Earlier this week, we had the chance to fly from London to Doha for the FIFA World Cup Semi Final between Argentina and Croatia. With Qatar Airways carrying us to the highly-anticipated event, we took the opportunity to share our key takeaways from the experience.
Simple Flying has heavily covered the business class offering when flying with Qatar Airways. From the Al Mourjan lounge at Hamad International Airport (HIA), to the Airbus A350's Qsuite, we've reviewed all angles. So, we thought we’d take a different approach this time and focus on the World Cup experience. With all eyes on Qatar over the last few months, there were plenty of talking points.
Heathrow lounge
The trip started at the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Airport's (LHR) Terminal 4. While it’s not as large as the airline’s lounges at HIA, there’s a more cozy feel to the location.
The gold accents and soft lighting match the Arabesque interior design to give a hint of what to expect after landing in the capital of Qatar. From the coffee tables overlooking the terminal ground to the casual dining area, several seating options can be found. However, the more formal dining room right at the back was empty, and felt a bit lonely.
After taking a peak bar and buffet, I took a seat at one of the casual dining tables, where a waiter took my order of a sushi starter and a salmon main course. I also tried some cold cuts from the deli counter.
It should be noted that there was also a special World Cup menu, offering matchday staples such as hot dogs, burgers, and nachos. Still, I was keen to try out something more gourmet to make the most of the opportunity. I didn’t regret the choice as the flavors combined well with the horse's neck cocktail that was recommended by the bar staff. Overall, it was the perfect way to kick off the journey.
HIA lounge
The return to LHR allowed a visit to the Al Mourjan business lounge, which we reported on earlier this year. This lounge is significantly massive, with numerous rooms and open spaces.
This week, I chose to sit overlooking a group of Qatar AIrways' widebodies to enjoy another fresh sushi starter. The second course was a colorful plate of grilled salmon, black rice, and purple vegetables. The chef happily tailored my meal at request, something that the staff at LHR were reluctant to do. It was a fantastic meal, and the service was unmatched. However, the size of the lounge is something that only regular fliers at HIA can truly appreciate.
Onboard service
Both legs of my flight were on Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777-300ER’s Qsuite. With an enclosed suite and a 21.5-inch touchscreen. I knew I would be nice and snug under the blanket when relaxing on the lie-flat bed. On the way there, I fell asleep while watching a few movies on Qatar Airways’ noise-canceling headphones. However, the second World Cup semi final was live on the way back. This match could be accessed complementary on a personal device. So, I sat back and watched the match on my iPhone while eating dinner.
Dinner on the way to Doha was a succulent rack of lamb. But it was the return’s meal that got my taste buds going. The chicken and rice may look simple, but the spice and herbs that were laced throughout added some extra excitement while enjoying the Morocco vs. France match.
Speaking of the match, the flight attendants ensured that we were able to access the match and sometimes came to ask what the score was while talking about how their time has been during the tournament. Our attendant had managed to catch a game earlier this month, sharing that the last few weeks have been enjoyable for the team and that they’re sad it’s coming to an end.
While the streaming of the match was practically uninterrupted, the connectivity wasn’t so strong when it came to general browsing. The Oryx One WiFi has been touted as "super" fast. Yet, from my experience, it was just enough to send general messages. Pictures wouldn’t send on WhatsApp, internet browsing was a little slow, and YouTube videos would not load. Nonetheless, I was well-entertained with the match broadcasting and onboard IFE.
The World Cup theme was prevalent on board the aircraft. The first thing I noticed was the special World Cup pillow next to the World Cup-branded amenity bag. Even the safety video was a demonstration hosted by animations of previous World Cup mascots over the years, which was a nice touch. Moreover, a World Cup dining menu was also offered, but again, I chose a more traditional offering.
It was hard not to sleep on both legs. Reclining back to watch TV soon saw myself going fully flat to have a snooze. I woke up just in time before landing on flights QR12 and QR5, feeling refreshed to head through the airport. The carrier was even able to practically make up for lost time due to the heavily-reported delays due to snow at Heathrow on Monday 12th.
Airport experience
After landing in Doha, a member of Qatar Airways’ staff greeted me and took me to an exit lounge. While walking to the lounge, we spoke about my experience and the buzz that the World Cup has had for communities across Qatar. I was given some minutes to have a snack and a beverage at the small lounge in Doha before staff accompanied me to the exit gate.
A new electronic scanner read my passport, something that is only reserved for certain travelers at London Heathrow. This approach was quick and avoided a physical check. Someone also took me to the gate on the return to London, which was a great personal touch.
Even though HIA has some outstanding lounges, there is plenty to see at the airport. Along with the new orchard garden, there are several shops that make the site its own large shopping mall. I bought a few football souvenirs for some loved ones back home before heading to the lounge.
Qatar Airways’ transfers to and from HIA were seamless, with a private car taking me directly to my hotel before picking me up at the front door to head back.
Matchday hospitality
Not taking the situation for granted, Qatar Airways’ name and offerings were prevalent throughout the whole trip, not just in the air. For instance, a distinct leisure center was formed at the hotel called Qatar Airways house. Here, those with special boarding passes could access the area to enjoy hot food, hot and cold beverages, alcohol, and live performances.
Before the match, there was entertainment, including football tricksters and a DJ, to get the party started. I even had the chance to get a game of FIFA 2022 in on the PlayStation 5 before the bus arrived to take matchgoers to the stadium.
The traffic heading into the Lusail Stadium saw us arrive at the match just in time. Therefore, I chose to skip the hospitality and head straight my seat. Along with your ticket, you need to present your digital Hayya card, which acts as a temporary visa for the World Cup. It also allows other benefits, such as access to the fan zones and transport to stadiums. Notably, most of the stadiums are linked by a metro system, which has allowed some fans to catch up to four games in a single day.
We were seated among the Argentina fans that dominated the stadium, enabling an electric atmosphere that I’ll never forget. I have long admired the passion of Argentina’s fans since a kid, and it was a real treat to experience it for myself.
Argentina won the match 3-0 thanks to a little Messi magic, and most of the stadium, apart from a section of Croatia fans, were sent home happy. The hospitality area was still open after the match, so I took a moment to appreciate what was on offer.
Unlike most stadiums across the globe, the hospitality area wasn’t part of the stadium itself. It was a few minutes away on foot and was a large area formed of several different hospitality suites. I chowed down on a post-match beef brisket and a cup of Coca-Cola to wrap up an eventful day.
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The result
As expected, the Qsuite experience remains unmatched when it comes to a balance of class, comfort, and creativity. Qatar Airways’ presence was felt throughout the whole experience, not just in the air.
There was plenty of talk surrounding several factors heading into the World Cup. However, something that wouldn’t have been a surprise is the effort Qatar Airways would put in when carrying its passengers to the tournament. The airline scored for each category, winning the game by five goals.
What are your thoughts about Qatar Airways’ World Cup service? What do you make of the overall experience? Let us know what you think in the comment section.
Simple Flying flew as a guest of Qatar Airways.