| Qatar Airways consolidates expansion plans |
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 Qatar Airways is consolidating on its non-stop seven (7) daily flights to Lagos from Doha which it launched on March 29, 2009. The flights were increased from the present five frequencies to seven based on passengers’ demand on the route. Flights to the Australian cities of Sydney and Melbourne,
together with new services to Goa and Amritsar in India, and two new European services are being earmarked over the next nine months.“Qatar Airways’ robust expansion is continuing undeterred by the current economic climate,” said Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker Subject to regulatory approval, the long awaited Australian services will become reality as more Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft join the fleet. There are currently eight Boeing 777s in Qatar Airways’ fleet of 68 aircraft – of which two are the Boeing 777 Long Range version capable of flying from Doha to Australia non-stop. Qatar Airways will also step up its European presence with two new routes, which are currently being finalised. Details will be announced in due course. The airline’s first new route launch of 2009 is the daily flights service between Doha and Houston which, at just under 17 hours, will be one of the longest non-stop flights in the world. The Houston route which started on March 30, feature Qatar Airways’ new fully flat Business Class seats deployed on its two Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft, which the airline took delivery of over the past six weeks. The award-winning Doha-based airline currently has on order more than 200 new Airbus and Boeing aircraft worth over US$40 billion. Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 68 Airbus and Boeing aircraft to 83 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, South Asia, Far East and North America. With the opening of the New Doha International Airport scheduled for 2012, Qatar Airways plans to increase its global network to beyond 100 cities worldwide. |