What is Qatar Airways’ plan for 2005?
As for 2005, Qatar Airways has seven confirmed new routes from its operational hub in Doha.
The airline launches scheduled flights to Yangon in Myanmar on January 8, Johannesburg and Cape Town on January 16, and four routes of Osaka, Athens, Tunis and Algiers during the summer. The airline currently operates to 56 destinations with 39 all-Airbus aircraft on short, medium and long-haul routes. These cover Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent and Asia. The airline plans to operate to 70 destinations by the end of 2005. In December 2004 alone, the airline boosted its fleet with delivery of three brand new aircraft (two-class A319 long range, three-class long-range A330-200 and A330-300).
Is Qatar Airways bullish about 2005? If yes, why?
Qatar Airways is extremely bullish about 2005. The airline is developing at a rapid pace to meet demand for services to high-yield business and leisure destinations. The world’s eyes are focused on the Middle East which is enjoying a travel boom and Qatar Airways is strategically well placed to take advantage of this. Qatar is at the crossroads of East and West and the national airline provides convenient connections across its global network via its operational hub of Doha.
Qatar is undergoing rapid transformation with huge development projects underway in the country. New office blocks, residential apartments, hotels and a host of other construction projects are putting Qatar on centrestage in the Middle East. Due to this demand for improved infrastructure, there is also a growing demand for seat capacity in and out of Doha.
What can passengers look forward to in the new year?
Travellers can look forward to exciting new products from Qatar Airways. We have begun introducing brand new A330-300 long-haul aircraft into the fleet with a state-of-the-art Audio Video On Demand entertainment system and a new-look First Class and Business Class cabin. The First Class environment mirrors a restaurant atmosphere where ‘buddy’ seats opposite each First Class seat allow two facing passengers to share a meal for two. Qatar Airways also has the biggest individual video screens in its premium cabins in the Middle East (15-inch in Business and First Class), while the entire aircraft has soft blue mood lighting to ease the strain on passengers’ eyes during night flights.
Qatar Airways is also planning a new inflight catering concept which will be unveiled during the course of the year.