Flying High

In mid-2013, I was flying with Qatar Airways on a work trip. Leading up to the trip, it was all excitement! I couldn't wait to get on board this five-star airline and try my very first business class luxury experience. However, as I came close to departing, all I could think about was how much I was already starting to miss my life at home and my family. I already missed Gibson so much! The family can text / email / Skype and call. Gibson just gave me a ‘where are you going?’ look… and I was going to be away for up to 6 weeks at a time for 6 months or more!

I was feeling gloomy when I left home, I was feeling gloomy when my husband dropped me off at the airport and gave me a big hug goodbye. I was even feeling lugubrious as I was checking in via the priority business class service and while sitting in the Malaysian airlines lounge at the Perth Airport. I was so engrossed in my own world, I didn't notice the friendly and attentive staff. Unfortunately, all I wanted to do was go back home, give my fur-baby (Gibson) a hug and climb into my comfortable bed. It was 11pm on a Saturday night after all! Until the moment I got on board and I was able to start playing with the seat controls in business class I didn't really notice any of the special treatment I was receiving.

First thing you notice as you climb on-board is a) You are spoken to by your name and b) there are no lines, no waiting for that special person that stands in the aisle while resting their carry-on in the aisle seat trying to gather all the gadgets and products they must have during the flight. In fact, due to the shear amount of space in the cabin, there were no lines at all! It was quite easy to forget that ordinarily, I would be on the other side of that slim curtain, traipsing down the aisle all the way to the back of the place to the ‘most economical’ seats on board.

Photo Credit: @Qatar Airways

As I got on the Qatar Airways flight, my gloomy mood took a back bench to my curiosity of this never before experienced luxury. I’m usually quite a self-conscious person but on this particular occasion, there was nobody sitting next to me. This gave me the freedom to turn into curious George – pushing buttons left right and center and foraging through the luxurious Qatar Airways and Salvatore Ferragamo amenity bags. I noticed the seats multi-functioned as a chair, a massager and a bed – a flat bed 35,000ft in the air! Score!

The take-off process was all luxurious. First, a warm towel and ‘would you like a drink Ms Smruti?’ I stupidly asked for a glass of water. What? Don’t judge me – I panicked under pressure. 
Damn it! How cool would a glass of champagne have been! After take-off came the chicken skewer with a yoghurt dip. Oh – so delicious! It was heaven on a stick. The bar was set so high, I would have been happy if they fed me nothing else.

Photo Credit: @infinitelegroom.com

Then came the pajamas! Holy Guacamole! I had been excited about flying business class for weeks and my friend Kat* said only first class passengers got the jams. Was I in the wrong seat? No, I can’t have been – the steward referred to me by name. So the momentary fear of being sent back to economy was quickly averted. Phew!

Right, so what to do now? TV and 200 shows to choose from. I think I wasted an hour just deciding what I was going to watch! Just as I was about to start a show, I saw the stewardess come out with a notepad and pen – she was taking dinner requests! Better read the menu! OK – so bread basket comes by default. I will have… the sweet potato soup please, followed by salad and the Barramundi with spiced tomato curry. And, I shall skip desert. 
No, I’m not calorie counting; I just don’t have a sweet tooth.

After ordering the food, I went into the bathroom to change into my new jammies. I was dead tired and just wanted to eat and sleep. The bathroom had absolutely everything you could need except a shower (I hear you have to fly first class for that). For starters, it’s nearly twice the size of the economy bathroom. So it’s not big – but man! It makes a big difference. It was also decked out in all the Salvatore Ferragamo amenities.

Back at my seat, it was time for dinner. Note to self. In business class, food doesn't just arrive. It announces itself and then makes a grand entrance…one course at a time! And because I skipped dessert, a little box of Godiva Chocolates arrived at the end!

After dinner, I reclined my seat (to the 180 degree flatbed option of course) and fell asleep while watching an episode of Arrow. I was rudely awakened a little while later because there was a guy nearby; snoring like Drogon with a head cold! Oh no! The most comfortable sleep I have ever had on a plane is now officially over – never to return! Shall I go wake him up? Shall I get someone else to wake him up? Why isn't this bothering anyone else but me? And then I remembered. I had earplugs in one of my care packages! Say ‘adios’ to uncomfortable, interrupted sleep.

I suddenly woke up again – this time in a panic! Panic that I might miss breakfast! I was feeling pretty refreshed. So I figured it must be time for more food. Time to brush my teeth and get ready for some more nourishment.

Now that I've raved about how great things were, I have to say, breakfast was nowhere near as good as dinner. I asked for eggs and a hash brown and didn't enjoy that much. I felt like I was eating cardboard. Or perhaps my standards had just been raised sky high while I was sleeping. What goes up must come down? No pun intended.

I watched another couple of episodes of Arrow and soon, it was time to land. It was time to come back to reality and start thinking about the reason for me being on this flight to start with. Work!

Photo Credit: @quickcityvisits.com

The whole experience did leave me questioning how on earth I will adjust to flying economy again. I didn't need to worry at all though because soon afterward, I not only flew economy, I flew budget airlines! I can confidently say reality sank in fast, leaving the Qatar Airways Business Class experience a luxurious and distant dream.