Mind blown. The end.

With a big birthday this year, I wanted to push the boat out and tick off a bucket list item of flying First Class. The trip I’d originally planned didn’t happen and the whole booking process was frustrating, not least because airlines aren’t known for their high standards of customer service. The plan was;

• BA First Class on their 777 from London to Doha, experiencing BA’s First Class lounge, the Concorde Room, at Heathrow
• Qatar Airways First Class on their A380 from Doha to Bangkok, experiencing the Al Safwa lounge at Doha
• Qatar Business Class on their A380 from Bangkok to Doha and 787 Dreamliner from Doha to Birmingham

Those flights were valued at around £12,000 for the 2 of us so considering what it actually cost, I was pretty chuffed. And then it all went a bit wrong…

Qatar, known for their frequent aircraft swaps, changed the A380 to a 777, downgrading us from First Class to Business. At least it was a Qsuite 777 so I was quite happy to accept the change as I’d not flown Qsuite before. After lots of back and forth, Qatar also agreed to honour access to the Al Safwa First Class lounge during our layover, so on the whole, the change wasn’t too bad. I was also able to upgrade the inbound Business Class seat on the A380 to First Class, so I wasn’t really losing anything.

And then BA changed their aircraft from a 777 with First Class to one without, downgrading us to Business Class. To be fair to BA, a quick call to their dedicated first class customer service team and they rebooked us on to the Qatar A380 in First Class. Considering I’d booked this leg of the trip with a BA companion voucher, I was getting Qatar First for the price of BA First, and Qatar are notoriously tight with Avios availability in First Class on their Heathrow route so counted myself lucky. I am disappointed not to get to try out BA First Class, but that just means I’ll have to fly First Class again. Oh no!!

With an early afternoon departure from Heathrow, we still arrived before check-in had even opened, just over 4 hours before the flight (can you tell I was excited?). There’s a separate Premium passenger area, cordoned off from economy passengers and the check-in formalities are more like checking in to a luxury hotel, with a seating area and the offer of a chilled drink. A First Class luggage label was attached to my hand luggage and I’ve honestly never felt more expensive! The only thing that would make the experience better would be a separate channel for security rather than having to mix with the throng of other passengers. We still used fast track security but the serenity of the separate check-in area soon disappeared.

Checking in at Bangkok wasn’t quite as chilled but we were still processed quickly and there wasn’t a queue at all for fast track security and passport control. Fast track security wasn’t very well signposted, hidden past the Q bank of check-in desks.

Both the Heathrow and Bangkok lounges have the same decor and felt fairly fresh. Heathrow is bigger and the tables in the restaurant at Bangkok felt crammed in, although there is a second dining area which I didn’t notice until on my way to the toilet, as it’s tucked away and not easily visible. Going to the loo in the lounge in Bangkok is pretty cool, hidden behind a moving wall!

The lounges have an extensive hot, cold, soft and alcoholic drinks menu and fridges where you can help yourself. Heathrow had self pour wines, but I didn’t notice them at Bangkok, possibly due to Ramadan. I enjoyed a glass of Joseph Perrier champagne and both lounges had plenty of choice from the buffet or you can order from an a la carte menu by scanning the QR code on the table. At Heathrow, I had an excellent steak and the other half had Thai green curry, to get in to the holiday spirit. At Bangkok, we kept it light with a few cold cuts from the buffet and an avocado salad.

On the subject of lounges, I was super excited, but ultimately underwhelmed, by Qatar’s flagship Al Safwa First Class lounge.

On the outbound journey, we had an extended layover and I wanted to make the most of it, but Al Safwa is just so bright, it’s almost sterile. It’s not a relaxing place to sit or rest. We were there at peak time (0000-0200) and it did quiet down after 0200 but we couldn’t snaffle a sleeping room and it is so bright and noisy, we headed to the Business Class lounge instead.

I asked a few different staff if there were any sleeping rooms available and on the 5th attempt, we managed to get a family room which had a sofa and chair, so we had somewhere private and quiet to rest for a few hours. Considering that the vast majority of passengers are transiting Doha, it feels like a misstep to not have more relaxation areas in the lounge. I’m just not really sure what Qatar are trying to achieve with Al Safwa. The premium lounges at Heathrow and Bangkok are intimate and inviting spaces. Al Safwa feels like a shopping mall. The Business Class lounges and especially the new Garden lounge in Doha feel so much more relaxed and welcoming.

And why doesn’t the catering in the lounge match what’s offered on board? I appreciate that Qatar only offers long haul First Class on limited (albeit usually high value) routes and most of their First Class customers are flying within the Middle East on lower fares, but to offer something worse than a passenger can get in Business Class in the air just feels odd. The champagne really is standard stuff that retails at about £35 a bottle. After drinking about 8 glasses of Bolly on the plane, you could really tell! Having said that, the wagyu steak was perfectly cooked, the rare side of medium rare. It was soft and tasty with the hint of chargrill. It was a decent steak.

