Qatar Airways Economy Flight Review from Johannesburg to Germany
Going into our Qatar Airways economy flight from Johannesburg to Doha (DOH), with a 2 hr layover , and then Doha to Frankfurt Germany, we were very excited but on edge a little bit.
Having done Germany twice before, it was going to be a long flight, which can take away from the fun and the experience of the trip.
But then again, we were flying on the best airline in the world, so we were looking forward to the experience and spending a few minutes in Doha exploring the beautiful airport.
After all, I was doing this flight with my partner, our very first official international flight to Europe together. That translated to lots of laughter and amazing memories that I knew we would be creating together.
Flying Qatar Airways turned out to be a comfortable ride in economy, and it made sense why Qatar Airways keeps winning the award for the best airline in the world.
Read on for our experience on the entire Qatar Airways flight, from the time our tickets were booked, checking in, boarding the plane to when we arrived at our destination in Frankfurt.
Best Ways to Book Qatar Airways Economy
Qatar Airways flies to Doha, Qatar (DOH) from 3 cities in South Africa, namely Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. From OR International Airport in Johannesburg, flying to Doha takes about 8 hrs and 2 minutes.
Though there are other airlines that can take you from Johannesburg to Doha, Qatar Airways is a great choice to get you to Doha and Germany.
To book your Qatar Airways flight, you can start your search on Google Flights search, to see what deals that you can get for flying Qatar Airways economy – just make sure that your search is only for Qatar-operated flights. Once you get your flight, double check it on the Qatar Airways website, where you can check in and select your seats 24 hours prior to taking off.
Our Qatar flight included one carry-on bag, 2x checked bag (at 23kg each), and a personal item, which I loved. Meals and drinks are also included on the flight including alcohol, which is a plus.
Qatar Airways: Check-In & Boarding
Just like the other airlines, you can check-in to your Qatar Airways flight within 24 hours of departure. We were able to select our seats, with priority given to the window seat, just because window seats are the best. The view from the top can be amazing!
We didn’t need to do a Covid 19 test for this trip, and we also didn’t need a vaccination certificate. And from what I noticed, people weren’t even wearing masks at the airport . . . just a selected few like us.
The check in process was pretty seamless, we took our bags in, got our boarding passes and headed for passport control, which was also quick with zero issues. Our flight departed from Johannesburg from gate A17, where we were supposed to start boarding at 12h30.
We were headed to Doha in Qatar, and we were going to have a 2 hr layover and then take a connecting flight to Frankfurt Germany.
Like other airlines, Qatar Airways began boarding with business class passengers and those who need extra assistance to board first. After that, it was the economy passengers turn like us to board. For this, we needed our passports and boarding passes ready for getting to the gate. We also needed to show our boarding pass again to the flight crew, who pointed us to our seats.
Qatar Airways: Cabin & Seats
The Qatar Airways plane was massive, laid out in a 3-4-3 configuration. The great thing was that the flight wasn’t full which I personally appreciated a lot.
We had assigned ourselves seats 33A and 33B, because of the window seat. This is imperative for content creators like us, and also the aisle seats can be problematic with people walking past you to get to the restroom the entire flight.
The seats were well-padded with a headrest that was adjustable, and coupled with the views outside the window, the food and the fact that I was doing it with my partner, it was one of the best flights that I had been on.
Our seats had an amenity kit, a cute blankie, a pillow, and headphones all neatly organized on top of the seats.
Qatar Airways Economy: Food, Drinks & Service
The service on this Qatar Airways flight was really good, we literally have nothing negative to say about it.
We were welcomed with a warm greeting and beautiful smiles, as the flight attendants directed each passenger to their seats. Every single flight attendant that we were in contact with was very attentive, very proactive in offering refills and asking if there was anything else they could do for us and other passengers.
Qatar Airways Economy flight offered us free drinks, including alcohol, along with three great meals, not to mention the snacks that we got.
The first meal was served about an hour and a half after take off, we both opted for the chicken and cous cous, with veggies. It also came with bread on the side, a small container of potato salad, and caramel creme brulee for dessert. The metal silverware that came with our meals actually surprised me, it was a nice touch compared to the plastic or wood utensils that would normally be on offer.
We also got a bottle of still water with the meal, in addition to the sparkling wine that we got, to enjoy with the meal.
After dinner and the entire flight, the flight attendants made sure that passengers were ok, and that we had everything that we needed for a comfortable and enjoyable flight. They refilled water/drinks that we needed as and when needed.
As we neared our destination, we had a snack served around 2 hrs before arriving in Doha. And we were also fed handsomely on our flight from Doha to Frankfurt!
Overall, the dining in Qatar Airways economy flight gets a thumbs up from us. You are constantly being served . . . the food was tasty, the portions were amazing and the variety of food was a plus.
Also enjoyed the flight attendants attention and friendliness to the passengers.
Qatar Airways: Entertainment
When it comes to entertainment, Qatar Airline has it together.
Every single seat is equipped with a touch screen – and a monitor that will have you enjoying every movie or documentary that you watch. There are a lot of options , especially for movies, and it’s really impossible to get bored.
Their state-of-the-art entertainment system is also easy to operate, even for non tech people which is a huge plus.
I even got a chance to watch King Richard and Breaking, 2 movies that I have been wanting to watch, and I thoroughly enjoyed them.
If you are looking for other types of entertainment, they also have video games, TV shows, and music. You can also use your own devices for entertaiment, without having to worry about your battery getting finished, they have a USB and power outlets at every seat to keep your devices fully charged during your journey.
Conclusion
Experiencing Qatar Airways just made me understand why they are the “ best airline in the world”. Economy class is usually not that great, but the great service that we got, the delicious dishes, the comfortable seats, the clean and beautiful cabin made this one beautiful experience flying in economy with my partner.
Qatar Airways left a great impression on us, and given the opportunity, we definitely would fly with them again and again!
