Qatar's Qsuite is a private 'business class bedroom'

Qatar Airways has revealed all-new business class suites with sliding 'privacy doors' and middle seats which convert into a double bed.
The airline promises the first-influenced design – dubbed the Qsuite, built by seatmarker B/E Aerospace and in development for three years – will bring "a new level of luxury" to business class.
The staggered 1-2-1 layout allows every second pair of middle seats to become a double bed – providing your seatmate is of a similar mind to you, of course.
The paired middle seats alternate: in one row the seats are directly next to each other, in the next they are more noticeably separated.
Going one step further, however, the 21.5-inch video screens between each middle row can slide back...
... so that all four passengers can enjoy a 'family room' approach.
Each suite is well-appointed, with the seat itself measuring 21.5 inches wide and joined by further personal space around, plus a range of controls to adjust the seat into the perfect position...
... which can also be used to transform the seat into a fully-flat bed of 79 inches:
The high walls are a clear influence drawn from the first class suites of competitors Emirates, Etihad Airways and Singapore Airlines.
These stand at 135cm from base to top, being high enough for privacy but low enough for the crew to peer in and offer assistance without having to open the door.
The doors open and close by hand, and feel quite heavy, as they're of solid construction and aren't in any way transparent:
When you're done dozing or are ready to emerge, just slide the door open again and you're all set:
Speaking of sleep, there's also a hotel-style 'do not disturb' button which changes the colour of the seat light from white to red, indicating your wish to be left alone:
There's an NFC contactless reader too which lets you set up an inflight video and music playlist using the Qatar Airways app on your smartphone ahead of your flight and, when you're onboard, tap the phone to transfer that playlist to your suite's entertainment system.
We expect the reader can be used to make quick card payments for services like inflight phone calls and perhaps even inflight Internet as well.
(Many aircraft already have credit card readers embedded into the remote control to unlock inflight calling and SMS, but a contactless reader such as above would also prove compatible with Apple Pay, Android Pay and other smartphone and smart watch transactions, meaning you won't have to fish your wallet and credit card out of your bag mid-flight.)
Qatar Airways – especially CEO Akbar Al Baker, whom most employees simply refer to as 'The Chief' – is known for exacting attention to detail, and the Qsuites appear to be no exception.
The finishes are exacting and high-end.
Al Baker boasts that the Qsuite "will change the way people travel in business class", and says the patented design will prevent other airlines from copying the product.
Alongside the new Qsuites, Qatar Airways promises to introduce upgrades to business class "dining, amenities, entertainment and service."
For a closer look inside the new Qsuites, watch this three-minute video:
First Qsuite flights in June
The first Qatar Airways jet to fly the Qsuites will be a factory-fresh Boeing 777-300ER on the Doha-London route from June.
This will be followed by the new Airbus A350-1000 in the second half of the year, for which Qatar is the global launch customer.
Qatar Airways will also "aggressively retrofit" the new suites across its existing its Airbus A350 and Boeing 777 fleets at a rate of one aircraft per month.
The Airbus A380 and Boeing 787 will see a similar-but-different skew of the seat – with the same emphasis on privacy – because the initial version of Qsuite won't fit onto the narrower Boeing 787 and isn't compatible with the curved walls of the A380's upper deck, where Qatar has its superjumbo business class.
Speaking with Australian Business Traveller, Al Baker confirmed these Qsuites would be more so a "tweak" when compared with the A350 and Boeing 777 product, rather than another design entirely.
"You will (still) have 100% privacy, so when you are within your space you will be able to be totally independent from other passengers," Al Baker explains.
Qatar Airways will retain first class only on its Airbus A380 superjumbos, with all other aircraft topping out at business class, but is considering updating the first class design to create fully-private suites.
Australian Business Traveller is attending ITB Berlin as a guest of Qatar Airways.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
18 Feb 2017
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Mar 2016
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QFF
12 Apr 2013
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Not everyone equal and some (believe it or not!) like to travel in pairs and with new breed of J seats they flying on the same plane, but indeed not together. What is wrong if they like to travel together?
