I have flown Qatar Airways economy class a couple of times prior to this flight and I have always enjoyed my experiences with them. I thought the food, service and amenities provided on those prior flights were great and I was really looking forward to another enjoyable trip with them this time around. However, I found that this flight did not live up to my expectations and the overall experience left me longing for a bit more. Don’t get me wrong; the flight wasn’t bad by any means but compared to my last two flights, I could tell Qatar has cut back on their service and amenities and the entire experience this time around wasn’t as incredible as I remembered.
At LAX, Qatar Airways operates from the Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B), and their check-in counters are located in the A counter area. I arrived at 12:00 PM for my 3:15 PM flight and there were plenty of agents available to help passengers check-in. I waited in line for approximately 10 minutes and was able to check my bag and obtain my boarding pass with zero issues. However, keep in mind that Qatar is very strict with their carry-on weight limit so pack accordingly. I was only carrying a backpack so they didn’t weigh it but I did see one person have to check his carry-on bag because it was overweight.
Since I was flying economy class, I wasn’t provided access to the oneworld Lounge at LAX but thanks to my American Express Platinum Card, I was able to use the Centurion Lounge LAX for a quick bite to eat (and a couple of drinks to rehydrate). The Centurion Lounge at LAX is nothing special but it gets the job done. It’s small and oftentimes crowded but I was grateful to even have a place away from the masses to refuel and relax before my flight. You can read my review of the American Express Centurion Lounge at LAX by clicking here and my guide on how to transfer the different terminals at LAX by clicking here.
Qatar Airways A350-1000 Economy Class Review
Boarding was scheduled a full hour before departure time. I left the lounge and made my way to gate 134 right at boarding time, took some pictures of the plane, and then waited for boarding to be called, which was delayed about 30 minutes.
Flight: QR740
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
Los Angeles (LAX) to Doha (DOH)
Depart: 3:15 PM (3:40 PM actual) on Monday
Arrive: 5:50 PM (6:27 PM actual) on Tuesday
Duration: 15hrs 47mns
Seat: 29F Economy Class
Qatar Airways operates an Airbus A350-1000 aircraft on this flight. This aircraft is equipped with 281 Recaro slimline economy class seats in a 3-3-3 layout. According to aeroLOPA, these seats measure 17.1 inches in width and provide 31 inches of pitch. Each seat is equipped with a personal in-flight entertainment system, USB port, universal electrical outlet, overhead reading lamp, adjustable headrest, and an air vent.
On this flight, I self-selected seat 29F, an aisle seat located in the center column of seats. It should be noted that Qatar no longer provides free seat selections for economy class passengers, even at check-in. At check-in, you will be assigned a seat. If you don’t like your assigned seat, you will have the opportunity to pay a fee to select another seat. I paid $31 to book this seat a few weeks out.
For an economy class seat, these seats weren’t bad but they weren’t the best either. I thought the adjustable headrest was very supportive but the seat cushion could have been a little more “cushiony.” I also wished they would have installed personal electronic device holders and footrests for these ultra-long-haul flights but those are minor complaints in the big scheme of things.
Row 29 is the last row in the forward economy class cabin. There are pros and cons to selecting seats in this row. The one good thing is there is no one seated behind you to push and pull on your seat but the bad thing is that you don’t get a full recline in your seat. I didn’t measure it but it felt like 3 or 4 inches of recline compared to the full 5 inches provided in the other rows. It’s not the end of the world but something that you should be aware of. And secondly, this row is also located next to the lavatories so people do congregate in the aisle next to your seat. It got annoying after a while.
I didn’t bring it on this flight because I was trying to pack light but halfway through the flight, I regretted not bringing my inflatable seat cushion with me. As I mentioned earlier, the seat wasn’t that well-padded and my butt and legs got really sore halfway through the flight. I had to get up frequently just to get the blood flowing through my legs again and I wasn’t able to sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time. If you have sciatica issues or problems with leg numbness during flight, I highly recommend one of these travel cushions to provide some additional comfort. You can check it out on Amazon by clicking here.
Entertainment-wise, the Oryx One entertainment system was loaded with a large selection of new Hollywood, Bollywood, Arabic, and other international movies, TV shows, video games, and music entertainment. I was able to find enough content to keep me entertained for the whole flight. WiFi was also provided on this flight and it was very cheap. One hour of internet connectivity was provided free for all Qatar Privilege Club members and an unlimited flight plan only costs $10. That being said, it did cut out for a large portion of the flight.