At Heathrow, the gate is directly opposite the lounge so a 30 second walk. Excited, giddy and desperate to get on the A380, I was hanging around the gate for about a week before boarding started. For some reason, premium passengers were kept waiting whilst economy passengers boarded, although it’s a separate entrance to get in to the forward section of the upper deck of the double decker. At Bangkok, the lounge is about 15-20 minutes away from the gate so you have to allow plenty of time before boarding starts to schlep over to the gate.

When I got to the plane door and flashed my First Class boarding pass, I was greeted by name and escorted to my seat. The flight attendant hung my jacket in the little wardrobe in front of the seat and asked if I would like a drink. An order of champagne was made!

The seat is huge! I’m (ok, slightly below) average height and I couldn’t reach the foot stool when sat back in the chair. A chair that was almost twice as wide as me! It’s, admittedly, not the sexiest looking seat and is in need of a refresh, but the sheer amount of space is unreal.

Modern Business Class seats, like Qatar’s Qsuite and BA’s Club Suite have installed privacy doors which this First Class seat doesn’t have. I didn’t find this an issue as the seat goes quite far back so you can’t see the face of the other passenger. The celebrity chef on our flight from London to Doha managed to keep themselves well hidden. I also found that if you put the seat in to bed mode and plushed out the back with blankets and pillows, it created a very private area, almost like a cuddle chair, although the drinks table was then out of arms reach!

The rosé champagne was the delightful Bollinger Le Grande Année, which is £175 a bottle on the ground, and the Brut was Armand de Brignac, around £250 a bottle. Both champagnes a step up from what was offered in Business Class, and on the Bangkok to Doha flight, the Cabin Service Director told the flight attendant working at the onboard bar that if we wanted the champagne from First Class, just call him and he will bring us some.

The onboard bar is another of my favourite things about the A380. Having the space to stretch your legs, chat to other passengers or the crew and just have a change of scenery at 41,000 feet is incredible. The bar serves a range of drinks and even has canapés, as well as crisps and sweet snacks. I had a number of Aperol royals and champagnes!

Whilst being served my champagne with a bowl of olives and Parmesan, menus, Diptyque amenity kits and The White Company pyjamas were handed out. The First Class kits were the same as those in Business Class but still excellent quality, and a marked improvement from when I last flew Qatar to Japan, before the pandemic. The pjs included slippers in every set, although the new slippers aren’t as good as the ones we got when we went to Japan. We use the slippers as guest slippers at home or when we go away, but some people sell the pj sets on eBay! Top tip when flying Qatar, because most trips involve 4 flights, there’s a lot of stuff, so bring an extra bag to put it all in! I had a backpack in my backpack so I had somewhere to put the pjs and amenity kits!

Another spectacular feature of the A380 is the ginormous bathrooms, so there’s plenty of space to change into your pjs. With cushioned seating all along one side, it’s not even obvious which bit is the loo! A full size sink and a draw full of hygiene kits, they’re bigger than some people’s bathrooms at home!

After takeoff and changing in to pjs, another champagne with warm nuts was served, followed shortly by crab cannelloni, lovely and refreshing with the cucumber roll and little pops of saltiness from the roe. It was quite hard to eat as I couldn’t cut through the cucumber with just a fork and didn’t want to just shove it all in my mouth in one go! The other half doesnt eat seafood, so I ended up with 2!

One of the differences between First and Business Class is the caviar course in First Class. Honestly?Not sure I get the fuss about caviar. It was alright. The Balik salmon, however, was lovely. 3 thick slices and just a touch of smoke. It went very well with the Bollinger.

The king crab starter was something different to have on a plane and I usually find scallops overrated but this one was meaty and flavourful. The star of the dish was the crab, with hints of sea salt and memories of the seaside. I’d ordered a duo of lamb for my main course and it was so tender, it just fell off the bone. The roasted garlic had a delicious sweetness to it.

By this point, I’m glad I skipped the cheese course as I was getting pretty full. Still, I managed to squeeze in a banoffee tart with a generous mound of white chocolate shavings on top. It wasn’t actually very banoffee, more chocolaty but was amazing nonetheless. 

After a few drinks in the bar, we returned to our seats for afternoon tea about an hour and a half before landing. First Class has companion dining so we sat together which was really lovely. Fortunately, we shared the afternoon tea which had a beef, a salmon and a cheese sandwich with a chocolate and apricot Battenberg and profiterole as both of us were still stuffed from lunch. The scones were some of the tastiest we’ve ever had (and we eat a lot of scones!), warm, soft and delicious. We had afternoon tea on the return flight too, which was salmon, curried chicken and cheese sandwiches with a delicious macron, which I said was raspberry, and he said was caramel!

