QATAR Airways has expanded operations in China with the launch of scheduled flights to Chongqing, the airline’s fifth Chinese destination and 15th route start-up and the last new route of 2011. The new thrice-weekly flights join Qatar Airways’ four other Chinese destinations – Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong.
Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said that the new Chongqing flights reflected the importance of China’s growing economy in the eyes of the world.
“Qatar Airways has been closely monitoring the dynamic Chinese market and looking at viable opportunities,” he said, adding, “We are extremely delighted to spread our award-winning services to our fifth Chinese gateway with our latest route.”
Chongqing becomes the 110th destination in Qatar Airways’ global network. More than 25 per cent of the airline’s routes are across Asia.
The Chongqing route is operated with an Airbus A330 in a two-class configuration of up to 248 seats in Economy and up to 36 in Business Class. The aircraft features seatback TV screens providing all passengers in both cabins with the next generation interactive onboard entertainment system – a choice of more than 700 audio and video on demand options.
Qatar Airways also highlighted the importance of their expansion and commitment to India as it celebrated the launch of Qatar Airways’ flights to Kolkata in November last year. “Qatar Airways enjoys a robust operation in India with 110 flights a week, a four-fold increase from just a few years ago. Having launched flights to Goa, Amritsar, Bengaluru and Kolkata over the past 24 months, our new routes have facilitated growing demand for more capacity to and from India.”
Al Baker added that 2012 will be as exciting with nine new destinations set to join the network - Baku (Azerbaijan), Tbilisi (Georgia), Helsinki (Finland), Zagreb (Croatia), Perth (Australia), Mombasa (Kenya), Zanzibar (Tanzania), Kigali (Rwanda), and Gassim (Saudi Arabia). The airline will also add its fifth daily flight between Doha and London Heathrow from the start of the Northern Summer schedules on March 25. By 2013, Qatar Airways plans to serve over 120 destinations with a fleet of more than 120 aircraft.
As part of its aggressive growth plans, Qatar Airways has been busy ordering new aircraft. At the recently held Dubai Air Show, the carrier placed orders for 90 aircraft – both firm and option – comprising 80 Airbus A320 Neo’s, eight A380 super jumbos and two Boeing 777 freighters.