Qatar Airways sets sights on route expansion

Qatar Airways has been given the regulatory go-ahead from the Australian authorities to launch services to Australia and has also said it will further expand its operations in India and Europe from the start of its Northern Winter 2009 schedules.

Boeing 777-200LRs will serve the new Australia routes

Over the next nine months the airline will add flights to Sydney and Melbourne in Australia, Goa and Amritisar in India, and two new European services which are currently being finalised.

Coupled with the route expansion the airline will increase its frequency across selected service that will start with its summer schedule at the end of March the carrier said at Berlin’s ITB Berlin travel show.

The airline said that the Australian routes would become a reality as it increases its fleet of Boeing 777-200 Long Range widebodies. It is the Long Range variants that will be able to fly from Doha to Australia non-stop.

The two new Indian routes will boost Qatar Airways’ Indian capacity from nine to 11 destinations.

“Qatar Airways’ robust expansion is continuing undeterred by the current economic climate,” said chief executive Akbar Al Baker in Berlin.

“Sydney and Melbourne have been on our radar screen for many years. We can finally look forward to entering the Australian market with vigour as we will have the aircraft to serve this highly popular market non-stop from Doha.

“India has been, and remains, one of our most important destinations and we are pleased to be strengthening economic and cultural ties with one of the world’s fastest growing economies. With the growth of the Indian economy into a potential global powerhouse and Qatar's drive to spread its economic wings globally, increasing air links between the two countries is of paramount importance.”

Al Baker said Europe was strategically important for Qatar Airways, highlighting the need to widen its market presence with the addition of two new routes over the next nine months.

“Our tremendous growth is part of a long-term strategy to significantly build up our portfolio of routes and fleet size,” he added.

“Qatar Airways continually identifies new opportunities around the world to better serve the travelling public and is able to easily shift capacity according to market conditions. As a network hub airline, Qatar Airways does not rely on traffic from any specific markets, so we are largely immune from the circumstances surrounding the current global economic meltdown.

“With new aircraft joining our fleet at an incredible rate of one a month for the foreseeable future, we are confident going forward, able to consolidate our position by increasing frequency on existing routes and introducing new routes to give passengers greater choice.

“Qatar Airways is well poised to face the challenges ahead. We have a long-term vision demonstrated by today’s announcement to build on our highly successful young operation – a remarkable feat for an airline which launched just 12 years ago.”

In addition to the route expansion, Qatar Airways is gradually stepping up capacity from March 29 to eight cities – Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Lagos, Muscat, Mashad (Iran), Tunis and Algiers. The frequency increases will see the Philippines capital of Manila being served with two daily flights, up from the current 11 services a week; Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos going from five services a week to daily; and capacity to the Omani capital of Muscat rising from 15 to 21 flights a week.

The Australian agreement was announced March 12 by The Hon Anthony Albanese MP who said: "“The new arrangements will allow Qatar Airways to provide a total of 14 services per week to Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney or Perth. In the past they were only allowed seven services per week, and access to Sydney was delayed for 12 months.

“The Government has ensured the benefits of increased services are shared among our most popular locations, with Qatar's airlines only allowed to operate a maximum of seven services per week to any one of these destinations.

“To encourage international airlines to service Australia's regional destinations, unrestricted access remains available to all other Australian airports.

“The new arrangements will allow Australian international carriers to operate through Qatar to any point in the European Union and five other points in the Middle East and Africa. Previously, Australian airlines could only operate services to 10 points beyond Qatar in the Middle East, UK/Europe and Africa.

“Australian and Qatari airlines can now develop a variety of international air services and improve connection to destinations in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Consumers will have a wide range of services and fares to choose from as these new services develop over time," the Minister said.

Expansion is continuing undeterred by the current economic climate: Akbar Al Baker