PHOTOS VIA QATAR AIRWAYS

The Iwan Tirta Private Collection has expanded into the US market with its own section at the recently opened Indonesia Fashion Gallery (IFG) store in the swanky Soho neighborhood of New York City.

On display are 90 of the brand’s fashion pieces, such as shirts, fabrics, fans, mini-cushions, ladies wear, scarves and shawls.

The IFG opened on April 26 and has so far been warmly received by New Yorkers. “Their favorite items are our fans and scarves,” said Rindu Pradnyasmita, the brand’s marketing manager. “They use the fans as decorations and for daily wear. The scarves complement their style.”

In the future, Iwan Tirta plans to expand to Los Angeles to work with Hollywood celebrities and also has its sights set on Japan, as it has plenty of batik pieces inspired by Japanese culture.

On the trip to the US, the staff ventured on a roundtrip flight from Jakarta to New York and back on Qatar Airways, traveling business class.

There was nothing but glowing praise for the services Qatar provided during the trip.

So what is business class like? Let’s take a closer look.

About the Airline

The flagship carrier for the state of Qatar has grown from only four aircraft in 1997 to a current fleet of 180 passenger and cargo aircraft covering a global network of 150-plus destinations.

In 2015, the airline started serving eight new destinations and acquired 29 new aircraft. This year alone, Qatar has expanded to include new destinations, such as Los Angeles, Sydney and Birmingham.

The airline has garnered numerous nods from industry experts over the years, including wins as the Skytrax World Airline Awards “Airline of the Year” for 2011, 2012 and 2015.

Skytrax has also repeatedly awarded Qatar Airways for having the best business class in the world and for the world’s best business class airline lounge.

The A350

In December 2015, Qatar Airways made history when it became the first airline to fly the Airbus A350 to three continents.

The airline was the global launch partner of the A350 and has 80 on order. The A350’s business class cabin has 36 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Each of these seats features an 80-inch full-flat bed, a 17-inch HD in-flight entertainment screen and direct aisle access.

Passengers on the A350 XWB wide-body model can make use of panoramic windows that go from fully transparent to 100 percent light-blocking.

Food

During the flight to and from New York, the people representing the Iwan Tirta Private Collection got to enjoy a wide range of high-end food and beverages.

Qatar Airways also offers its Business Class passengers an on-demand à la carte service menu. Passengers can savour specially prepared cuisine whenever they wish to during their flight with Qatar Airways. Designed by world-renowned chefs such as Nobu Matsuhisa among others, the delectable menu selections factored in flavours, spices and also how taste buds are altered at 30,000 feet.

Entertainment

With Qatar Airways, customers always have something to do when in-flight. With OnAir mobile services, you can always stay connected. Passengers can access onboard WiFi that is free for the first 15 minutes thanks to a global partnership with Ooredoo.

A state-of-the-art Oryx One entertainment system on Qatar Airways flights allows for more than 2,000 channels of entertainment, 60 blockbuster movies, 1,100 episodes of TV programs, 500 audio channels and 50 games, all refreshed each month.

The Connection

If you decide to fly with Qatar Airways to New York, you’ll be making a connection in Doha at the larger-than-life Hamad International Airport.

It spans 22 square kilometers, or one-third the size of Doha city. The passenger terminal complex can handle 8,700 passengers per hour at 138 check-in counters and 65 gates for fast boarding.

Visitors there can enjoy the sight of an aquatic-themed public mosque with a 2,000-plus square-meter glass dome and a 36-meter-high minaret, all illuminated by hundreds of thousands of glittering LED lights.

They can also check out 25,000 square meters of prime retail space filled with over 70 outlets and 30 cafes and restaurants spread over 15,000 square meters.

Need to relax? There are 16 lounges at the airport, each with five-star facilities, amenities and customer service. Hotels are also available for refreshing in between flights. Various exhibitions and performances by major international artists can also be seen at the airport.

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Flight Information

Jakarta to Doha
Daily service via QR955 (Boeing 787 Dreamliner) at 12:25 a.m., QR959 at 8:55 am and Q 957 (Airbus A330-300) departs at 6:40 p.m.

Denpassar to Doha
Daily service via QR961 departs at 12:20 a.m. and QR963 from 7:05 p.m (Airbus A330-300).