Waiting at our seats were a pillow, blanket, amenity kit and a set of headphones. The headphones were better than the earbuds other airlines give you and both the pillow and blanket were very nice by economy-class standards. The pillow was firm and the blanket was long and comfortable.
Qatar Airways is one of the few airlines that provides a small amenity kit for economy class passengers and it was a welcomed amenity. Inside the disposable bag, there were socks, eyeshades, earplugs, and a dental kit. They used to provide a small tube of lip balm but that is no longer the case.
And speaking of cost-cutting measures, they also used to provide printed menus and wet naps upon boarding but those have been cut also.
As the final passengers were still boarding, the Captain came on the PA to make his welcome announcements. He welcomed us on board and provided us with the details of our flight. We then pushed back from the gate and made our way to the runway for our nearly 16-hour flight to Doha.
Once we reached our cruising altitude, the seatbelt signs were turned off and the flight attendants prepared for our brunch service. But man did they take their time. A drink cart and a small package of pretzels finally came down the aisle about 45 minutes into the flight.
And the meal wasn’t served for almost an hour after that. Oh man, the service was so slow on this flight and it felt like an eternity. I don’t know if this was a new crew or if they were just trying to stretch out the service on the flight but everything from serving the meal trays to clearing the trays off our seats took forever.
As the flight attendant rolled down the cart, she attempted to provide a description of the available meals (beef, chicken or vegetarian) but it was kind of hard to understand her accent. I just went with the beef option, which was some sort of beef chili, I think. It was served with what I can only describe as coleslaw (but with a mustard base instead of mayo), a warm bread roll, and a mango mousse dessert.
I didn’t enjoy this meal. I thought the flavors were really off and nothing tasted great. Now, this is my third flight departing LAX with three different airlines and all the meals have been terrible. I’m starting to wonder if it’s not an airline issue and more of an LAX catering problem as the meals departing from their respective bases have been much better.
After brunch, my meal tray was taken away and the cabin lights were dimmed. The flight attendants didn’t make everyone close their window shades but people naturally did. I checked out the lavatory, changed out of my street clothes, and then settled in for a movie. The only amenity provided in the lavatory was a fragrance bottle, Eau de Qatar Airways
Service-wise, the flight attendants were adequate on this flight. They were all polite and professional but they didn’t really go out of their way to provide service or anything. I think they only proactively walked down the cabin a couple of times during the 16-hour flight to provide cups of water. However, water, juice, and snacks were provided in the galleys for anyone to grab.
After a couple of movies, I was able to shut my eyes for a little bit thanks to my GoSleep 2-in-1 travel sleep mask. I know it looks a little funny but trust me, I get more restful sleep with this sleep mask than with any other sleep gimmick out there. Especially on planes with limited recline, this GoSleep travel sleep mask will gently support your neck and prevent your head from bobbing back and forth during sleep. You can read more about it and purchase on Amazon by clicking here.
Halfway through the flight, a movie snack was served and there was only one option. It was some kind of vegetarian hot pocket thing and it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t a lot of food but it was enough to hold me over till the next meal.
About two hours prior to our arrival into Doha, the cabin lights were turned back on and a pre-arrival meal was served. I went with the chicken option, which was served with a fruit cup, bread roll, and a strawberry mousse dessert. This meal was a little salty but it was much better than the first meal.
Qatar Airways A350-1000 Economy Class Bottom Line
Overall, this was a good flight experience with Qatar Airways Economy Class. The seat was decent but I wished it had more cushion and a full recline. The food was hit-and-miss and the service was adequate. The entertainment system was loaded with a huge selection of entertainment and the amenities provided were appreciated. But it doesn’t matter how you slice it, 16 hours is a long time to be seated in economy class and I wish Qatar would install additional comfort items such as footrests and personal device holders to make the ultra-long-haul flight more enjoyable.
What do you guys think? Have you flown Qatar Airways economy class recently? If so, please share your thoughts with us in the comments section below. Thanks for reading!
The other posts in this series include:
- American Express Centurion Lounge LAX
- Qatar Airways A350-1000 Economy Class, Los Angeles to Doha
- Al Maha Lounge Doha, a Priority Pass Lounge
- Sleep N’ Fly Sleep Lounge Doha, a Priority Pass Lounge
- Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER Economy Class, Doha to Male
- Fairmont Maldives Overwater Villa
- Fairmont Maldives Grounds, Amenities and Dining
- Leeli Lounge Male
- Qatar Airways Boeing 777-300ER Business Class, Male to Doha
- Qatar Airways Arrivals Lounge Doha
- Qatar Airways A350-1000 Business Class, Doha to Los Angeles
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