There was never a huge gap between QR F and J, however, it has narrowed even further recently, so you definitely have a point. Part of it is J hard product improvement and part of it is F product decline - I have sadly watched the QR long haul F product gradually degrade over the last five years and it’s part of why I moved most of my travel to Asia to EK a few years ago.

Separate pajamas and amenity kits went, they stopped bothering to do the nice roses in the bathroom, the number of F only menu items decreased, Al Safwa became busier and busier along with a downgrading of the soft product (can’t get a room to sleep as a longhaul F passenger at peak times any more, the top shelf alcohol is largely gone).

It is not surprising, Al Baker has previously publicly stated QR F’s days are numbered other than for LHR-DOH, but the mess up over the A350 probably means it will stick around for longer than expected due to lack of frames.