Q Suite for a Queen

 

  

QATAR AIRLINES Q-SUITES

I'm so excited about flying Qatar (pronounced Cutter) Airways in their new Q-Suites that I am going to post a whole blog about my flight!  Will always tells me, "Look like you've been there," when I get excited about certain things.  And, I have been here, in business/first class before.  However, I've only ever bought one other 1st class ticket in my life, and that was to celebrate my last BIG birthday and getting to join AARP.  The flight attendant wiped my tears of youth from my face on that flight!
This time, I am buying and flying business/first class because I didn't think my body would be able to fly economy for the full day it takes to get to Africa.  I need my beauty sleep.  

I hope you enjoy "flying" with me to Djibouti! 

NOTE:  I'm typing this from Doha,Qatar, where I am stranded at the moment after missing my connection.  I am drowning my sorrows in the Al Mourjan Lounge, one of the best in the world. Unfortunately, the strongest drink they have is coffee.  I'm having a double!

I'm unable to upload the videos right now. I'll do that once I reach Djibouti.

I started my journey from Raleigh- Durham (RDU) this morning, January 5, 2022, on a 6:20AM American Airlines flight, connecting to Qatar Airways at JFK in New York.   

Will dropped me at the American Airlines Customer Service Line at 4:30am for my 6:40am flight.  The counters don’t open until 4:30 although the airport is open all night.  

I guided my bags over to the Priority Customer service and was promptly waved “next” by the ticket agent.  He was fast, only asking for my passport and where I was going, assigned me a seat to NYC, and checked a suitcase and a duffel from RDU-JFK-DOH-DJI.  What could go wrong?   

TSA was a breeze with Pre-Check.   American and Qatar are in the same One World Alliance and I was to fly American to JFK, and Qatar Air the rest of the way.

Delayed.  Delayed.  They kept delaying my flight.  I only had an hour for my connection in JFK, but thank heavens that we arrived in Terminal 8, the same terminal Qatar Air was to embark. 

It was utter chaos. First, there was a Welcome to JFK message on the monitors around the gate, not a Doha leaving at 10:10am.  Nothing about Doha anywhere, and there was only one agent behind the desk and a line of  Muslim families and business people that snaked down to The Statue of Liberty.   

It was only when our captain cut through the line in front me and I asked him if this was the right gate that breathed a sign of relief. Captain marched up to the lonely agent and pointed to the Welcome to JFK sign behind her.  The sign read Doha minutes later.  

I had to rerun my boarding passes as they were printed on AA paper. However, just as I presented my passes to the agent at the counter, she runs out of QATAR boarding pass paper. She issued me something different and tells me she is sorry.  "Just tell everyone I ran out of paper", she advised. Hmmmm.

Boarding was a mess at JFK.  It was like the beginning of the New York Marathon.  Why did everyone push to get into the boarding line when families and wheelchairs were to be boarded first?  Not even Moses could part this sea of people.  No sir, they were not budging an inch and that invalid in the wheelchair at the back of the masses just had to wait.  There was quite a bit of yelling and jostling,  and quite a bit of line cutting. I should have known then that my day was going to turn.  

I am allowed to board only after intense scrutiny over my makeshift boarding pass. Already, we were half an hour late leaving and I was in Group 1 for boarding.  I had to fight the pack to the front of the line.  I only had 80 minutes in Doha to transfer planes and looking at my watch, it was not looking good to make my connection.   I texted Katherine I might miss my flight in Doha. She advised me that I would be stranded for two nights as the Qatar flight only flies to Djibouti every other day.  

And, if you read my previous yellow highlighted note, that is exactly what happened. I am stranded in Doha.  Qatar Airways has done some creative problem solving and I leave on a 3:30am flight tonight (really tomorrow morning) to Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia where I'll connect to Djibouti.  I am writing this from a hotel room in Doha, Qatar, around 5:30PM. They will come get me for my Ethiopian flight at 1:00am; Covid restrictions, they tell me. 

Here are some highlights of the Q-Suite flight from JFK to Doha, Qatar: 

As soon as I stepped on the plane my carry-on was taken from me. I was shown to my seat and asked if I needed anything out of the carry on, and then the flight attendant put it above my head with an oof. It was a heavy sucker. 

My personal flight attendant is Gabriel.  He is one of several male flight attendants on board. He is Brazilian and very sweet and completely committed to my comfort. I wonder if he'll do a foot massage? 

· Gabriel gave me a tour of the suite. I have a 2x3 ft monitor  to watch movies. It comes with a remote control but when I am seated upright, I just use my finger since it is a touch screen. I noticed a slide come over the screen asking that people stay in their seats when praying, a reminder of where I was heading.

· There are goodies laid out. A cosmetic bag is   stuffed full of lotions, lip balms, socks, and eye mask. I have several pillows: a maroon, plush on one side and quilted on the other side, blanket sealed for sanitation, and a fluffy white head pillow.  But the pillow I like best Is a decorative "Today is a Good Day" Pillow. There is water bottle,  ear phones, and a menu for wine and a separate menu for food. I can order food or wine at any time during the flight. Just push the button. And, I can have anything on the menus. 

· The door closes tightly and gives the semblance of complete privacy. When someone walks down the aisle, I can only see the very top of their head. I have only seen Gabriel’s head for several hours now, and no one else. I suppose they are all luxuriating in their suites, just like me. 

· My seat massages, makes into a fully prone bed, moves up if I want to work at the table, leans back to any position I might find comfortable. 

· There is a do not disturb button. Push that and I’ll see Gabriel when we land. 

· There is a reading light that isn’t attached to the roof. It is over my right shoulder affixed to the back wall. 

· There are several very large spaces in the suite to stow my equipment out of the way. 

· Clean cotton pajamas are waited for me to change into while sleeping. I slept in the oversized cotton shirt and it was warm and comfortable.  (I am wearing the PJ's right now in my hotel in Doha!). Gabriel made my bed for me by bringing a padded seat cover. I wrapped up in the plush blanket and slept on my side, flat.  I'm sure I snored.  

All of this was amazing, but my favorite part was when I went to the rest room.  The rest room was large enough for  6 people packed in and it is cleaned every time someone uses it.  The toilet is wiped down and a paper toilet shield is placed on the seat.  The toilet paper had a cute little triangle fold to let you know they had been there.  It was spotless.  They had other small amenities like a magnifying mirror stuck to the much larger mirror.  The lights were still the same ole airplane bathroom lights and not flattering, and really, who wants to magnify their face in an airplane bathroom anyway? Not I.

Qatar Airways touts itself to be the best Airline in the World, and after my time in the Queen's, er Qatar, suite last night, I have to agree.  Bucket list item, for sure.   

Food and Drink

 I was offered Rosé or White champagne before departing.  A diet Coke and a bowl full of heated nuts, next.  A triple bowl with two types of hummus and tabouleh, and warm pita bread.  I ordered a chicken breast and veggies for lunch but was so full of the snacks, I barely touched it.  

I was offered sliders, and declined. I had a full breakfast of scrambled eggs with spinach, real yogurt and granola, croissant, and coffee.  

Trio of Hummus and Tabouli

DOHA AIRPORT

 I was sent to a sleeping room in the Doha lounge while my hotel room was readied.  

I missed my flight in Doha.  I am in my hotel room now awaiting a 1AM escort to my new flight on Ethiopian Airways to Addis Ababa and on to Djibouti, Djibouti.  Stay tuned!