SIN-DOH
For unknown reasons, Qatar Airways still do not offer mobile boarding passes for departures from Singapore. Thus, timing of entry to airside is somewhat constrained by the check-in desk opening time of three hours before departure. I usually like to arrive a little earlier than three hours prior in airports where there are decent oneworld lounges (as is the case at Changi), so this restriction is somewhat primitive.
The check-in agents were still setting up the main bank of desks in T1 (a recent switch for QR from T3) when I arrived around ten minutes prior to advertised opening time. ‘Early check-in’ was in full swing at a dedicated desk (this is not an advertised service), although the Business Class desks were not yet open. I checked with an agent and after an initial unnecessary show of reluctance was eventually checked-in, but not before I’d had to show proof of my onward flight from Oslo to London – I have no idea why this was the case given I am (for now) an EU citizen and the OSL-LHR sector was on a separate booking.
After a quick x-ray of my cabin baggage (but no full security as this is completed at the gate at SIN), I was through immigration swiftly after being asked to use the automated gates (despite these being signed for Singapore residents only).
I popped my head into the third party SATS Premier lounge Qatar Airways use at Changi; it was pretty busy and distinctly underwhelming, so I made a hasty retreat (not even stopping for a photo) to the adjacent British Airways lounge. This tends to be the quieter of the Singapore lounges (at least, outside of BA departure times); this was certainly the case this evening with only a solitary man FaceTiming (sans headphones) for company, no doubt conducting Very Important Business. I reviewed the BA lounge fully last year
here.
With a number of Qantas departures imminent, I soon left the quiet BA lounge to enter the now much quieter Qantas Singapore lounge. This combined business and first class lounge has recently been slightly expanded (since I visited in February) and is soon to be rebranded as a Qantas Business lounge with the opening of a brand new and much anticipated Qantas First lounge towards the end of the year.
I wasn’t particularly kind to this lounge in my review of last year, but this visit proved notably better than the first. Although this facility can be unpleasantly crowded, once a few QF departures take place and the space has emptied I now rate it as the better of the two oneworld lounges in T1. I have yet to visit the Cathay Pacific lounge in T4, principally because it can only be accessed on T4-departing oneworld flights.
Once past the friendly receptionist (who not only gave me permission to take a photo of the reception area, but promptly posed for a photo), the lounge opens up into two sections. The first features a tended bar on the right with a large dining area beyond (with two self-serve buffets and a tended open kitchen) and showers at the very end.
The baristas at the bar produce some of the very best coffee I’ve ever tasted – I’d definitely recommend this over the self-serve machine in the main seating area. The open kitchen serves a couple of made-to-order dishes; I sampled the pork sang choi bao with rice cashews and water chestnuts, which was excellent.
In the absence of a First lounge, a number of tables are reserved for Qantas First passengers, Platinum One and Chairman’s Lounge members. These passengers enjoy the services of a First Host and enhanced beverages, although there is no separate menu or full waiter service.
The second main lounge area, to the left of the entryway, features a large self-serve bar (somewhat of an impromptu use of a high-top table) opposite a newsstand integrated into the wall, washrooms and two main areas of lounge seating, the second of which features a small self-serve bar/coffee station. Each seating area has its own TV, whilst a compact children’s play area is available in the right-hand corner of the first seating area adjacent to the TV.
One run of seating by the internal window overlooking check-in is currently reserved for the same passengers who enjoy reserved seating in the dining area.
Whilst the design is a little industrial and the seating a little regimented, service throughout the lounge is excellent and I enjoy the more youthful atmosphere when compared to the BA lounge. This is not to say that the BA lounge is a bad lounge – it’s very far from this – but rather that Qantas offers a better dining experience in more contemporary surroundings.
A dedicated Business Class lane was available at security for Gate D34, although as is so often the case, this merged with the two general security search lanes. Security processing was mercifully quick, however, with no need to remove liquids from bags; the quicker this screening technology comes to Heathrow, the better.
