Qatar Airways announced plans to expand its network to 124 destinations by the end of 2020.
The destinations will include 21 in Africa, 10 in the Americas, 42 in the Asia-Pacific, 38 in Europe and 13 in the Middle East, with daily or more frequent transfers scheduled for most cities. The full list of destinations can be viewed on the airline's website.
According to Qatar Airways, the recently publicised winter schedule was compiled with consideration to passenger and cargo demand as well as the continued relaxation of entry restrictions around the world.
"We are proud to be the global airline passengers trust to take them where they want to go safely and reliably. This trust begins by offering an honest schedule of flights that is realistic of the current market conditions and entry restrictions around the world", stated Qatar Airways Group's Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker.
Furthermore, he assured that Qatar Airways would offer flexible options in the event that changes in entry restrictions caused flight delays or cancellations. Passengers can view the full terms and conditions for booking and refund policies at qatarairways.com/RelyOnUs.
"While no airline can predict with 100 percent certainty how the market will recover or future entry restrictions, our unrivalled experience accumulated by becoming the largest international carrier during this crisis uniquely positions us to build a realistic schedule of flights with confidence".
As per the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Qatar Airways was the largest international carrier between April to July 2020. Since the onset of the pandemic, the airline has flown over 175 million kilometres and carried 2.3 million passengers back to their respective home countries on over 35,000 flights. The airline also operated more than 400 charter flights across the world during the period.
"Our strategic investment in a variety of fuel efficient twin-engine aircraft, including the largest fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft, has enabled us to continue flying throughout this crisis and perfectly positions us to lead the sustainable recovery of international travel. As we continue to rebuild our global network, we remain focused on providing seamless, safe and reliable connectivity to our millions of passengers and ensuring we continue to earn their trust".
Qatar Airways stated that the airline considered the needs of distinct markets when choosing aircraft from its variety of modern fuel-efficient vessels, assuring that there was no dependency on any specific aircraft type. The airline went on to reveal that its fleet of Airbus A380s were grounded due to the lack of commercial and environmental viability of operating such large aircraft amid COVID-19’s impact on travel demand. In order to provide services for strategically important long-haul routes to Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions, Qatar Airways has opted to utilise its fleet of 49 Airbus A350 and 30 Boeing 787.
The carrier observes advanced safety and hygiene measures onboard its aircraft, including the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for cabin crew and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers. Business Class passengers equipped with Qsuite, an award-winning business seat, can enjoy enhanced privacy including sliding partitions and a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations including London, Paris, and Frankfurt.
Hamad International Airport (HIA), Qatar Airways' main hub, has also implemented stringent hygienic procedures and social distancing measures. Passenger touchpoints are sanitized every 10-15 minutes while boarding gates and bus gate counters are cleaned after each flight. Hand sanitizers are available at immigration and security screening points throughout the airport.
HIA was recently ranked 'Third Best Airport in the World' at the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020, as well as the ‘Best Airport in the Middle East’ for the sixth consecutive year and ‘Best Staff Service in the Middle East’ for the fifth consecutive year.
Sign In