Inflight Review Posted on

Review: Qatar Airways Economy Class

Helsinki to Bangkok with Qatar Airways in economy.

We liked…

Professional and attentive crew

Thoughtful touches like proper cutlery and infused focaccia bread

We didn’t like…

Vegan meal options lacked flavor

Main meals could have been more varied and flavorful

Overall

On a recent journey from Helsinki to Doha and then onward to Bangkok, I had the chance to experience Qatar Airways’ economy class service.

Known for its exceptional service, the airline did not disappoint, although there were some highs and lows, particularly with the meal offerings.

ON THE GROUND

I was greeted warmly by the attentive crew at the boarding door, and as I walked to economy class, each crew member greeted me as I passed.

Before long, the crew provided hot towels, headphones, and amenity kits. It was nice to experience so much service before take off, especially in economy class.

INFLIGHT SERVICE

HELSINKI TO DOHA

About 10 minutes after takeoff, the crew were released from their seats and began preparing for the service.

Inflight menus were distributed shortly after, adding to the anticipation of the meal.

During this leg of the trip, I opted for a vegan meal to experience this option.

The alcoholic beverages included three types of wine: red, white, and sparkling.

There were also spirits like Bombay Sapphire Gin, Smirnoff Vodka, and Dewar’s White Label Whiskey, along with beer from Heineken, brandy, liqueur choices, Pepsi, a variety of coffee, Ceylon Tea, and eight different cocktail alternatives.

The flight was only about 30% full in economy class, which allowed me to create a makeshift business class seat.

It was wonderful to stretch out and relax in economy class.

Thirty-five minutes after takeoff, a crew member came to my seat, knelt, and confirmed my special meal order. A few minutes later, the meal carts traveled through the cabin, and my meal was delivered.

Economy class passengers on Qatar Airways have three options for meals, including an infused focaccia bread (a rarity in economy class), fresh fruit, salad, and a dessert.

My vegan meal consisted of a vegetarian bean croquette served with rice and tomato sauce.

While the rice was slightly dry and the croquette bland (tasting almost like cardboard), the rice starter was quite tasty and packed with flavor.

What I loved about the economy class meal tray on Qatar were the small touches like proper cutlery, the focaccia bread, and the presentation of the napkin.

Despite these nice touches, I was disappointed with the meal’s flavor and overall quality—perhaps my expectations were a bit too high.

About 1 hour and 15 minutes after takeoff, the crew collected all the meal trays and offered an additional round of drinks.

I asked if I could see one of the standard economy meals. The crew obliged and brought the Chicken Kapsa.

I sampled a few mouthfuls, and it was much better than the vegan option.

Four hours into the flight, the crew commenced the second meal service. For my special vegan meal, I received a spinach and lemon dahl heated wrap.

For a 5-hour and 25-minute trip, they certainly provided an adequate amount of food.

I enjoyed the wrap and felt comfortably full, having eaten just a few hours earlier.

DOHA TO BANGKOK

My next flight was from Doha to Bangkok, which took about 5.5 hours. On the ground, the same service pattern was followed as with the first flight.

I received my inflight menu about 10 minutes after takeoff, and about 20 minutes after that, the crew started the inflight service.

I selected the western breakfast when I should have perhaps opted for the stir-fried noodles. The eggs were quite tasteless and hard; the only decent part of the hot meal was the sausage.

Overall, I was quite disappointed with the main meal.

Around 1 hour and 50 minutes before landing in Bangkok, the second service began. The same snack offering was distributed by the crew.

There was a choice (I can’t remember the other option), but I opted for the Chinese Barbecue.

It was delicious and the perfect snack considering the flight time.

CONCLUSION

I can’t fault the service on any of my Qatar Airways flights. The crew was professional at all times, their service language polished, and they were highly competent.

I don’t think I’ve come across another airline where all the crew members are of the same high standard, no matter what flight you take. It all comes down to the excellent training that Qatar Airways provides for their crew.

The complimentary meals had their highs and lows, but the overall service experience left a positive impression.