A further Business Class lane was set up for the final boarding pass check at the boarding gate door, with dual airbridges docked to Doors 1L and 2L; unsurprisingly, J was called first and boarded through 1L. This sector was originally scheduled to be operated by an A350-1000, but it was most certainly the -900 variant A7-ALY that greeted me as I stepped onboard and was directed to Suite 3K – the same aircraft I’d flown on from Oslo to Doha a few days previously. QR are notorious for their last minute aircraft changes, but I was thankful that today’s swap was at least to another Qsuite-equipped aircraft.
Pre-placed on my seat was a pillow, with the smaller phrase-infested pillow on the side ledge adjacent to the rolled blanket and Nappa Dori amenity kit. Headphones and a bottle of Evian water were located within the armrest.
As the cabin crew member serving my aisle came to provide a personal welcome, jackets and pre-departure drinks orders were taken along with the offer of a hot or cold towel. The Captain announced a flight time of precisely 8 hours as PJ and slipper packs, the menu and wine list and newspapers were handed out in the cabin. The CSD also stopped by to welcome passengers individually, including on this occasion to point out the location of the washrooms.
After takeoff, orders for dinner were taken and service commenced with my chosen glass of Ataïr Etoile Rosé and warm nuts accompanied by Red Sparrow on the IFE. Pacing of the dinner service was a little slow, with drinks not served until around 40 minutes after departure.
The relatively slow service continued as each course was brought out, starting with an indiscernible and bland (but nicely presented) amuse-bouche. Drinks were never proactively topped up, a service failing I’ve rarely experienced on QR.
In many flights with Qatar Airways I had yet to try their signature Arabic mezze appetiser, comprised on this flight of hummus, tabbouleh and baba ghanoush and served with Arabic bread. I’m not a huge fan of mezze, so it’s perhaps unsurprising that I found this course distinctly ‘meh’.
The stir-fried king prawns with Singapore style chilli sauce, served with egg noodles, julienne vegetables and chye sim was quite spicy but pleasant nonetheless. The prawns themselves were a little on the rubbery side, but perfectly edible. This dish was offered alongside a range of condiments, although was already flavoured perfectly adequately for my taste.
Concluding this evening’s dinner was the comforting but unremarkable apple tarte tatin, with vanilla sauce and mixed berry compote, served alongside an oolong tea. The black plates QR use for dessert service do add a certain flair to the presentation, although on the whole I find the different types of tableware to be slightly uncoordinated between courses.
After dinner had concluded I requested the mattress pad be fitted to my seat. Although QR don’t offer full turndown service in Business Class, the fitting of the mattress pad does add a significant layer of comfort to an otherwise quite bumpy seat. Pillowcases are also fitted to the pillow by the cabin crew, with the passenger left to recline the seat fully flat and lay out the blanket themselves. Given crew are already fitting the mattress pad and pillowcase, it seems a little odd that the rest of turndown isn’t completed by the crew as well.
Three hours of rest later, I woke up to the offer of a drink, opting also for the fresh berries with rosewater syrup to accompany my cardamom karak chai tea. Learning my lesson from a previous flight, I didn’t add the syrup to the berries which were all the better for it.
With not enough flight time remaining to watch a movie, I browsed the fairly limited TV selection and ended up settling on a documentary about Longleat, the stately home in Wiltshire, UK. Presented by property expert Phil Spencer, this was a relaxing accompaniment as we prepared to land into Doha at 00:20 local time.
The CSD wished passengers goodbye before we entered a brief holding pattern prior to landing at Doha. Two dedicated Business Class buses were waiting for us at our remote stand; the one I travelled in for the fairly long journey over to the terminal had either been recently refurbished or was brand new as it was sporting smart red leather seats. Premium transfer security was once again pretty quiet, with a couple of dedicated lanes past soft seating partially hidden behind low walls.