Sometimes the flights you expect the least end up surprising you the most. Our Qatar Airways 777 Business Class trip from Kuala Lumpur to Doha was on one of the ex-Virgin Australia jets, still flying with its original cabins. It’s a configuration we hadn’t tried on Qatar before. No Qsuite, no flagship lounge, but a surprisingly solid experience with great crew.
You’ll spot these 777s by the reverse herringbone seats in business and cabin decor that feels noticeably different from a typical Qatar aircraft, thanks to the ex-Virgin fit-out. Here’s how this version of Qatar Airways 777 business class held up on a night flight to Doha.
In this review:
Flight Details
Flight No: BA2314 (operated by QR853)
From/To: Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Doha (DOH)
Departure time: 20:25
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 7 hours 18 mins
Frequent Flyer Points: 140
Status Points: 140
Aircraft: A7-BOG
Aircraft type: Boeing 777-300ER type 7D1
Number of classes: 2
Number of seats in flying class: 42
Seat: 2D and 2G
Position: Middle section, second row from the front
Airport Experience
Check-in at Kuala Lumpur International opened three and a half hours before departure and was well-organised. There were clear lines for premium passengers, Oneworld elites (Gold, Silver, Bronze), and bag drop, which helped avoid the usual scrum. If you’ve got status, this is one of the rare moments where it actually feels like it means something.
Plaza Premium First Lounge
Strangely, Qatar doesn’t send its passengers to Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge in the satellite terminal. Instead, we were directed to the Plaza Premium First lounge. It wasn’t bad but considering Qatar’s standards in Doha, surely it made sense to use the Malaysia Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance? In any case, if you have Oneworld status you could still head to the Golden Lounges.
Boarding & Welcome
When we boarded, we were greeted by a configuration we hadn’t seen on Qatar before. We’d been expecting the older 777 layout with angled mini-pods, so it was a pleasant surprise to find Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats instead. Then we realised this was one of the ex-Virgin Australia aircraft, still fitted with much of the original Virgin cabin styling and soft finishes, including the distinctive mood lighting and trim. There are only three of these aircraft in Qatar’s fleet of 57 Boeing 777-300ERs, making them a rare sub-fleet with a noticeably different feel.
The flight attendant at the door greeted us warmly and walked us through the seat features, location of the toilets, and wished us a good rest. It felt personal rather than scripted.
Unusually for Qatar, service was done via trolley rather than à la carte. Even so, it actually worked well. Everything arrived at roughly the same time, and the pace was impressive. Six crew served the cabin, including the excellent cabin service manager, Stephen, who didn’t disappear after takeoff like some do.
Despite turbulence keeping the seatbelt sign on for the first hour, service continued without delay. In contrast, on a previous Qatar Airways 777 business class flight, turbulence had brought everything to a halt. This was probably due to Stephen’s precision timings and making sure everyone was fed and asleep for the evening flight.
The flight attendant at the door greeted us warmly and walked us through the seat features, location of the toilets, and wished us a good rest. It felt personal rather than scripted.
Turbulence meant the seatbelt sign stayed on for the first hour, but it didn’t stop service, unlike on our previous flight. Consistency clearly depends on the crew, not the airline’s policies.
Seat
This particular aircraft was one of Qatar’s Boeing 777-300ERs in the type 7D1 configuration, with 37 seats in business and 302 in economy. A configuration we’ve not seen before. It’s part of a small sub-fleet acquired from Virgin Australia in late 2022, these jets still feature their original interiors, so the cabin layout and finishes differ slightly from Qatar’s usual long-haul fleet.
Business Class is equipped with Collins Aerospace Super Diamond seats in a 1-2-1 reverse herringbone layout — the same seat shell used by Finnair, American Airlines and BA’s A350s, though finished to Qatar’s specs.
We were in the middle pair, 2D and 2G, which were ideal for a night flight. With the divider lowered, the space felt open and perfect for sleeping and dining as a pair. While the Qsuite gets all the attention, these seats still hold their own. The bed was fully flat, the footwell roomy, and the bedding excellent.
