Qatar Airways is known for offering one of the world’s best business class experiences, with an industry leading hard and soft product. The airline is now one-upping itself, and is making the soft product even closer to what you’d expect in first class.
Qatar Airways will serve caviar in business class
As of August 15, 2024, Qatar Airways is adding caviar to its menu in business class on 13 routes. Specifically, caviar will be available in business class on flights between Doha (DOH) and Boston (BOS), Dallas (DFW), Hong Kong (HKG), Houston (IAH), London (LHR), Los Angeles (LAX), Melbourne (MEL), New York (JFK), Paris (CDG), Sao Paulo (GRU), Singapore (SIN), Sydney (SYD), and Washington (IAD).
Qatar Airways already offers an extensive dine on demand menu in business class. The new caviar service can be enjoyed as a standalone option, or as part of the onboard meal courses. The caviar will be served with the traditional accompaniments, as well as balik-style salmon.
Up until now, Qatar Airways has only served caviar in its long haul first class (whether on the Airbus A380 or select Boeing 777s). Here’s how Qatar Airways’ SVP of Product Development, Xia Cai, describes this new service:
“As the world’s only 11-time winner of the Skytrax ‘World’s Best Business Class’ award, Qatar Airways takes pride in providing the best premium business class travel experience. The introduction of caviar service, commonly available only in first class cabins, further elevates Qatar Airways’ award-winning business class experience. We are committed to continuously enhance our onboard services to elevate the industry’s standards and delight our passengers.”
Well done, Qatar Airways!
Qatar Airways is in a league of its own when it comes to investing in its business class soft product. I actually think it’s a smart strategy — so many airlines invest in fancy seats and allocate a lot of space to each business class passenger, but then skimp on soft product, which is a small investment, by comparison.
There are so many areas where Qatar Airways beats the competition, from offering pajamas, to having dine on demand, to boasting an excellent alcohol selection, to streaming endless entertainment.
However, suffice it to say that introducing caviar is truly next level. Of course caviar is expensive at retail, though not all caviar is created equal, and airlines get a deal due to buying it in bulk quantity. But still, this is probably the single most expensive amenity any airline has introduced in business class up until this point.
I do have a couple of questions and observations, though:
- I find it interesting on which routes Qatar Airways is choosing to serve caviar; I imagine this reflects how “premium” these routes are considered to be by some internal metric, but it’s interesting how there’s caviar to Dallas and Houston, but not to Chicago or Miami, for example
- I’m curious how much caviar Qatar Airways will load per flight; since Qatar Airways has a huge dine on demand menu, there’s obviously not enough of each menu item for every passenger, so I wonder how quickly caviar will run out on flights
Regardless, I’m very impressed by this development. Qatar Airways sets the standard in business class, so it’s fun to see an airline just keep aiming higher.
Bottom line
As of August 15, 2024, Qatar Airways will begin serving caviar in business class on select routes. Specifically, you can expect caviar on 13 of the carrier’s most premium routes, and it will be served with typical accompaniments, plus balik-style salmon.
We’ve never seen a major airline consistently serve caviar in business class before, so it’s just yet another way that Qatar Airways is in a league of its own.
What do you make of Qatar Airways introducing caviar in business class?
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