QATAR AIRWAYS is continuing its steady expansion plan for the coming year. The airline has announced a string of new routes for this year including Sharjah and Dubai World Central, both in the UAE from March 1, Philadelphia, US from April 2, Larnaca, Cyprus from April 29, Sabiha Gokcen Airport, Turkey from May 22, Edinburgh, Scotland from May 28, Miami, US from June 10, and Dallas, US from July 1.
In 2013, Qatar Airways launched 12 destinations – Hangzhou in China, Gassim and Ta’if in Saudi Arabia, Najaf, Sulaymaniyah and Basra in Iraq, Phnom Penh in Cambodia, Chicago in the US, Salalah in Oman, Chengdu in China, Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, and Clark Manila International Airport in the Philippines.
Qatar Airways was presented with three honours at the annual Skytrax 2013 World Airline Awards held during the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, France in June. The airline was awarded World’s Best Business Class, World’s Best Business Class Lounge and, for the second consecutive year, Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East.
The airline has also been named Best Airline in the Middle East for the seventh year in a row, and its Premium Terminal at Doha International Airport named Best Premium Service Airport for the third consecutive year in 2013. Qatar Airways has also twice been the recipient of the prestigious Skytrax Airline of the Year Award in 2011 and 2012. Skytrax is the only global independent passenger survey monitoring airline standards and is considered the ultimate benchmark for excellence in the airline industry.
On October 30, 2013, Qatar Airways joined the oneworld Alliance, becoming the only major Gulf carrier to join a global airline alliance, enabling its customers to benefit from almost a thousand airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,000 daily departures.
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 128 aircraft to 133 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.
Qatar Airways currently has orders worth over $50 billion for more than 280 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s and A320 family of aircraft.
Popular business and leisure destinations such as Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Delhi, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Nairobi, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, and Maldives are operated daily non-stop with multiple frequencies, making Qatar Airways an airline of choice among passengers.
In line with Qatar Airways’ growth strategy, many routes are served with multiple frequencies, ensuring maximum connectivity and convenience by providing some of the shortest travel times in the industry.