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A350 is super quiet
The fairly new A350 aircraft Qatar uses on the Adelaide-Doha flight is best known for its wide seats and quiet interior. One Adelaide journalist claimed that recovery from jetlag is quicker if you fly with the A350. Not sure about that. Emirates uses the proven but older 777 – these days an upgraded 200 series version. I did not detect any difference seating wise but there is less noise once you reach cruising altitude. So they are both fairly even at this stage. Next test is food and finally quality of the entertainment system.
Locker full of crew bags
Our booking aboard the Qatar flight was last minute – so we were towards the rear of the aircraft that fortunately was only about half full. We don’t carry a lot of hand luggage – and as it turned out just as well. When we opened our overhead locker it was full of crew bags. The flight attendant just shrugged and starting jamming our gear in. A minute later a bag containing all of our valuable camera equipment fell onto the floor. I was annoyed by then and took a picture of the locker which caught the attention of the flight director. Suddenly everything was happening – all the crew bags were hauled out leaving us plenty of room.
Meals in economy very basic
The A350 does not have large trays and I assume that is because meals onboard are very basic. You get the main course, a bread roll in plastic and very little else. Butter for instance is not included. Emirates on the other hand is generous with extras like cheese and biscuits and more bread rolls if required offered in baskets. One little snack well into the Qatar flight was appreciated – two rather delicious mini pies. Service onboard was excellent apart from the locker fiasco. This is an Emirates economy meal.
Emirates ICE a clear winner
Entertainment systems are an essential part of air travel these days – particularly when you are in economy facing a 12 hour flight. The Qatar system called ORYX is OK – but not in the same theatre as ICE, offered by Emirates. For a start we had problems with the sound system. The headset plug did not seem to fit properly and sound was rubbish so Fiona gave up in the end. On the second leg, from Doha to Paris the picture kept breaking up. No subtitles either.
Pity we had to bus to terminal
The flight was on time and we arrived in Doha early – around 4am. Despite this we did not get a slot at the airport and everyone had to travel by bus to the airport. This is ok if you are fit and healthy – but not so easy for older people and families with little kids. You would think there would be plenty of airbridges available at that time of the day.
Pics and finger prints at immigration
Getting through immigration is fairly simple but not as quick and easy as in Dubai. Everyone is photographed and prints are taken of not one but four fingers of your right hand. Our baggage was waiting by the time we got through. The first thing you notice about the airport is the complete lack of rushing that always seems to exist at Dubai. It is an extremely well designed and administered facility – but more on that later. It takes about 20 minutes to travel from the airport to main hotels – ours was the five star Crowne Plaza Doha West Bay.
Crown Plaza Doha a great choice
This property was booked by the airline as part of a special stopover package. The good news is you can check-in as early as you like – no having to wait for hours until a room becomes available. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay – the room was big and very comfortable, the staff quick to respond to any request. No hair dryer in the room however and the chef certainly does not know how to make a decent pizza. We paid just $50 for the stay and yes there is a free airport shuttle. Emirates by the way currently has a stay 2 nights for free offer along with Etihad for stops in Abu Dhabi.
Doha ripe for a World Cup boost
So how do Doha and Dubai compare? Well, we only had a day but the answer is not really. Dubai is like an action movie – everyone and everything is in a hurry. Landscaping now starts at the airport entrance – so you are greeted by a colourful wonderland forged out of inhospitable desert. The excitement roars on as you head down a super highway through a space age world of buildings including the world’s tallest. Her is a sample of the view.
Cabs need meters and to accept cards
Although we only had half a day to get a feel, the rapid growth at Doha seems to have slowed right down. The shopping mall we visited was all but empty – but signs everywhere promised 150 new shops. Perhaps the 2022 World Cup will prove the incentive. It certainly gets a lot of publicity over there – the big screen at the airport kept pushing what a difference the event will make. Doha will have to change though. Cabs with meters and the ability to take credit cards for a start.
Hamad International Airport a winner
I mentioned before that I was quite impressed with the Doha Airport. Our departure convinced me it is one of the best in the world. You arrive again panic free – this is a huge facility so there is plenty of room to move around unlike Dubai where far too many people are squeezed into a tube packed with shops. Check-in is all done electronically at Doha – you stroll up to a machine and as soon as you begin the process a smartly dressed girl arrives to assist. With her help you are quickly issued with tickets and baggage tags. Inside we sat down for a relaxing coffee. No going up to a counter – orders are taken at the table. 10/10
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