The Five Yen of Happiness! Qatar Airways Flight QR812 Hamad International Airport, Doha to Tokyo Haneda

The Five Yen of Happiness! Qatar Airways Flight QR812 Hamad International Airport, Doha to Tokyo Haneda

QR812 Hamad International Airport Doha to Tokyo Haneda International Airport
Qatar Airways Boeing 787-8, Economy Class, Seat 27K
5139Miles Flow, 2,573 Avios Earned, 35 Tier Points Earned

It was time to walk again, this time up the air-stairs and aboard the waiting Qatar Airways Boeing 787.

Up, up, up the stairs!

A queue anywhere in the world..

I was welcomed aboard, and directed down the back of the plane

Entranceway.

Once again, there were some business class seats to pass before we got into economy class.

One day, I’ll learn to use to use the Auto-ISO function on the camera.

Heading towards the back of the plane, it was back to the maroons and charcoals of economy class seats.

The plane was starting to fill up, with the electronic blinds set to “very dim” (or as I like to call it, “turquoise”. People were adjusting the window shades to their own needs.

Onto the seat, and unsurprisingly – it feels narrower than the same seat aboard the A350.

With a 17″ seat width compared to the 18″ aboard the A350, it felt tight.

The IFE screen though was bright and welcoming.

Another Thales system, with a different interface.

Well, there was legroom at least – and more legroom thanks to no passenger in the middle seat.

Overhead control panel

At seat, there was an amenity kit waiting.

We’ll look at this in a bit.

Yup – A Boeing 787-8.

Boarding and loading took its time as passengers were shuttled out to the hard stand. Eventually, equipment started pulling back and the announcement that boarding was complete was made.

Again – the middle seat was free for this flight.

Unit loader device pulling back.

Eventually, the safety video played and our pushback was approved. With that, the Boeing 787 begun its taxi around Hamad International Airport.

Waiting Airbus A320/A321 aircraft

An A330 waiting

An A350’s behind.

And the side too. Gotta love that wingtip device.

Eventually, taxied onto the runway and the Boeing 787 spooled up its engines for the long trip to Tokyo Haneda.

With the Boeing 787 in flight, it was time to watch the morning light.

The forward cabin.

With climb-out in progress, shall we see what’s in the amenity kit? The answer… a fair bit!

The kit unpacked – very much a “non woven” material pack

Inside the kit, we have an eye-shade/blindfold, socks, toothbrush with toothpaste and earplugs. Disappointingly – no pen (it’s a long standing bug-bear of mine that airlines don’t include pens so you can fill in annoying immigration forms). The quality of the blindfold and socks fell into the “discounted” end of the market, but its a major plus they offer some good amenities in their kit.

Meanwhile, outside…

Menus, customs and immigration forms were handed out.

I took the time to fill the paperwork out, and idly considered using the WiFi, hoping there was an all flight option. However, this was not to be.

Via the phone…

Hmm. Same airline, slightly different rates. That doesn’t make much sense.

One of the flight attendants came by and welcomed me aboard as a oneworld Emerald, and offered me a first choice of meal.

That’s quite nice – and something I’d love to see on more oneworld airlines.

I then hit the IFE system. Even though this is a new plane, the IFE felt a lot less fluid than the system installed than the one installed aboard the A350. On the other side, the content again was strong with a mix of old and new.

Lots of Big Bang Theory.

Work and The Big Bang Theory. This isn’t a familiar sight in the least.

Although I found there were a fair few content warnings when watching some shows…

What could this mature and adult nature programme could this be?

Oh. Not surprising at all really.

With the sound of trolleys passing through the cabin, it was time for breakfast. Since I was flying to Japan, I thought I’d have the Japanese meal.

And it wasn’t bad in the least.

The Breakfast Tray – L-R – Croissant, Yogurt, Fruit, Orange Juice and a main

It’s the Fish! (although rather nice)

Lots of Crossainty goodness.

The main dish itself was a very good meal – it was the fried fillet of fish with rice in a ginger sauce was full of flavour (even though the batter suffered slightly due to the steam build-up). The croissant tasted fresh as did the fruit.

Not a bad meal by any stretch of the imagination.

With the meal service completed, the cabin descended into blueness as the windows were dimmed in the cabin.

Dreamliner? Blueliner.

Yup. Still Blue. Bit of a waste during a daytime flight.

And even then it seems some of the dimmers were either defective… or emitting too much light.

As my body clock was more wildly over the place than not, I reclined my seat a bit and dozed off for a while. How long – I’m not sure.

When I woke up – I decided to go for a more classic film on the IFE system. Thankfully, the Qatar Airways system is loaded with enough content… and it was time to go Ghostbusting.

Ray, when someone asks you if you’re a god, you say “YES“!!!

The crew was roaming around the cabin at frequent intervals offering drinks and snacks. I partook with some cola and crisps.

About two hours before arrival, the lights in the cabin came on for the dinner service – again, I was asked which meal I would like before others, and I went again for the Japanese meal.

More wonderful mood lighting.

Meanwhile, people were changing the window settings to let light back into the cabin.

Still looking nice outside.

Food was delivered through the main trolley service.

The tray – L-R Lotus Root Salad and Norimaki, Peach Moose, Udon Noodles, water and Braised Chicken in Honey bean sauce.

Pickles and a norimaki, Peach Moose to the right

Peach Moose to the right

Braised Chicken in Honey bean sauce

Again – we have a well put together meal here. Lots of different flavours and reasonably balanced. It was great to see the Japanese elements so well put together. The Udon noodles were the right consistency, the salad crunchy and the main meal had flavour in it.

I’ve been on a few flights and wondered what gloop had been put in front of me – this time, everything was pretty identifiable.

With the flight near its end, the trays were cleared down as the sun was setting.

Evening as the sun sets.

Meanwhile, the cabin was mood lit as cabin crew began collecting blankets and headphones a good forty minutes before arrival.

Collect everything!!!!

Soon, the cabin was secured, and with 20 minutes to land – the crew were back in their seats with plane readying for its arrival at Haneda.

The plane begun its decent, swinging out, then back over Tokyo Bay for its arrival at Haneda for a very bouncy landing.

With the plane down, it begun its short taxi to the International Terminal.

The International Terminal.

JAL Boeing 777 (well it looks like it. In that wet hot murk, it could be anything).

Beginning the turn for the gate

The plane came to a stop and people begun started getting up. The crew made no effort to stop them as the bongs went off to indicate the engines had shut down and the plane had come to a stop.

With my rucksack already within grabbing reach, I gathered myself together and headed off the plane

10 hours in that. Ouch.

I thanked the crew as I exited, and headed into Japan.

Overall

The plane: I’ve now tried the Boeing 787 in Economy, Premium and Business Class – and I am not a fan of it in the 3-3-3 configuration in economy. A great plane ruined by accountants it seems.

And that’s a shame. I was full of hope for this plane when I flew it with ANA (even though I still think it’s a 767-300ER on steroids), and even thought it wasn’t bad when I flew it with British Airways in premium economy.

The service: Service aboard QR812 was lot more polished out of Doha than Frankfurt. The crew was friendly and attentive. The food was a delight to have in Economy Class – which is amazing it itself. A great effort. Not five-star, but four and a bit – which in Economy class is all you can hope for.

NEXT: Japanese Immigration, The Hotel JAL City Haneda, Tokyo

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