By Denise Marray/GT London Correspondent
What does it take to be rated as the best airline in the world for business travel? Qatar Airways, which scooped ‘World’s Best Business Class’ and ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’ in the Skytrax 2014 World Airline Awards has the answers.
Gulf Times had a personal tour of the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at London Heathrow Airport, Terminal 4, to see at first-hand the kind of meticulous attention to detail that puts the airline ahead of the competition.
The feeling of well-being started with the attitude of the highly professional staff on hand to greet each passenger upon arrival. All were friendly, courteous and impeccably dressed.
Upon entering the Lounge there is no reception desk which makes the interior more welcoming and personal. The particulars of the passengers are known to the staff.
All passengers are shown the same level of attention, while familiar faces are greeted by name as friends.
The Lounge itself has more the feel of a boutique hotel or private club with a wonderful sense of tranquillity and style throughout. No tannoy message disturb the peaceful atmosphere; if messages need to be relayed this is done discreetly by the staff.
Whether occupied with work commitments, either on personal laptop or in the well-equipped business centre, or simply unwinding prior to take-off, the surroundings offer a feeling of calm.
There are facilities for taking a shower, including a bathroom for the disabled, which are appreciated by passengers who want to freshen up and enjoy the luxury products provided.
The interior design is by the highly sought after Antonio Citterio. In 2008 he was honoured by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce of London, which gave him the title of Royal Designer for Industry, and became part of the Italian Design Council established by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Environmental Conservation.
Citterio has cleverly paid homage to Arabic culture with his use of fountains, intricately latticed screens, ceramics and textures and wonderful capturing of light. The colour palette for the inviting Italian sofas and armchairs is white, cream, dove gray and soft brown, the floors are marble with black inlays in striking patterns and the lighting extremely imaginative and adjusted by dimmers to provide the perfect ambience. There is an innovative use of pure wools, soft leathers and silks as wall coverings that give an unusual and luxurious contemporary look.
A delicious light menu is on offer at the Delicatessen where each table is dressed with a live olive tree, and a full range of drinks, including a non-alcoholic champagne exclusive to Qatar Airways, Harrods and Selfridges, can be enjoyed at the mirrored Signature Bar. The Brasserie, with its open kitchen serves a range of gourmet dishes, and has a section that can be closed off for those who desire a more private space. A key feature of this space is a ceiling high handcrafted golden leather banquette with canopy.
Absolutely key to the success of the facility is the staff; even at the self-service area where passengers can help themselves to snacks and drinks there is a friendly presence on hand ready to offer assistance.
The staff are attuned to the cultural sensitivities of their international clientele and somehow manage to be both fully present yet unobtrusive.
Many passengers request to be directed to the nearby prayer room.
There are plans to have a dedicated children’s area created as well as a spa and smoking lounge.
Gulf Times also had the opportunity to take a look inside the impressive interior of a Qatar Airways A380. We were permitted to board the plane as it was being prepared for take-off – having first undergone the necessary security procedures. On board we were ushered into the cockpit to be greeted by the Captain and his co-pilot, a Qatari national.
This was followed by a tour of the first class and business class sections on the upper deck of the aircraft; it was very tempting to try and stay on board and take full advantage of the super-comfortable, individually tailored work and leisure spaces or simply relax in the roomy, chandelier lit lounge area.
The Giorgio Armani gift bags with cosmetics and perfumes for him and her and the Missoni pyjama sets and slippers also caught the eye.
Walking through the well-designed economy section on the lower deck gave a real feel of the impressive scale of the plane which accommodates a total of 461 economy, 48 business and 8 first class passengers.
Qatar Airways also has an all-Business Class daily service from London Heathrow using an Airbus A319 configured with a single aisle, 2-2 seating configuration offering 40 seats. This aircraft actually parks right outside the Premium Lounge, another boon for the busy executive intent on travelling in a manner designed to ensure maximum comfort in top level surroundings.