If you’re curious how this layout compares more broadly, check out our guide to the 6 Leading Business Class Seat Types. Spoiler: it’s not at the top, but it holds its own for comfort, sleep and simplicity.
What is the best seat on this Qatar Airways 777 Business Class?
Go for rows 3, 4 or 5 in the forward mini-cabin for maximum comfort. These seats are quieter and feel more private, with less foot traffic from the galley or lavatories. If you’re travelling with someone, the centre seats are your best bet. See the seating plan on AeroLopa.
Onboard Experience
There’s a small bar area near the galley. It’s not the social lounge you get on the A380, but it does the job if you fancy a quiet stretch and a self-serve top-up. There’s three toilets for Business Class passengers. A few pre-packed snacks and mini bottles were available throughout the flight, though most passengers stuck to their seats given it’s an evening flight.
With Stephen in charge, this flight ran like clockwork. The cabin lights were dimmed early, crew moved with quiet efficiency, and the overall atmosphere was calm.
That is, until one man began coughing his lungs out somewhere behind us. It went on for hours. As if that wasn’t enough, someone nearer the front decided to start a one-person percussion performance with their cutlery about 30 minutes before landing. Not exactly the ASMR you hope for at 38,000 feet.
Obviously, Qatar can’t control passenger behaviour. Still, there’s a strong case to be made that coughing man should’ve been asked to wear a mask. It’s 2024. Common courtesy hasn’t gone out of fashion.
Despite all that, the crew remained composed and attentive. Turbulence didn’t interrupt the flow of service, and the cabin was kept quiet and restful throughout. We managed a decent stretch of sleep and woke just in time for a very noisy breakfast service.
Food & Drink
Service started promptly after takeoff, which we appreciated on a night flight. The menu read well, with options like pepper-crusted tuna and prawn, Arabic-style chicken ouzi, and grilled Angus beef tenderloin. Desserts included a pear and almond pudding and a decent cheese plate.
Sadly, it didn’t taste as good as it sounded. The prawns were chalky and the rice was overcooked. We’d seen Brahim’s catering loaded in Kuala Lumpur, and while they’re used widely in the region, the quality here just wasn’t up to Qatar’s usual standard. The bread was warm, but the butter was fridge-hard. We skipped dessert in favour of sleep. Qatar usually excels at onboard dining, especially ex-Doha. This flight felt like the cutlery set was doing more work than the kitchen.
Drinks
Drinks were the saving grace. The wine list was impressive for a regional flight — Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée, Duval-Leroy Rosé Prestige, and Château de Fieuzal 2015 stood out. They offered a Sauternes (Château de Rayne Vigneau 2013 – we visited the lovely vineyard in 2025) and a 20-year-old Tawny Port from Dow’s, which you don’t often see outside long-haul flagship routes. The crew poured generously and were happy to offer second (and third) rounds without hesitation.
Qatar usually delivers in the food department, especially out of Doha. Out of KUL, the wines carried the weight.
In-flight Entertainment
Qatar’s Oryx One system had plenty of content on paper, but nothing that really caught our interest. The interface isn’t the slickest and the catalogue felt a little stale. Even though we browsed for a while, we eventually gave up and went to bed. Not a dealbreaker on a night flight, but worth noting if your plan is to binge-watch your way to Doha.
BG1 Verdict
We were genuinely impressed with the seat and service, especially for a non-Qsuite flight. Qatar Airways 777 business class may not always be consistent, but when it’s good, it’s very good. Unfortunately, the catering let it down and the cough-ridden percussionist didn’t help either. Would we fly it again? Yes. But next time we’ll bring a mask for the other passenger!
BG1 Tip
If you’re flying this non-Qsuite Qatar Airways 777 business class layout, choose a seat in the forward mini-cabin. Suggest seats in row 3, 4 or 5 for maximum comfort. Avoid seats 2K and seats in row 1 if you’re looking to avoid noise from the kitchen and proximity to the toilets.
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