Qatar Airways sees strong demand recovery despite Strait disruptions, says CEO

Qatar Airways is experiencing a stronger-than-expected rebound in passenger demand despite ongoing disruptions caused by the Iran conflict and concerns over jet fuel supplies, the airline's chief executive said during the annual meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in Brazil.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with CNN's Richard Quest on the sidelines of the IATA gathering in Rio de Janeiro, Qatar Airways CEO Hamad Ali Al-Khater said the carrier was not facing a critical fuel shortage and had taken extensive measures to safeguard operations amid regional uncertainties.

The comments come as global airlines grapple with route disruptions linked to the conflict in the Gulf region and rising concerns about fuel availability following the closure of key maritime passages.

"Let me put things into perspective. The skies are open for Qatar Airways, but the strait remains closed for now," Al-Khater told CNN. "We've mapped out all of our outstations and airports where we believe there is high risk. We believe there is sufficient headway from proper critical fuel supply shortages."

He said the airline had activated contingency plans and was provisioning fuel supplies across its network as part of a broader resilience strategy.

"Resilience and emergency planning are a core and paramount factor in how we operate in the months to come," he added.

Despite higher ticket prices driven partly by fuel costs, Al-Khater said passenger demand had remained remarkably strong across key international markets.

"We've seen demand bounce back at a pretty surprising level," he said. "What we expected was a U-shaped recovery. It's coming closer to a V-shape right now."

According to the CEO, passenger load factors recently climbed above 80%, with particularly strong performance on long-haul routes linking Australia and Europe, as well as growing traffic between India and the United States, and across China and Africa.

"Fuel price is a risk, and we have to steer accordingly from a pricing perspective, but the loads speak for themselves," he said.

The airline is also pressing ahead with expansion plans despite the uncertain operating environment. Al-Khater noted that Qatar Airways has approximately 210 wide-body aircraft on order following a major agreement signed with Boeing last year.

"Health of the business remains paramount and preservation of jobs is what I'm focusing on," he said. "We have a huge focus on growth, consistency and putting the passenger up front. These factors are going to make sure that we're in a much healthier position once we're out of this crisis."

Reflecting on his leadership role during one of the aviation industry's most challenging periods, Al-Khater said the focus remained on navigating uncertainty while preparing for long-term growth. -TradeArabia News Service