Qatar Upgrades A330s' Premium Classes for Newark

Qatar Airways has introduced new service features in the premium-class passenger cabins of its Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 long-haul aircraft as it prepares to begin flying to Newark Liberty International Airport on June 26.

Striving to offer higher standards of luxury on its new four-times-a-week Doha-Newark flights, which it will operate via Geneva with A330-200s, Qatar Airways has revamped its first- and business-class service to feature signature menus and a new dining presentation style.

In addition, the airline has given its A330s new premium-cabin interiors, with curtain and seat fabrics featuring its corporate color of burgundy.

Key to Qatar Airways' new premium-service standards is the fine-dining service the airline will offer. Developed over a period of 18 months by Sydney-based design firm Performa, the new concept aims to give passengers greater personal attention and to offer more stylish service.

Qatar Airways has dispensed with trolley service in its first and business class cabins, replacing it with à la carte plates that flight attendants prepare and serve individually to each passenger.

Its new premium-class dining service features glass plates, individual glass bread bowls and chinaware provided by German company Bauscher and cutlery designed in France by Guy Degrenne.

Additionally, premium-class passengers are presented with dining menus specially prepared in leather-bound folders. Selected champagne and wines from around the world are offered in Qatar Airways' first-class and business-class cabins.

Each premium-class passenger is given a new-look amenity kit. Business-class passengers receive kits featuring Aigner products, while passengers traveling in the first-class cabin are given luxury kits containing Bulgari products.

First-class passengers are served tea in individual tea sets and are offered personal caviar service. They are provided with full-size bed pillows, soft white linen mattresses and Australian wool blankets for their seats.

Each Qatar Airways first-class seat is spaced 79 inches away from the seat in front and reclines 180 degrees to become a completely flat bed. Each row has a 1-2-1 configuration so each first-class seat is next to an aisle.

Every first-class seat on Qatar Airways' A330s has a 23.5-inch by 18.5-inch meal table and a side cocktail table, as well as a "buddy seat" to allow fellow first-class passengers to have dinner together. Each seat offers a back-massage function and has four pre-programmed electronic control settings to provide the best position for aircraft take-off, dining and sleeping as well as a fully upright position.

Qatar Airways' A330 first-class seats also come with fiber optic reading lights, laptop power points and personal liquid-crystal display (LCD) television screens up to 15 inches wide.

Each A330 business-class seat is pitched 60 inches apart from the seat in front and each seat row has a 2-2-2 configuration. The seats convert into 2-meter (approximately 66-inch) bed lengths with a 160-degree recline angle and have electronic controls with five pre-programmed control settings as well as a back-massage function.

Like the first-class seats, the business-class seats on Qatar Airways' A330s have LCD television screens up to 15 inches in width and laptop power points.

In economy class, Qatar Airways' A330 seats feature 34-inch seat pitch and are ergonomically designed. Each seat comes with an individual footrest and a 9-inch personal LCD television screen.

Qatar Airways offers the same cabin service standards on its A340-600 jets, which it will use to begin daily nonstop flights between Doha and Washington Dulles Airport in July.

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