Qatar Airways has announced it is expanding its current network to over 650 weekly flights to 90 destinations. This announcement coincides with the resumption of flights to Amman, Entebbe, Hanoi, Seychelles, Windhoek, and Yerevan. Since the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China, Qatar Airways has led the aviation industry by offering more worldwide connectivity than any other airline.
Since the onset of the virus in early spring, the Doha-based airline’s network has never fallen below 30 destinations. With the resumption of flights to Amman, Entebbe, Hanoi, Seychelles, Windhoek, and Yerevan and the launch of new flights to Accra, Ghana, it will see the airline’s global network more than triple in size by mid-October.
Qatar Airways new destinations
This resilience and Qatar Airways commitment to providing connectivity since the very start of the crisis has also seen it launch new destinations, which include Brisbane, Cebu, and the above mentioned Accra. With a highly trained strategic management team and a fleet of modern fuel-efficient aircraft, Qatar Airways has been able to quickly resume flights and expand its offerings in line with passenger’s demands. The list below portrays Qatar Airways’ resumption of destinations and increased frequencies:
- Amman (daily flights started September 15, carriage of passengers limited to AMM-DOH only)
- Clark (increasing to nine weekly flights from September 20)
- Copenhagen (rising to 10 weekly flights from October 15)
- Dhaka (increased to seven weekly flights from September 19)
- Entebbe (three weekly flights starting October 2)
- Hanoi (four weekly flights beginning on October 3)
- Madrid (rising to 10 weekly flights from October 1)
- Manchester (increasing to 17 weekly flights from October 15)
- Manila (increasing to 17 weekly flights from October 2)
- Seychelles (three weekly flights starting October 15)
- Stockholm (rising to 10 weekly flights from October 15)
- Windhoek (three weekly flights beginning on October 15)
- Yerevan (five weekly flights that began on September 15, increasing to daily from October 5)
When speaking in the press release to announce the increased flights and destinations, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said:
“We are proud to be the leading global airline connecting passengers with the world, helping take people safely and sustainably to where they need to be. Having one of the youngest, most fuel-efficient fleets enables us to be agile and respond quickly to passenger demand. Our focus throughout the rebuild of our network is not only on restarting destinations but also operating as many frequencies as possible to provide our passengers the flexibility to travel when they want.
“By continuing to fly during the pandemic while others stopped, we have gained the trust of passengers as an airline they can rely on. We have taken more international passengers home than any other airline during this pandemic, and as entry restrictions ease, we remain focused on our fundamental mission of carrying passengers across the globe safely and reliably. There are still millions of people who have not been able to be reunited with their friends and families, and it is heartwarming to know our growing network will provide them an opportunity to travel home or take a trip to see loved ones.”
Qatar Airways allows free ticket changes
To give passengers peace of mind when deciding to fly with Qatar Airways, the company has extended its booking policies by offering its customers more choices. Qatar Airways will allow unlimited date changes and destination changes if it is a flight within 5,000 miles of the original destination.
Qatar Airways will also not charge for travel completed before December 31, 2020, after which all fare rules will apply. All tickets booked before December 31, 2020, will be valid for two years from the date they were issued. For full terms and conditions, visit the Qatar Airways website.
HIA is the world’s third-best airport
According to the latest information released by the IATA, Qatar Airways was the largest international carrier between April and July. While always putting passenger and staff safety first, Qatar Airways is now able to expand its network. The Gulf carriers fleet of Airbus A350s and Boeing 787s are the ideal aircraft for long-haul routes to Africa, North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
Qatar Airways hub at Hamad International Airport (HIA) has implemented some of the most stringent procedures to ensure it remains hygienic. These measures include sanitizing passenger touchpoints every 10-15 minutes and thoroughly wiping down and sanitizing each shuttle bus and departure point after each flight.
HIA was recently voted the third best airport globally in the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020 and remained for the 6th year in a row the best airport in the Middle East.
Qatar Airways seems to be returning to pre-COVID-19 schedules faster than many other carriers and is poised to take advantage of an uptick in demand.
What do you think about Qatar Airways and its resumption of flights? Is it a good thing, or are they moving too fast? Please tell us what you think in the comments.
