FIFA World Cup, the biggest sporting event held every four years, officially kicked off for the 22nd time in Qatar. The State of Qatar inaugurated the 2022 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony amid millions of football fans on November 20. Qatar Airways, the flag carrier of the host country, celebrated the iconic opening of WC Qatar 2022, the first-ever tournament held in the Middle East. The astounding inauguration event occurred inside the Bedouin-tent-inspired Al Bayt Stadium and featured renowned personalities like Morgan Freeman, Jungkook, etc.
The state-owned Qatar Airways is the official carrier of this largest international football competition journey. The airline celebrated the opening of WC2022, the most expensive in history, with millions of fans worldwide. It is marking the high-stake tournament with special football-themed experiences at Qatar’s eight stadiums. In partnership with FIFA, Qatar Airways will connect and unite fans globally during this month-long sporting competition.
The 2022 World Cup, the first-ever FIFA tournament to be held in the Arab world, will see 32 participating teams. With 60+ matches remaining, football fans can support their favorite teams live in Qatar stadiums. Qatar Airways is poised to take fans to the world-class sports infrastructures in Qatar with a taste of Arab hospitality onboard.
Qatar Airways has introduced unique WC2022 travel packages that cover everything you require, offering you the ultimate convenience. The package includes flights from your city to Doha, accommodation, and tickets to ensure your place at your favorite teams’ matches. Talking about flights, you’ll have the opportunity to experience Qatar Airways First Class on certain routes. What’s so special about Qatar Airways First Class? Let’s dive into the details.
Qatar Airways First Class
Qatar Airways First Class is the most premium airline product featuring the most exclusive and personalized experience for high-end customers. It is an aspirational QR product, the best of what the carrier offers in terms of passenger service and amenities. Unfortunately, Qatar Airways’ over-the-top first-class service may have a very short lifespan. With the unprecedented success of the revolutionary Qsuite business class, QR First Class might become obsolete.
Celebrate and curate unforgettable memories by flying onboard QR’s first-class cabin when it still lasts. Your Worldcup tour to Qatar will be more exciting than ever with an unparalleled travel experience offered by QR’s first-class product.
1. Qatar Airways First Class offerings
Qatar Airways First Class takes traveling to the highest level of luxury for premium customers with flawless personalized service.
- Ground experience
Your luxurious trip begins with a private airport check-in experience and speedy security clearance. The pre-flight experience becomes even more lavish with access to the Al Safwa First Class Lounge. It is a flagship lounge of Qatar Airways where you can enjoy the luxury of private space before boarding. Indulge in a spa treatment with a Jacuzzi experience, try a rich assortment of elaborate dishes, or mix up delicious libation at a well-stocked bar. Take a step back in time by enjoying the fine art museum inspired by the design of Doha’s Museum of Islamic art. Furthermore, you can take care of important business or rest in private rooms before the next flight.
- Onboard service
The highly luxurious onboard service begins with choice offerings of welcome beverages before takeoff. Relaxing in an ultra-comfortable, fully lie-flat bed, you can begin your culinary journey with world-class meals in the sky. Delight your palate with expertly served exclusive vintages, all freshly prepared and made with local ingredients. Relish the exquisite flavors featuring Arabic-infused cuisines and premium beverages such as Krug 2004 Champagne, Arabic coffee, etc. Likewise, reward your senses with sumptuous dishes like caviar with Balik-style smoked salmon, pan-fried king prawns, pandan mousse cake, etc.
In addition to a gastronomic journey of flavors onboard, you will find up to 4,000 entertainment options on QR’s innovative Oryx One inflight entertainment system. QR’s audio-video on-demand service offers you an expansive choice of entertainment options, including movies, audio, tv shows, etc.
Find extra luxury touches in Diptyque’s amenity kits designed to offer you the ultimate comfort and well-being. Qatar Airways pampers its high-paying customers with the latest state-of-the-art designs from the highest-quality brands. The lavish first-class cabin is more than multi-course feasts and thoughtfully-dressed seats in the finest fabrics.