As Qatar only have First Class on limited routes, our connecting flight from Doha to Bangkok was in a Business Class – their incredible Qsuite. I like Qsuite as it offers reverse facing seats which feels like a novelty as not many airlines have them. I enjoyed flying backwards when we went to Canada with BA. Qsuite is a solid product and the best feature is the sliding door, giving a high degree of privacy. I actually felt that the suite was a little tight for space and it didn’t seem to have enough storage, but that could be an unfair comparison, having just come out of First Class.

As it was an 0840 flight, I was glad they were serving breakfast, not that I was very hungry. We’d rested in a family room for about 5 hours but were still tired and not quite ready to eat again. I just had a smoothie and muesli compote with a fruit plate and skipped the cooked breakfast and pastries. The service was a bit slow and I’d rather had had it all brought out at the same time so I could eat quickly and then get some sleep, rather than the smoothie and muesli being brought out separately.

I’d preordered my main meal, which is generally only possible on flights departing Doha although I’ve heard rumours that pre-select dining is available on other routes. The five spice ribs were incredible! Slightly gelatinous and melty but the flavour, with just a touch of heat was swoon worthy. The charred pak choi and mushrooms added a freshness, but the lobster starter was a bit bland. The soya quail egg was good but a tiny morsel and the prawn had the slightest touch of lemongrass but otherwise, it wasn’t a dish to get excited by. Those ribs though – I’d have them again!

After an awesome 2 weeks in Thailand, it was time to come home, which is bitter sweet when you’re flying home in style!

Service started off well and I had my second glass of champagne within 15 minutes of takeoff. Followed quickly by a lovely smoked salmon amuse bouche in a Thai lemongrass and ginger dressing. As it was fish, the other half gave me his again, and I was not complaining!

I’d picked a crab starter again and it was absolutely delicious but the lobster again, was really bland. Maybe it’s my, or maybe it’s just not a great dish to serve in the air. The coconut cream, however, was incredible. Not sure what the veggies were on the side but let’s say that they, erm, weren’t to my taste.

The ribs were amazing. Again! I loved the thick sliced mushrooms and the sauce was delicious. Not as spicy as the Doha to Bangkok flight and the meat was a higher quality cut, absolutely zero fat or chewy bits.

As soon as the dessert was presented, it just looked perfect. The flowers on the top, the flower made from mango, the sparkle of silver. It was exquisite. The flavours…very subtle. The mango comes through and it’s very refreshing and light, which, I’m actually quite glad of, feeling pretty full.

Despite my best efforts, and probably because I drank too much Bolly and Aperol, I fell asleep for almost an hour and woke when the lights came on for landing!

After a much shorter connection at Al Safwa than the outbound, we boarded the 787 for our last leg to Birmingham. I’m a big fan of the Dreamliner and I like the reverse herringbone Business Class seat. Actually, I’m a little bit in love with the little draw for your shoes. It’s just so intuitive! We had the middle pair and although the cabin doesn’t have the privacy of Qsuite, it also doesn’t feel claustrophobic. The cabin feels very open and light. The seat itself feels a bit narrower than Qsuite but I’m not a big guy so it isn’t an issue for me. The foot coffin isn’t an issue, other than it being too far away for me to actually rest my feet on whilst in seat mode. I like the seat controls. They’re easy to use and feel more customisable than Qsuite and even the First Class seat.

Service was smooth but not slick. I didn’t get a food or drinks menu. Drinks came out around 45 minutes after departure, quite late for an 0200 flight when most people will want to maximise sleep. I didn’t have a starter as wasn’t very hungry and my main was brought out just after 0300. The other half had to shake me awake as I’d fallen asleep in between my table being laid and the meal being brought out! I’d asked for no bread, but they brought it anyway. 

The chocolate praline wasn’t at all as expected but was magnificent. It would have been perfect as a breakfast pastry, delicious dark chocolate and fruits with crème englaise. One of the best things I’ve eaten on a flight. And then…sleep!

Still not feeling hungry by breakfast, I just had a light compote and an omelette. The omelet wasn’t very hot, neither was the sausage, probably because the plate was freezing cold. The omelet was nice and cheesy but as it was cold and I wasn’t starving, I only ate half of it.

Aside from the last flight from Doha to Birmingham, service from the crews was excellent. The First and Business Class cabins on all 4 flights were either full or almost full so the crews would have had a lot on their plates. Qatar are renowned for their exceptional Business Class, in terms of service, food, beverage and the seat. The seat in First, whilst showing its age, is massively more spacious than Business Class, but the food, drinks and service in both cabins is excellent. If I was paying more cash for First Class (rather than points), I’d want more of a differential to what is offered in Business and the lounge offering Doha needs to be improved, but I would absolutely fly First again and would recommend it to everyone – it’s really not as expensive as you think.

Date of trip; March 2024

Price paid; 318k Avios plus £2365 in taxes and charges for 2 people. This includes around £1080 to purchase 132k Avios during a points sale ran by Qatar.

Points Earned; 3150 Avios for buying points and paying taxes on BA Amex.