Virgin Australia x Qatar Airways Boeing 777 Qsuite Business Class (Sydney – Doha)

Long-term Virgin Australia loyalists would fondly remember the airline’s previous foray into long-haul flying. What began as V Australia with a seven-across layout in Business quickly became Virgin Australia with ‘The Business’. The market-leading product of its time, The Business made fully-flat beds and direct aisle access a staple of transpacific flying, and forced its competitors to sharpen up. But with Virgin Australia’s own Boeing 777s long retired, Virgin Australia’s long-haul Business Class now takes a different twist, with Qsuite.

To dip its toes back into the waters of international long-haul, Virgin Australia is ‘wet leasing’ Boeing 777s in Qatar Airways’ colours to introduce flights to Doha. Put simply, the actual flying is handled by Qatar Airways, but under the direction of Virgin Australia. So, you’ll see the Virgin Australia logo on display at check-in, but a Qatar Airways plane waiting at the gate.

For Business Class passengers, things look a little bit different than the days of flying to Los Angeles. Because Qatar Airways provides the plane, Qatar Airways also provides the seats. Translation: Virgin Australia Business Class to Doha looks a lot like Qsuite. In fact, it looks exactly like Qsuite. Okay, it is Qsuite. And for passengers, that’s a tremendous win.

Qsuite sets the standard

Much like The Business redefined transpacific travels, Qsuite redefined Business Class on a global scale. Forget flat beds and direct aisle access – those are the basics expected of yesteryear. Qsuite rewrote the industry playbook, making privacy doors at every seat the hot new must-have.

But Qsuite also went further, bringing double beds to Business Class. Add to that, ‘The Quad’, an innovative concept for four passengers flying together. While eight years have passed since Qsuite first launched, there still isn’t anything else like it in commercial aviation. That’s why we’ve consistently ranked Qsuite as the very best Business Class seat flying to Australia.

For the first time, Qsuite is no longer exclusive to Qatar Airways. Through the new Virgin Australia wet lease services, you can experience Qsuite as a true Virgin Australia passenger – not just as a codeshare traveller. That’s what brings me aboard Virgin Australia’s inaugural Sydney-Doha flight, operating as VA1.

Joining the flight is Virgin Australia’s new CEO, Dave Emerson. By chance, we’re seatmates. Hello from VA1!

Airlines often do things a little bit differently for the first flight of a new route. With that in mind, for the purposes of our review, we’re ignoring and disregarding anything that regular travellers wouldn’t experience when taking the same route and cabin for themselves on a ‘normal’ day. After all, that’s why you’re reading, isn’t it?

So, let’s get to Business… well, Virgin Australia Qsuite.

Check-in, lounge and boarding

Get your journey off to a smooth start by looking for the Virgin Australia check-in desks at Sydney Airport. Don’t go to the Qatar Airways counters. Repeat: don’t try and check-in with Qatar Airways. Remember, this is a Virgin Australia flight – so Virgin Australia handles check-in.

Priority queueing is available for Business Class, and it’s a real time-saver. The same is true for boarding, where you’ll also be looking for the Virgin Australia logo and flight ‘VA1’ on the screens. You can use the fast-track security and passport channel in Sydney as well. Handily, these dedicated lanes have the airport’s most modern baggage scanners, so there’s no need to fish out and separate your liquids and laptop. It’s smooth sailing.

For a little pre-flight relaxation, your boarding pass guides you towards the Air New Zealand lounge. Access is included with your Virgin Australia Qsuite ticket (and for eligible frequent flyers in Economy). I stop by for a coffee, but I’m saving my appetite for the flight.

I spot our plane ready and waiting at the gate – and I’m ready and waiting to board.

Qsuite Business Class seating on the Virgin Australia / Qatar Airways Boeing 777

In one fell swoop, Virgin Australia has made its return to long-haul flying with the very best Business Class seat available in Australian skies. No doubt, many Virgin Australia loyalists will have experienced Qsuite on various codeshare flights, reward bookings and Qatar Airways itineraries. But now, Qsuite is formally flying as Virgin Australia Business Class.

We won’t take you through every nook and cranny. After all, this isn’t a new seat – and even if you haven’t flown Qsuite before, you’ve probably seen Qsuite, in one way or another. So rather than highlight what each buttons does and what a rectangular TV looks like, let’s talk about the feeling of flying it.

Sure, it’s nice to have a door. But this door is a little different. On most other airlines, the top of the door is around waist-height. Here, there’s the sense that you’re in your own little world, and it’s fun. While sitting upright, I can only see the hats of the crew walking past. And, just barely, the handles on the adjacent overhead lockers. I might as well be the only person on the plane – that’s very much the vibe.

But you don’t have to sit in isolation. I spot (another) industry colleague across the aisle. We’re able to chat very easily with the doors open, as the seats line up. I particularly appreciate the extra cushioned space beside the main seat. I position myself against the window with a pillow behind my back, get my legs comfortable like I’m relaxing on a sofa, and can continue that conversation – now facing directly across the aisle. All while I still have my seatbelt properly fastened. I really appreciate that the seat’s designers made the belt extra long to make this possible. You can be comfortable on what’d be an unconventional angle on other seats, without trading safety for that comfort.

Qsuite remains unmatched in Business Class – and now, it’s Virgin Australia’s flagship Business Class, too.