QR First Class sets itself apart from the rest with luxe amenity kits containing travel-sized personal care items. The elegant French Perfumer Diptyque-branded amenity kits contain specially selected travel products to elevate premium travel and offer wellness and pleasure in the skies. The exclusive amenity kits and gift products contain nourishing lip balm, fresh body lotion, essential face cream, and Diptyque fragrance. The signature fragrance comes from the noblest ingredients around the globe and offers enchanting experiences to passengers. The ’34 Boulevard Saint Germain’ Eau de Toilette or ‘Eau Rose’ Eau de Toilette incorporates a voluptuous and joyous fragrance that recreates the feeling of an endless floral field.
2. Aircraft featuring Qatar Airways First-Class
Unlike business class, first class isn’t a mainstay on all Qatar Airways aircraft. Only a handful of aircraft, i.e., 8 Airbus A380s and four Boeing B777s, feature Qatar Airways First Class products.
Previously, Qatar Airways had retired its fleet of A380s, driven by dwindled passenger traffic and concerns over environmental impacts. In the pandemic-battered economy, it no longer made sense for the carrier to operate mammoth A380s. Although QR grounded its giant-of-the-skies fleet, it brought A380s back to service after more than 18 months due to capacity needs. Because of an ongoing feud between Airbus and QR regarding the A350 surface paint issue, the flagship airline decided to return the A80s temporarily to alleviate fleet capacity challenges in winter routes.
According to QR CEO Akbar Al Baker, A380s have no long-term future for A380s in the QR fleet. The Gulf-mega carrier offers the first-class product on the A380s, but the final flying days of the A380s are near. So, you might need to book QR First-Class flights sooner before Qatar retires these flying giants for good. The Doha-based carrier seeks to phase out iconic double-decker quad jets by 2028.
Qatar Airways Airbus A380 first class
Qatar Airways A380-800 features a tri-class configuration of 517 seats, 8 of which belong to the first-class cabin. The double-decker quad jet has first class, business class, and a handful of economy class seats on the upper deck. The lower deck of A380 aircraft contains standard-economy seats only. The eight First-Class seats have a 1-2-1layout with direct aisle access for all seats.
Looking at QR A380 first class at a glance, each cabin has an electrical window shade controlled from the seat. The fully-flat beds have a length of 81 inches and a width of 33 inches. The spacious cabin features luxurious and elegant décor splashed by Qatar’s Burgundy, enhanced with elegant and warm rose gold detailing. The thoughtfully dressed seats have a slim, sophisticated design, spacious legroom, great recline angle, and contoured headrests. The central aisle dividers, which can be lowered or raised, allow you to settle into your sanctuary privately.
A 26-inch touch-screen remote control monitor, a 3-pin audio jack, and a USB port are integrated into the side console. Affluent travelers flying as a pair can reap the benefit of the extended table to dine in style together. And then, there are ample stowage options with higher ceilings on the main deck. QR First Class redefines business travel so passengers can transform their areas into comfortable workspaces. The all-access port with USB, HDMI, and NFC capabilities, onboard wifi, and generous space make a great workplace.
There’s no better place to get an ultimate relaxing experience in the air than in a dedicated onboard premium lounge. As a first-class passenger, you can access QR A380 onboard bar and lounge set up with roller blinds and intricate mirror splashback. You can sample signature beverages, savor palate-pleasing food or just rewind there.
- Qatar Airways A380 First Class routes
You can uncover the secret to unforgettable flying onboard QR’s first-class cabin on long-haul routes like London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Sydney, Bangkok, etc.
Qatar Airways Boeing 777 First Class
Besides A380s, QR’s exclusive premium first-class product is available on select Boeing 777 aircraft. The four leased B777s from Cathay Pacific feature QR first-class offerings with six seats. The state-of-the-art lavish cabin is spread across two rows and arranged in a 1-1-1 configuration. At the front of the seat lie an entertainment monitor, a closet, and a seat controller. The massive seats can be adjusted using seat controllers, each equipped with AC and USB power outlets. The modified version of the Oryx Entertainment system features dozens of movies and TV shows.
In addition to bespoke products featuring Diptyque amenity kits, the carrier also offers pajamas and slippers from The White Company.
- QR B777 first-class routes
You can find QR B777 hybrid first-class offerings on two routes, i.e., Male and Zurich.