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2341
I believe many airlines underestimate this aspect of the middle seats in business class, and that while most business class travellers are flying solo, some are flying with a colleague and quite some with a partner - and not being able to easily chat with, share the experience with, such a seatmate is a disincentive for those folk.
Qantas certainly found this out with its original A330 Business Suite middle seat pair, which was quickly modified for the Boeing 787 to include an A380-style 'privacy divider' which slides up or down.
Some years back I was using my points to send my parents on an international business class flight and they definitely wanted seats where they could sit together and be easily able to chat a bit if they wanted, not have to lean forward (this ruled out Cathay Pacific, for example).
We've heard that the middle seats in the new Qatar business class may have such drop-down dividers... we've even heard mention of them converting to a 'double bedroom'... so there still may be a glimmer of hope for high-flying couples :)
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Mar 2016
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Air New Zealand - Airpoints
10 Aug 2015
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'Double bedroom' for me conjures up images of SQ suites!
Anyway, very much looking forward to the actual unveiling.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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21 Apr 2012
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Dec 2012
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One question I had though Chris is for those middle pairs that turn into a double bed, is there a partition that can* go up if you happen to purchase that seat as a solo traveler? It looks a little too tight for a partition to be in place. That could be a little awkward, though I guess you'd be sitting that close to a stranger in Y regardless. Luck of the draw I guess, and try not to book seats last minute!
21 Apr 2012
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Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
25 Jul 2013
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The pressure is well and truly on for other airlines to keep pace!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Feb 2017
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Oct 2016
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True the suites are feature packed, but what I want from my seat in First is width and a general feeling of space around me which these do not appear to offer. As noted by others the seats seem very narrow, and i'm interested in seeing some hard data if/when it is realeased, I await the AusBT seat review!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
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Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Mar 2016
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Well done QR.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
06 Feb 2014
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05 Dec 2013
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
11 Oct 2014
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If you look very closely at the centre row (close) pairs, there are definitely 2 dark brown, hard-to-see, armrests. This is visible in the top, 3rd and very last (video) pics. Yes, the guy is sitting somewhat awkwardly but I think you'll see that the bend of his elbow is right back and the woman's arm is positioned forward of his. Just a slightly odd shot.
On the centre pairs with the surround shell permeating in-between (the centre row wide pairs), there is no visible armrest that I can see.
24 Aug 2011
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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06 Jan 2015
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Mar 2016
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Jul 2015
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By calling their suites "Q Suites" do we think there is a potential conflict ahead with their One World partner at Qantas, who heavily brand their items with a Q prefix?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
14 Oct 2016
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31 Mar 2014
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20 May 2015
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Pretty cool and the flexibility is impressive. Is this 'revolutionary' though? Perhaps not, but its still some good work.
30 Jun 2016
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Jun 2011
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03 May 2013
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Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
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QFF
12 Apr 2013
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I have a curiosity - what HDMI socket doing here? Does it mean that I can use their massive screen as my laptop external display?
30 Nov 2016
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Emirates Airlines - Skywards
11 Mar 2015
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probably no beluga and dom perignon-but who cares?
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
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Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
22 Apr 2013
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I've not flown with QR before, so not sure how conservative they are... but I can't help but wonder how open they would be to the idea of converting the seats to a double bed for a same sex couple?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Oct 2016
Total posts 109
I know it is the current trend but I don't like the 21.5" width, there seems to be a lot of waste to the side, even if it means a tighter footwell... I will take JAL's mini suite - although it was a bit short for me the extra width suits my (side) sleeping style
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 Jan 2017
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Qatar Airways
06 Jul 2016
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Sharia law would not allow unmarried hetero couples to share a bed either, so clarification is required.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
24 Feb 2016
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08 Oct 2011
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10 Mar 2017
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In our eyes, they remain the best in their class. We fly Qatar for both private / family and on business, so lets hope they keep their prices competitive.
BA
31 Mar 2014
Total posts 18
I am a great fan of QR and where possible travel with them on my Aus/UK/Aus flights but this layout will probably now cause me to seek an alternative carrier (CX or even QF perhaps) on the Aus/UK/Aus routes.
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