Review of Qatar Airways flight from Erbil to Doha in Economy

QR451 / EBL-DOH

My journey back to the UK started in the evening at Erbil International Airport at 7 p.m. local time. It was a great, month long trip here in Iraqi Kurdistan.  A true gem in this world.

That night, I was flying on Qatar Airways for the first time since 2018. Check-in went smoothly with no issues, and I passed through passport control within a few minutes.

Security at Erbil Airport was efficient and straightforward, reflecting the higher standards required for European flights. With check-in and security completed quickly, I had over an hour to wait at the gate before boarding.

Boarding proceeded smoothly.

The flight itself was on a Qatar Airways Airbus A320, registered A7-AHS. The journey lasted about two and a half hours, flying down the Persian Gulf and into Doha.
The business class cabin on this aircraft looks very nice, especially for an older, narrow-body aircraft. 
However, I continued walking down to my seat in economy. Our seats were equipped with IFE screens offering a good selection of entertainment. While comfortable, some features were slightly aged; the reclining mechanism was loose, causing the seat to move abruptly, and the tray table in my row was similarly loose.

Qatar Airways served a very nice meal: a chickpea and chicken dish accompanied by salad and dessert. Metal cutlery was provided, even on this short flight in economy class.

Flying over the Gulf provided excellent views of oil refineries and offshore rigs.
As we approached Doha, we flew close to the airport, allowing a good view of its size. Being seated on the left side of the aircraft meant I missed much of the city itself.

We landed at Doha on runway 34L and taxied to a remote stand on the western side of the airport. Disembarking was quick and smooth, though the buses transferring passengers from the aircraft moved very slowly. While not an issue for me personally, this could add extra time for tight connections.

After arriving at the terminal, passengers passed through security to access the main airport and connection areas.
From Doha, I continued my journey onward to London on a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 — details of that flight can be found in my other report.