Qatar Airways is always at the forefront of innovation. They released their QSuites all suite business class product back in June of 2017 and it’s hands down the best business class in the sky. We would argue that it’s even better than some first class products. This year at ITB Berlin Qatar took most of the attention again as they announced a new “revolutionary” economy class product. While we don’t think the product is revolutionary, it certainly is a nice enhancement.
So whats new about Qatar’s Economy seat?
- Semi-fixed back shell design with a 19 degree recline system
- Pre-reclined of six degrees for takeoff and landing
- Adjustable, lightweight headrest
- 2 multi-function tray tables for maximum adaptability and table space
- 13.3 inch 4K in-flight entertainment screens
- USB Type C outlets
How can you fly in the new Economy?
The simple answer, is that you can’t right now. The first plane to get the new seats will be the A321neo. Qatar is taking delivery of their first A321neo this year. Outside of the A321neo, Qatar has plans to install the new seats across the fleet in the next 5-8 years. It’s unclear if Qatar is retrofitting the economy cabins with these new seats at the same time that they add in QSuites to the existing fleet.
Our Take
The new product looks great and is definitely more evolutionary, not revolutionary. The existing Qatar economy product is already very good so it’s not a huge deal to see this process take 5-8 years to complete. The one concern that we have is whether the enhancements are actually necessary. Most in flight video content that the airlines are receiving are nowhere near 4k quality and how much of a difference will it make going from an HD screen to a 4k screen that is 12″ in front of your face? Probably not much. The one thing we like seeing is that they plan to have Type C ports in these seats, as an early adopter of new technology, its annoying carrying separate cables that perform the same function for 2 different USB ports. Also hope they include at least one USB Type A port in the seat as well, at least in the near term until USB Type C is more widely used.
What do you make of Qatar’s new seats?
Based on the PR image provided by the airline, it would appear to be a “new and improved” seat with updated IFE, a few other contemporary “bells and whistles” such as the two tiered tray tables, along with the “Type C” usb ports – but otherwise the same 18” width and same 31” row pitch found on most of the airline’s current Airbus narrow-bodies.
Further, and although NOT seen in this blog post, my concern would be about the wisdom of showing an open cup filled with liquid placed in the cupholder of the mini tray table/tablet/cell phone holder which, of course, will be adjacent to those electronic devices, or even worse, directly above the notebook computers prominently shown elsewhere in the promotional materials I’ve seen as just the slightest turbulence, or bump from another passenger will likely result in some sort of spillage that likey will impact any electronic devices that are being used while any spillable liquids are anywhere near those devices.
I think most of us know that liquids and electronic devices (unless fully protected from damage by exposure to liquids of any kind) just don’t mix well when placed in close proximity to each other when on a desk in an office, a coffee house, or a table in one’s home – let alone in an airborne tube hurtling through often turbulent skies, five miles above the ground and at 550 miles per hour!
Just sayin’
Lastly, regarding the author’s comment posted above, with the substantially increased range of Airbus’s A320/321s “neo” aircraft, while NOT nearly as long range as current wide-body aircraft such as Airbus’s or Boeing’s current models, the ~3,500 range of the standard neo series, let alone the ~4,000+ range of the neo Long Range model still means that more and more a great many passengers will soon themselves aboard narrow-body aircraft for 7 to 8.5 hours long flights that until advances in engine technology made the introduction of these twin-engine single aisle aircraft available for missions that for the past 40 years (or more) were largely exclusively flown by the far more comfortable and “flyer friendly” wide-bodies beginning with Boeing’s (Majestic and still awesome) 747s, McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, Lockheed’s (stunning) L-1011 TriStars, Airbus’s innovative OG the twin-engine wide-body A300 that paved the way for all of the “big” and medium sized twins that followed since the 1970s until these long range Airbus neos/neoLRs, or Boeing’s MAX series (once it returns to service) opened up either new previously unservicable with wide-body aircraft routes and/or more frequent service patterns preferred by high fare/high yield business travelers that has seen single aisle aircraft from both of the leading aircraft OEMs take over routes that used to be flown exclusively by wide-bodies.
So, with the use of narrow-bodies models made by either of the OEMs for longer and longer missions on more and more flights, Qatar Airways’ plan to improve the quality of its Economy class cabins is very much welcome and appreciated (except perhaps the risk of so many electronic devices that will be ruined by liquids spilling out of those elevated cup holders on the upper tiered tray table which they may want to rethink 😉 )
Oh, and one last thing: since these neos can easily fly 5-7 (or more) hours, here’s hoping the row pitch is 32” instead of 31” as that inch makes a huge difference for any flights longer than three hours – let alone four, five or more!
Of course, I won’t be holding my breath for that even if when we’re being honest, anything less than 32” row pitch for flights longer than three hours is not just uncomfortable, it’s really inappropriate and unconscionable for most adult passengers.
Seat width was not indicated when presenting the seats specs.
It should be one of the most crucial piece of information relating to seat comfort, specially for long range flights.
Starting on A321. Not too long range. Sure we will have an answer as soon as they take first delivery this year. I am also sure that Width and Pitch will vary by aircraft.
Without knowing the seat width and seat pitch, it’s impossible to compare against what is, in my view the class leader, the Singapore Air A380 economy seat.
Why do you think that a 4K resolution won’t make a difference? It’s just a way to future proof their investment. Also, the closer the screen, more the importance of resolution, so the fact that the screen is just a few inches from our face makes 4K even more important.
IFE content isnt available to airlines in 4k. Most content is 720p, mostly due to size of the files as there is limited storage space, and the cost to purchase rights to the content in 4k is more money
As a luddite I have zero knowledge of types of USB ports. Will a type A work in a type C or a C in a type A??
Nope, they are completely different