Food and beverage in Qsuite Business Class on Virgin Australia’s Qatar Airways wet lease flights

Here’s where things get a little bit different with Virgin Australia’s version of Qsuite flying. The inflight menus bring a hint of Australian flair, and there’s a new celebrity chef on board, so to speak. Ross Lusted of Woodcut has created several dishes just for travellers between Australia and Doha. You’ll also now get these on Qatar Airways’ own services from Australia – but nowhere else on Qatar’s network. Let’s settle in and enjoy.

Champagne is offered during boarding, and there’s a choice. Duval-Leroy Brut, or Palmer & Co. Rosé. I see the former pop up on a lot of international routes (and it’s a staple of Virgin Australia’s arch-rival Qantas!), so I sip the Rosé. Arabic coffee and dates are offered while we taxi to the runway, and there’s just enough time to enjoy them and get everything cleared before we get underway.

While the bubbles are nice, one of my favourite things about flying Middle Eastern carriers is the breadth of non-alcoholic options. In many airlines, it’s as basic as juice, soft drink and water. But Qatar Airways has a hefty mocktail menu, and I’m pleased that it’s made its way onto these Virgin Australia services. The ‘Pineapple Margarita’ is a delight. I can’t help but order a second.

From here on out, when it comes to food, there are no rules…

Dine on demand

Sydney to Doha clocks in at around 15 hours. Perhaps, it’s a quick trip, and you’re trying to stay on ‘home time’. Maybe you’re adjusting to the local time in Doha, as your destination or stopover point. Or, you might be getting ready for Europe, and eating meals at what feels like odd times here, to be ready to roar when you land.

Fortunately, Virgin Australia’s Qsuite offering caters for all of the above. Everything on the menu can be ordered at any time. If you’d rather sleep straight after take-off, go right ahead – your preferred meal can be kept aside for later. Want to eat breakfast at 5pm? You’re all set. You get the idea.

Today’s flight departs mid-afternoon and arrives just before midnight on the same day. With a few days planned in Doha, I’m aiming to be on Doha time – and that means no breakfast on this flight, even after a nap. Instead, I’m sampling a range of options that suit lunch and dinner. Hot tip: skip the buffet in the lounge. You’ll want to bring your appetite.

A Tataki tuna amuse-bouche is the perfect lead-in for the seared cured fish plate. That’s one of the Woodcut dishes, and it’s excellent with that ginger-beer-based Pineapple Marg. The Qatari mezze with pita bread is a staple of Qatar Airways’ own menu, and it’s a welcome addition among Virgin Australia’s offering, too.

I continue with another Woodcut selection: lamb osso buco. A solid dish deserves a solid wine pairing, and the Château Bouscaut Grand Cru Classé de Graves 2016 doesn’t let me down. Its boldness also goes well with the strong cheeses that follow – particularly the blue vein.

For dessert, I’m returning to Woodcut once more. The Basque cheesecake is a real surprise, served with softened dried fruits, cinnamon, vanilla and walnuts. I have hours of work ahead of me at this point, so with a latte, I’m all set. I know that if I get peckish later, room service is on standby. In the meantime, I put the high-speed Starlink service to the test. It’s the fastest inflight Wi-Fi I’ve ever had, with downloads hitting 174Mbps and uploads surpassing 40Mbps. That’s faster than a good chunk of home-based Internet connections back in Australia!

The verdict

Virgin Australia is an interesting beast, and the addition of Qsuite to its offering makes that even more pronounced. To some travellers, VA is the airline that shuttles them across Australia with a free cup of water, tea or coffee in a narrowbody Economy seat. To others, it’s an airline with sharp domestic Business Class fare pricing, reflected through a more pared-back menu offering and a smaller domestic lounge network than its domestic rival.

In that sense, Virgin Australia is normally the market challenger. The underdog. The airline that some people might book when they don’t want to pay for Qantas, but where they’d also rather not fly Jetstar. The owner of that ‘middle ground’. But with the launch of these wet lease flights to Doha, Virgin Australia is cementing itself as the market leader in Business Class.

When you have what’s arguably the world’s best Business Class on day one of a new route, it’s an achievement that can’t be ignored. Virgin Australia could have engaged almost any airline in the world to do this long-haul flying for them. But they’ve reserved themselves a set of planes with none other than Qsuite Business Class – and with that, Virgin Australia is saying loudly and clearly, “we’re back”.

There may not be an inflight bar on these aircraft – a previous staple of Virgin Australia’s own Boeing 777s. But when Qsuite is built for socialising, do you really need it?

I’m a big believer in disclosure, which is why you’ll always know when an airline has made a seat available for me – or for Point Hacks – to experience its inflight offering (see below). But I’m also a big believer in putting your money, and your miles, where your mouth is.

To that end, I’ll be flying Qsuite on my next long-haul holiday – at my own expense. And, yes, I’ve already locked in the double bed. As for your own Qsuite flight, whether you book the Virgin Australia flavour or are ticketed on a regular Qatar Airways service, get ready to experience the very best Business Class seat flying on any route from Australia.

Qantas, Emirates, Etihad, and everybody else, take note. The challenger is just warming up.

Also read: Qatar Airways flaunts Qsuite Next Gen, expands Boeing 777X order

All photography by Chris Chamberlin, who travelled as a guest of Virgin Australia.

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