BOARDING

Five Star all the way. While the airline’s service out of DFW had begun only two weeks before, everything was in place to easily find this new-to-Dallas check-in. Business Class check-in began with burgundy carpet service and friendly greeting. Bags were checked all the way to my final destination in Bali, even though I had an extended layover of eight hours in Doha.

After gathering my ticket, and with very short lines at both check-in and security, I made my way to the executive lounge where I was led to comfortable seating with a view of the runway and a glass of Champagne. While waiting I got to enjoy views of the sun setting in the distance with a few rays gleaming on a nearby aircraft at its gate. The lounge location made for a peaceful respite from the hurry and flurry of economy class travel. Compared to other premium lounges, this one may not have had as many niceties, but the smaller size and intimate setting provided more privacy for Qatar Airways passengers.

After the quiet of the executive lounge, the boarding area appeared a bit chaotic. Clearing past the lengthy economy queues, Business Class passengers and OneWorld partners were called prior to general boarding. Other than being quite crowded (especially in comparison with the tranquility of the lounge), it was what one would expect getting on board an aircraft with 335 seats.

The business cabin on the 777-300ER comes in two configurations. On this flight, Qatar offers a two class service – Business and Economy. My aircraft was