Tribune News Network
Doha
QATAR Airways (QA) on Wednesday hosted a packed press conference to unveil its highly anticipated and revolutionary new Business Class experience to the world's media and travel trade leaders.
Ushering in a never-before-seen standard in Business Class travel, the customisable private suites, named QSuite, introduce a host of firsts to Premium Class travel, reshaping expectations for global business travellers.
The new seat design was first unveiled by Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al Baker, moments before the airline's annual press conference at a spectacular ceremony, on the opening day of the ITB Berlin exhibition, at the QA stand.
Attended by an audience of notable VIPs, including HE Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman al Thani, Ambassador of Qatar to Germany, with the Mayor of Berlin, Michael M'fcller, as special guest of honour, dignitaries were captivated as a life-size cross-section of a QA aircraft featuring the new QSuite was unveiled to rapturous applause.
Launched at ITB Berlin, the world's largest travel trade show, the unique and patented seat has been two years in the making. QSuite features the industry's first-ever double bed available in Business Class, with privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room. Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the centre four seats allow colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine and socialise together. These new features provide the ultimate customisable travel experience that enables passengers to create an environment that suits their own unique needs.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar al Baker said:"Today, I am proud to unveil the future of Premium travel with our new QSuite Business Class. Our unique and patented design is a world first in many ways and challenges industry norms by offering passengers more privacy, more choice and more personalisation. With these innovations, Qatar Airways has revolutionised the way we serve our Business Class travellers, enabling our passengers to enjoy a First Class experience in Business Class. This is truly Business Class as never seen before and is entirely in keeping with our premium product and service philosophy."
He added:"On Qatar Airways, you choose when you dine, and the menu options are varied, with something for everyone. You choose when you rest, and when you want entertainment; we offer more choices than any other airline. It only makes sense to give you the choice to make your own cabin-within-a-cabin, creating double QSuites or quadrants."
In addition to the existing decadent 'dine on demand' service, the new Business Class menu will now offer a selection of snack 'sharing dishes' available throughout the flight, allowing travellers to turn dining at 35,000 feet into a social experience. A wake-up Express Breakfast will also be available for those who choose to sleep a little longer by making the most of the 'Do Not Disturb' option available on the door of their private QSuite.
QA also launched a completely new next-generation user interface of Oryx One, its award-winning inflight entertainment platform. Oryx One's interface has been redesigned to make it even easier to surf content and choose from up to 3,000 entertainment options the most of any airline. The next-generation user interface has evolved from the rapidly maturing online media sector, presenting movies, games and a special children's menu in a format that is immediately familiar yet revolutionary for on-board passengers.
Baker also announced that starting this summer, QA will begin offering best-in-class inflight connectivity, with more announcements to come in the weeks and months ahead.