National airline expedites the launch of new European and Middle East destinations to support its ongoing growth and investment strategy. Additional two new routes in addition to the airline’s existing new destinations of Dublin, Nice and Skopje being launched this summer, with more to be announced shortly.
DOHA, QATAR – Qatar Airways, the 2017 Airline of the Year as awarded by Skytrax, confirmed the expedited launch of two new destinations by the end of August 2017, with several more announcements to follow shortly. Joining Qatar Airways’ global network, which spans six continents, are: Sohar, Sultanate of Oman, which will launch on 8 August; and Prague, Czech Republic, which will launch on 21 August.
The airline has confirmed the start of its new service between Doha and Sohar with three-weekly flights beginning 8 August, while the service between Doha and Prague will operate on a daily basis from 21 August. Both destinations will be operated by Qatar Airways’ Airbus A320 aircraft.
Qatar Airways recently launched a direct daily service to Dublin, Republic of Ireland, as part of its rapid global expansion strategy, with service to Nice, France, commencing 4 July, and flights to Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, on 17 July.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “Having recently been named Airline of the Year at the prestigious 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards, it is now our turn as an airline to give back to all of our passengers and supporters around the world. Qatar Airways’ announcement today comes at a time when we are accelerating our global expansion plans by expediting the launch of these two new destinations. Qatar Airways is committed to connecting more people to more places, through our five-star hub, Hamad International Airport, while supporting our global message of ‘Going Places Together’.”
Other new destinations planned for the remainder of this year and 2018 include Canberra, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand.; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; San Francisco, U.S.; and Santiago, Chile. A total of 25 new destination launches will take place throughout 2017-2018.
The new Prague and Sohar routes will be served by an Airbus A320 aircraft featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.
Passengers can use any transfer time to take advantage of the many activities and services available at Hamad International Airport, from the free Wi-Fi, airside swimming pool and play areas for children, through to the multiple quiet areas in which passengers can relax, as well as the amazing array of duty free shopping and dining options.
Qatar Airways received a number of accolades this year, including Airline of the Year by the prestigious 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards, which was held at the Paris Air Show. This is the fourth time that Qatar Airways has been given this global recognition as the world’s best airline. In addition to being voted Best Airline by travellers from around the world, Qatar’s national carrier also won a raft of other major awards at the ceremony, including Best Airline in the Middle East, World’s Best Business Class and World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.
The award-winning airline also recently revealed the first Boeing 777 equipped with the airline’s new and unique seat design, Qsuite, at Le Bourget Airport, during the Paris Air Show 2017. Since its official debut, Qsuite has already been featured on the Doha-London Heathrow route, and will be followed by service to Paris and New York, with the airline’s fleet retrofitted at the rate of one plane per month.
Qatar Airways Launches Direct Service To Nice
Qatar Airways also announced the launch of direct service between Doha and Nice, the airline’s second destination in France. Qatar Airways flight QR 53 operated by a Boeing B787 Dreamliner departed Hamad International Airport (HIA) on Tuesday at 7:45 (Doha Time) and arrived at Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport at 13:15 (Nice Time).
Located on the magnificent French Riviera, Nice has a true cosmopolitan vibe with fashionable boutiques and restaurants, alongside magnificent beaches. The city is also the gateway to the South of France, including popular destinations such as Cannes, St. Tropez, Antibes and the region of Provence, while also being within easy reach of neighbouring Monaco and Northern Italy.
The Qatar Airways delegation travelling on the inaugural flight, headed by Senior Vice President Qatar Airways Europe, Mr. Jonathan Harding, was welcomed by Chief Executive Officer of Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport, Mr. Dominique Thillaud; Chief Operating Officer of Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport, Mr. Didier Monges; President of the Tourism Commission of PACA Region, Mrs. Jennifer Salles Barbosa and City of Nice representative, Mr. Rudy Salles.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “We are truly delighted to launch direct service between Doha and Nice. The new route is a sign of our continuous commitment to improving the travelling experience for our passengers, both in France and around the world. With five weekly flights operating between the two cities, passengers from the South of France can now connect to more than 150 destinations world-wide through Doha’s Hamad International Airport.”
Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport Chief Executive Officer Mr. Dominique Thillaud said: "The Qatar Airways flight out of Nice enhances our long haul offering – one of the most complete amongst French city airports – and improves the connectivity out of the region, via the Doha hub. This is therefore excellent news for tourism professionals on the Cote d'Azur and companies in the area who will benefit from a new route for air cargo exports."
Qatar Airways recently announced its partnership with the French Riviera’s premium helicopter operator Monacair, providing passengers arriving in Nice on board the newly-launched direct service the opportunity to seamlessly connect onto a Monacair helicopter flight to Monte Carlo. Likewise, passengers travelling from Monaco to Nice by helicopter will be able to connect at Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport to a choice of more than 150 destinations on Qatar Airways’ global network.
The five weekly flights between HIA and Nice Cote d'Azur International Airport will be served by the Boeing B787 Dreamliner. The Qatar Airways B787 Dreamliner offers a two class configuration with 22 seats in Business Class that can be turned into fully-flat beds and configured in a 1–2–1 set-up, and 232 Economy seats in a 3–3–3 layout. The aircraft is also equipped with Oryx One in Flight entertainment system, offering more than 3,000 entertainment options including the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games, and much more.
Qatar Airways currently operates 21 weekly flights between Doha and Paris on board the airline’s ultra-modern fleet of Airbus A380 and A350. The airline also recently opened its luxurious, state-of-the-art Premium Lounge at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
The National Carrier of the State of Qatar recently showcased for the first time its Boeing B777 fitted with the carrier’s award-winning new Business Class experience, Qsuite, at the Paris Air Show. Qsuite features the industry’s first-ever double bed available in Business Class, with privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room.
Qatar Airways Cargo currently operates twice-weekly B777 freighters to Paris via Stansted, United Kingdom, in addition to transporting belly cargo on the airline’s three-time daily passenger flights to the capital city of France. The introduction of direct flights to Nice will offer 60 tonnes of weekly belly-hold capacity and take the total cargo capacity out of France to over 560 tonnes. Major exports from Nice include perfumes, flowers, vaccines and general cargo. Qatar Airways Cargo offers its global customers specialist solutions to transport all type of cargo via its state-of-the-art Doha hub.
Qatar Airways is one of the fastest-growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world, with 200 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. The airline recently added Dublin, Republic of Ireland, to its global route network, soon to be followed by Skopje, Republic of Macedonia; Prague, Czech Republic; Sohar, Sultanate of Oman; and Kiev, Ukraine.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
