The day is finally here! In less than an hour, Qatar Airways is revealing their much anticipated “super business class.”
Qatar Airways’ chief, Akbar Al Baker, will be revealing the new product in Berlin at 11AM (which is 5AM ET). Best of all, you can tune in for the event on Qatar Airways’ Facebook page, as they’ll be broadcasting the event through Facebook live.
We know that Qatar Airways’ new business class will feature fully enclosed suites, though not much more. Delta announced last year that they’d introduce fully enclosed suites in business class on their A350s, so Qatar Airways was beaten to the punch on that. However, maybe Qatar Airways will take the concept to the next level.
It’s entirely possible that Qatar Airways’ new business class will be truly revolutionary. It’s also entirely possible it will be just like Delta’s, only with different finishes.
If you’re awake and have the time, I’d highly recommend tuning in. I’m sitting at my computer and will be watching live (thank goodness I’m in Asia, where it’s a civilized hour). If nothing else, Al Baker is quite a character, so this should be entertaining, especially if they have a Q&A.
So, any last minute predictions? Will Qatar Airways’ new business class be revolutionary, or nah?
You didn't get invited to Berlin?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAqBd5elC6Y
Looks great for a family of 4 to travel together if you can grab the middle seats.
And a rather good video on their YT channel
What kind of moron would design a product that couldn't fit in an aircraft that A) they have firm orders for 60 of B) is only 4 inches narrower (cabin width) than the A350?
Lucky, there's a Youtube video now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yhZDsctiZg
Pictures are starting to emerge (at least on Qatar Facebook)
Looks like a very enhanced British Airways Club World.
Not sure about the length of the legroom thogh...
and more on Twitter
https://twitter.com/qatarairways/status/839421320215539712
There is 1 photo on their facebook page if you want
They just posted a photo to fb
https://www.facebook.com/qatarairways/photos/a.374409162578010.91246.198317336853861/1486767904675458/?type=3&theater
The live video ended, that was it?!?! OMG!
While Qatar's feed seems to have died, Business Traveller is quoting that this seat:
“…will be across the fleet in B777s and A350s, and we have a new seat development for the B787s as this new seat can’t fit in the 787,”
That was.... underwhelming. Between the lighting, the smoke and the camera clearly not giving a damn about the product....
Best moment was his excellency walking by with the godfather playing and many admirers shaking hands with the paparazzi in tow.
Other than that, a terrible reveal with over-the-top cheese (the "activation" with the iPad? come on!) and piss poor filming quality.
New seat looks quite good though!
agreed on worst stream ever - bit of a rugby scrum of PR and press rather than showing off the suite. From what you can actually see of the Q suite it looks very nice and an improvement on the current offering. Having flown the current Qatar seat on their A380, 787 and A350 a couple of months ago I was very impressed and this will take it to the next level in terms space and of privacy (which the current seat lacks.)
@Mike I think Qatar arguably already had the best biz product. So any improvements just solidifies this standing.
Haha @Lucky! So true!
I'm loving all the angry facebook reactions at the video production
Lucky, this look like new best biz class hard product?
@ Mike -- Could be, but haven't seen enough of it to be able to tell. Can there be a press release already with professional pictures?!
Okay, seriously, this is ridiculous. The product looks amazing, but this has to be the worst streaming reveal I've ever seen.
Not interested in the women playing violin, which is 90% of the feed. The other 10% is a static camera with no real access to the product. Go figure.
"Not sure about the subtlety of playing the theme from “The Godfather” as His Excellency swans by…"
@Paul dying XD
Not sure about the subtlety of playing the theme from "The Godfather" as His Excellency swans by...
They should take some notes from Apple's unveilings. I don't imagine anyone on stream came to watch the musical performers.
Looks like the Fusio Suite.
Yeah, I like that very much. :)
Now, let's hear when it'll be rolled out across the entire fleet...
Looks pretty amazing from the 10% actually visible... Too bad the Qatar video operator can't let us see anything at all!
You'd think they'd give higher priority to their own camera crews
@ Mike -- Exactly. Looks amazing, but sheesh...
Here's hoping at least one of the deals on the 777 booked in Jan has it!
I guess it'll be fundamentally the same as that on Delta. Probably the same seat manufacturer but with different "personal touches". ;)
As someone with several upcoming QR 777 business class trips coming up... I sure hope so!
Lucky, thoughts on how quickly they'll roll out the updates?
@ Mike -- It'll be several months before the first plane with the new product is flying, so I wouldn't count on it being consistently available anytime soon. Hopefully we find out more in an hour!