TRIP REPORT
Flight QR232 on January 11. I arrived at the airport around two hours prior to departure and it was busy at the Qatar Airways check-in desks. There was a desk set up for economy class passengers in front of check-in where all the travel documents (tests, entry questionnaires etc) were reviewed. This was done at the check-in counter for business class passengers. As I waited for all the travel documents to be processed by the check-in agent, I was able to notice that there were two tour groups on this flight. One to Zanzibar and one to the Maldives.
After I completed check-in I headed to the gate. The Belgrade Airport business class lounge is still closed, so unless you are flying with Air Serbia which has its own lounge, which is working, there is no such facility available for other passengers anymore.
Boarding began ahead of schedule. Unlike my previous trip with the airline in October 2020, Qatar Airways no longer requires passengers to wear face shields during boarding (or throughout the flight for economy passengers). They used to hand them out at the gate.
There were four passengers in business class and economy seemed rather full on this Airbus A320. The seat map was showing the following occupancy just prior to boarding.
Upon taking my seat, the crew offered welcome beverages. There were menus, water, blankets, pillows, headphones, small amenity kit, as well as a safety travel kit with a mask, gloves, hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes at the seat. After passengers got settled, both crew members working the business cabin introduced themselves and gave some basic information about the flight. A Serbian cabin crew member, who was working in economy, also came to the cabin to introduce himself in Serbian and let us know if we needed anything, we could also speak to him. All of them were very pleasant and welcoming. Before departure, meal choices were taken. Below I took a photo of the menu, and the first page of the alcoholic beverage menu which was extensive. Qatar Airways seems to have a limited variety of meals so it may often be the case that if you are flying on flights of a similar distance with Qatar you will get the same meal choices on board and they also rarely change the menus, or at least that has been my experience. However, all are tasty.
The meal concept is a-la carte dining so you can eat whenever you feel like it. Most opted after departure. Before the meal, a drink and mixed nuts were served, followed by the meal which had plastic packaging over all the dishes due to corona, and afterwards desert was served. Service has been modified compared to the pre-Covid period but it was still at a high level. Drinks were refilled throughout the flight and crew were proactive in asking if passengers were thirsty or hungry.
The toilet was kept clean throughout the flight as if no one used it beforehand. The entertainment system has a huge selection of movies, TV shows, documentaries etc. Despite the plane having Wi-Fi capabilities, it wasn’t working on board which now seems to be common on their single-aisle aircraft.
The flight was smooth, and we arrived in Doha just 4.5 hours after departure. Overall, it was another great flight with Qatar which I do think sets itself apart from the competition.
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It's kind of funny how BEG made a full circle and is back to the 1990s. I remember that where Tesla's square is today, in the past (I think in the 90s) they used to have a similar layout. It was a large seating area with some sort of blue seats placed in a white, wooden shell. Where the restaurant is today, that's where duty free shop used to be.
ReplyDeleteIn the late 1990s, JAT even promoted their new cabin, they had a mini showroom with the new leather seating.
@Nemjee
DeleteNo matter what the official and formal name was at the time, I must disagree with any claim placing JAT at the end of nineties. JAT died with the disintegration of Yugoslavia 1991-1992. Maybe not officially, but for sure in the hearts of all of us who were part of it in the form it had until 1991. And for me, everything between 1992 and Air Serbia should be referred as Jat Airways.
True dat.
DeleteGreat and detailed report. Those loads are really respectable in these circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI wonder when QR will increase BEG.
ReplyDeleteWhere were you flying?
ReplyDeleteI will be on the same flight in 10 days, and I was not aware that the lounge in Belgrade is closed. There are no other options for business class passengers?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately no. And it's not closed because of corona. I think they are just renovating it but it has been going on for months. The only option is to go to the Air Serbia lounge. I believe they charge 13 euros.
DeleteLounge was removed for new duty-free (the silly one every passenger is forced to run through now).
DeleteLikely after terminal extension there will be a new Lounge as well.
Flying QR Business Class is heaven. Thanks for the report. The Mint welcome drink is already worth flying QR Business Class. Love it....
ReplyDeleteYes! Their lime and mint drink is my favorite too. :)
DeleteLounge was removed for new duty-free (the silly one every passenger is forced to run through now).
ReplyDeleteLikely after terminal extension there will be a new Lounge as well.
The lounge wasn't "demolished", it's still there, although the hallway which led to it is now used as staff pass only. I wonder are they really renovating it, or they will find another purpose for that area?
DeleteReally nice trip report with many pictures. Service is kept at high levels. If you continued from Doha on a Qatar wide body, report from that trip would be great to compare with.
ReplyDeleteQatar airways is definitely one of the best airlines in the world.
ReplyDelete