It’s by sheer coincidence that Qantas has a Harry Potter first class suite on board its A380 aircraft.
Such a thing hasn’t been ordained by a partnership between Australia’s flag carrier and J.K. Rowling’s iconic franchise. As reported by Executive Traveller, the Qantas A380 comes with a unique Harry Potter first class Suite not because of some gaudily themed promotional plot, but because of the specific setting of suite 2F as compared to the other 13 of the A380’s first class suites.
It all comes down to suite 2F’s positioning. You’ll find the seat oddly placed underneath the stairs that lead to A380’s generously appointed upper deck, mirroring the location of Harry Potter’s cupboard at 14 Privet Drive.
That is evidently enough to go on for passengers who frequently fly Qantas first class onboard the A380 between Australia and cities like London and Los Angeles, who have started referring to 2F as the unofficial Harry Potter first class suite.
But there’s also the experience. Nabbing 2F sounds pretty damn magical to us. It’s got the exact same design as the other 13 first class suites, which were all designed by Marc Newson, except the location offers a better sense of privacy with a walled-in feel that can feel cosy to some and claustrophobic to others.
The walls surrounding the passenger span the entire suite, when considered with the staircase above, and a privacy divider can block out the entire left aisle. Given the Qantas A380 services 14-22 hour flights, this kind of shut-in feeling is very attractive for passengers who want to feel like they’ve got the whole flight to themselves.
Of course, anyone who feels a bit too caged in can just saunter on upstairs and relax in any one of the two premium lounges upstairs, which are only accessible for Qantas first class and business class passengers.
