they are all either fully flat (all long-haul a/c and some A320), or recliners (only on A320).
This was about a week ago. Venice airport is under construction. Departure drop-off zone is closed, you need to get droped at Arrivals Hall and then take elevator to upper floor for check-in. Lounge is reduced to 1/4 of size due to renovation and it was very busy in the afternoon.

Seat is horizontal (180 degress) but is a bit angeled. Seat was anyway very comfortable in both siting and sleeping position. It is simmilar to Emirates Business Class seat on B777.

Qatar have still recliners on A320 and A321 aircrafts which fly within Gulf and to Easteren Europe (ZAG,BUD,BEG,...)

Best Regards
DC10
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Old Feb 21, 2017, 3:20 pm
  #7  
 
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i find it odd that Thai sends you to a remote gate to be bussed to a plane at an actual gate with a tube and you have to climb up the stairs. i had this experience in 2013 which was awesome since you were so close to the plane. i did not get TG-ed though and was alone on the top deck of the 747.

not sure if anyone knows why Thai does this for their HKT flights.
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Old Feb 21, 2017, 10:26 pm
  #8  
 
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Originally Posted by injian
i find it odd that Thai sends you to a remote gate to be bussed to a plane at an actual gate with a tube and you have to climb up the stairs. i had this experience in 2013 which was awesome since you were so close to the plane. i did not get TG-ed though and was alone on the top deck of the 747.

not sure if anyone knows why Thai does this for their HKT flights.
May be the operated aircraft was coming from aboard and parking at the international departure gate. So, They send the domestic passengers from domestic gate to international gate via buses.
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 12:18 am
  #9  
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Originally Posted by joy16
May be the operated aircraft was coming from aboard and parking at the international departure gate. So, They send the domestic passengers from domestic gate to international gate via buses.
Aircraft was parked at international gate (C Gates).
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Old Feb 22, 2017, 4:19 am
  #10  
 
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Angry photobucket account OP...can't see any pics says "Photo not found"
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