DOHA: Qatar Airways’ (QA) Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker yesterday announced the extension of the A350 XWB service throughout 2015.
He was addressing the airline’s press conference, the first on the opening day of the world’s largest tourism fair, ITB Berlin.
The press conference, attended by more than 100 international media, also celebrated QA’s strong connections with Germany and highlighted the 10-year anniversary of QA’s first flight to Berlin in 2005 with an A319 aircraft, a route now operated with an A330 wide-body aircraft.
Further expansion was announced with the new routes of Durban via Johannesburg in South Africa, which will debut in December, alongside the inaugural flight to Amsterdam in June.
Pakistan was also cited as a key growth market for the airline, with the launch of three new routes this summer to Faisalabad, Sialkot and Multan, complementing QA’s four existing gateways of Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar.
“The last 12 months have been characterised by significant fleet expansion for the airline, which is set to continue throughout 2015.
“This year we are pleased to be able to offer our passengers additional innovative new products within our broad destination network, most notably with the introduction of the world’s newest aircraft, A350 XWB,” said Al Baker. “It is fitting that we are back in Germany today, celebrating not only the recent launch of the A350 XWB on the Frankfurt route and the fact that this destination will soon be the recipient of the world’s second A350 XWB, but also acknowledging the 10-year anniversary of our Berlin route,” he added.
New flights to Pakistan
Beginning July 16, QA will begin four weekly passenger services to Sialkot where it operates freighter services three times a week. Sialkot also marks QA’s first new passenger route to Pakistan since 2004.
On July 17, QA will add Faisalabad to its Pakistan network with three flights a week, and on August 1 the airline will launch three flights a week to Multan. QA operates 45 flights a week — double daily flights to Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, and three flights a week to Peshawar. QA will operate an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of up to 12 seats in Business Class and up to 132 in Economy Class on all the new routes to Pakistan.
With five new destinations on the horizon (Amsterdam, Durban, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Multan), QA will increase its global portfolio to 151 destinations across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, North America and South America.
It currently operates a modern fleet of 149 aircraft.
The Doha-Sialkot schedules from July 16 — Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays: Departs from Doha QR626 at 01:10, arrives in Sialkot at 06:50 and departs from Sialkot QR627 at 08:35, arrives in Doha at 10:15
The Doha-Faisalabad schedules from July 17th July 2015 — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays: Departs from Doha QR624 at 01:10, arrives in Faisalabad at 06:35 and departs from Faisalabad QR625 at 09:45 and arrives in Doha at 11:15
The Doha-Multan schedules August 1 — Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays: Departs from Doha QR618 at 01:10, arrives in Multan at 06:25 and departs from Multan QR619 at 09:35, arrives in Doha at 11:05.
The Peninsula
