Qatari flag carrier and industry titan Qatar Airways wasn’t always a giant. It began operations in 1995 with two Airbus A310s and a leased Boeing 767-200ER from Kuwait Airways. From there, it has grown into an airline with a vast global network, serving over 170 destinations on every inhabited continent except Antarctica. In 2022, the airline celebrated its 25th anniversary 2 years late due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, unveiling a 777-300ER registered as A7-BAC painted in the airline’s original livery: Overall white with burgundy cheatlines and an oryx on the tail. I replicated a flight flown by -BAC a few days ago on May 26th, between Doha and Washington-Dulles for my first time flying this livery.
Server: Solo
Airline: Qatar Airways
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Origin: Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar (DOH)
Destination: Washington Dulles International Airport, Dulles, Virginia (IAD)
Flight Number: QR707
Route: OTHH-KIAD
Seat: 5A (Business)
Time En Route: 14 Hours 17 Minutes
In the boarding area a few hours before our flight while our aircraft, a 16.9 year-old 777-300ER, gets ready for the long flight to Dulles after arriving a few hours ago from London-Heathrow
Taxiing for takeoff past the tower. Our aircraft is equipped with the older 42J/316M configuration, which does not feature Qatar Airways’s superb QSuite product.
GE90s rumbling as we depart Doha. Seats seem comfortable, although there’s something to be desired as far as privacy is concerned, with the divided between the seats only going up to around one’s head, and that’s only if one isn’t on the taller side.
Climbout from Qatar
Reaching our cruising altitude along the coast of Saudi Arabia
Over northern England a few hours later. Service, as usual, has been top-notch.
In the first stage of our descent with Philadelphia off in the distance
Landing in Virginia in the afternoon
Taxiing over to our gate
Disembarked at Dulles after an enjoyable flight. I’d have preferred the QSuite, but these older MiniPod seats could be a lot worse.
