Review: Qantas Business Suite

_{The route:} Non-stop London to Perth on the Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

_{The lounge:} The lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 was an oasis of tranquillity on a busy Tuesday morning. Spread over two levels, the space features a dining room downstairs with table service, where brunch dishes from the kitchen include eggs royale and ricotta, peperonata and ham on sourdough toast with salsa verde.

There’s also a buffet selection of freshly baked goods, yoghurts and seasonal fruit, plus an extensive drinks menu featuring wines from Australia and six types of gin. Upstairs, connected by a brass-gilded staircase, there’s a large lounge area with a circular marble bar overlooking the runway.

Here, guests can relax with a newspaper, watch TV, tuck into a second buffet or freshen up in one of the private shower suites.

_{First impressions:} Staff were exceptionally friendly as I stepped on board and found my seat. Shortly after take-off, the chief flight attendant came around the cabin to personally introduce himself to guests, and this high level of customer service continued throughout the 17-hour flight.

_{The facts:} The Qantas Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner carries 236 passengers, with 42 business suites, 28 premium economy seats and 166 economy seats. The business-class cabin is laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving all passengers direct aisle access.

Seats feature a 46-inch pitch and transform into an 80-inch lie-flat bed, topped with a thin mattress, cotton duvet and pillow when it’s time to sleep.

Each business suite features a 16-inch personal entertainment device, in-seat charging and amenity kits by Australian design and lifestyle brand Koskela.

_{The food:} The beauty of business class is you can dine whenever you like, and clients on flight QF10 can tailor the menu to their tastes, with starters, mains, desserts, mid-flight and breakfast options to choose from.

The menu, by Australian chef and restaurateur Neil Perry, features a broad range of meals, from roast chicken breast with mustard cauliflower cheese to lighter bites such as baked lamb flatbread.

The menu was less Australian-influenced than I’d have liked, but the Oceania-inspired wine list made up for it. There is also a plant-based option for each course.

_Wow: The little things make a big difference on such a long flight. The seat set-up means passengers can recline from the moment they take off to the moment they land, and there’s a generous amount of storage.

Windows on the Qantas Dreamliner can be electronically controlled, and cabin lighting is adjusted to the time of day and activity of service, including a simulated sunrise for gentle wake-ups.

_{Book it:} Business-class seats start from £6,034 including taxes.
Qantas.com