After a quick tour of Doha and a few hours of sleep at my hotel, it was time for my connecting flight to Johannesburg.
This flight was rather oddly timed, taking off at 02:15am, but it actually worked rather well for me, as my 4am arrival in Doha had me retiring at 6pm for a few hours of sleep beforehand.
Upon boarding, I settled into seat 1A for the eight-hour flight. Although this was not the famous Qsuites product, it was a comfortable flat-bed product in a 1-2-1 configuration, offering direct aisle access from every seat. This is, in my opinion, the benchmark for a first rate business class hard product.
I was welcomed with a glass of champagne before departure.
After a rather spectacular night time departure from Doha, I settled down to peruse the dinner menu.
Despite the late hour, a comprehensive meal service was offered.
I chose the Black Angus beef tenderloin with bobotie sauce, which I can say without exaggeration was the best dish I have eaten on a flight. It was tender and cooked to perfection, the bobotie sauce complemented it perfectly, and it paired supremely well with an excellent Bordeaux.
I rounded off the late night meal with a nicely varied cheese platter, accompanied by a glass of port.
After a couple of cognacs, I reclined the seat to flat bed mode and slept well for around four hours. Having had a long evening nap at the hotel in Doha, this was all I needed and I awoke around two hours from Johannesburg, ready for the breakfast service.
I chose the fruit to start, followed by the omelette, served with a chicken sausage, potato rösti and mushrooms.
In conclusion, this was an excellent flight experience, and I disembarked in Johannesburg, ready for the day ahead.
