Qatar Airways has unveiled a new version of its award-winning Qsuite business class, launched on the Boeing 777X. The verdict? The ‘best just got better’, with the option of window ‘companion suites’

Qatar Airways’ Qsuite was named the best business class cabin in the world at this year’s ‘Oscars of Aviation’ – the Skytrax World Airline Awards.

But the best seems to get even better.

Qatar Airways, which also won the ‘World’s Best Airline’ award, unveiled the ‘Qsuite Next Gen’ at the Farnborough International Airshow yesterday. These seats will be found on the new Boeing 777X from 2025, according to the airline.

And the verdict? An aviation expert who attended the launch and tested a mock-up version of the suite declared it even more impressive.

The most noticeable improvement is undoubtedly the ‘Companion Suite’ window.

Qatar Airways unveiled the ‘Qsuite Next Gen’ (above) at the Farnborough International Airshow. In ‘quad mode’ in the current Qsuite, the entertainment screens partially block the view of passengers sitting opposite them. But in the new version, the screens fold flat against the walls

The Qsuite owes its fame in part to the option for passengers to create a four-seat configuration in the middle of the cabin, with two pairs of seats facing each other.

In the next generation cabinFor two passengers who have booked a window seat, a companion mode is available, where a partition wall can be lowered between two seats facing each other, creating a new social space.

Rhys Jones from travel site headforpoints.com said: ‘I can imagine this will be a very popular option. The “Companion Suite” concept is the only thing that is really different about Qsuite Next Gen.’

The ‘Quad Suite’ has now been adapted so that the space can be completely opened up.

In the current Qsuite, the entertainment screens partially block the view of passengers sitting opposite them. But in the new version, the screens – 4K OLED units from Panasonic – fold flush against the walls. Qatar Airways boasts that the new Quad Suite will be “the largest social and productivity space in the sky for up to four passengers”.

The next-generation cabin will feature a companion mode for pairs of passengers who have booked window seats, with a partition that can be lowered between two facing single seats to create a new social space

A feast for the eyes: the new Qsuite features 4K OLED entertainment screens from Panasonic

The new seats are also bigger, Rhys notes: two inches wider, an inch longer in the bed position and 4.5 inches wider in the bed position.

He adds: ‘Because the middle pair is made up as a double bed, it is, amazingly, almost 25 centimetres wider than before.’

Rhys also explains that the already large table has become even larger and that there are additional storage options, such as a lockable pull-out drawer.

The new seats are larger – 2 inches wider, 1 inch longer in the bed position and 4.5 inches wider in the bed position

Qsuite was named the world’s best business class cabin at this year’s ‘Oscars of Aviation’. Above – a close-up of the new version

Rhys Jones of travel website headforpoints.com said: ‘What Qatar Airways has done is take an industry-leading seat and make it even better’

Qsuite Next Gen will be featured on the new Boeing 777X (above)

Could the new suite be fitted to existing Qatar Airways aircraft? It’s too wide for the Dreamliner, says Rhys, but it could appear on the A350 alongside the 777X, also known as the 777-9.

He concludes: ‘At first glance, Qsuite Next Gen may seem like a modest improvement on the original Qsuite. Dig a little deeper and the opposite is true. What Qatar Airways has done is take an industry-leading seat and make it even better.’

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “We are delighted to finally unveil the much-anticipated Qsuite Next Gen at the Farnborough International Airshow.

‘Qatar Airways has raised the bar again with its award-winning product, the Qsuite.

‘We look forward to welcoming media and partners to our stand throughout the week so they can experience the future of business class travel with the world’s best business class on board the world’s best airline.’