Qatar Airways Plans to Ease Into Expanded Schedule

May 7, 2020

Airlines & Airports 0

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Qatar Airways Plans to Ease Into Expanded Schedule

Qatar Airways will begin a phased approach to expanding its network in line with passenger demand evolution and the expected relaxation of entry restrictions around the world.

Having maintained flights to at least 30 destinations where possible during this crisis and to most continents, the airline has closely monitored global passenger flows and booking trends and is confidently planning the gradual reintroduction of additional flights and destinations to its network.

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“Throughout this crisis, our passengers have been at the centre of our focus. Our airline has implemented industry-leading hygiene practices and commercial policies enabling our passengers to book and travel with confidence,” says Qatar Airways Group chief executive His Excellency Akbar Al Baker. “As we follow the indicators of the global travel market on a daily basis, we continue to focus on our mission – how we can enable mobility for our customers and provide them with seamless connectivity to their final destination.”

While the situation remains hugely dynamic, the Doha-based airline has made a number of assumptions based on its unique perspective, having been one of the only carriers to operate globally in recent months. With entry restrictions constantly evolving, accurately predicting future travel is challenging. However, while the expectation is that short-haul travel will rebound first, business between large global cities will pick up more gradually and there will be a move towards visiting family and friends following months of lockdowns.

By the end of June, the aim is to have 80 destinations in the schedule, including 23 in Europe, four in the Americas, 20 in Middle East/Africa, and 33 in Asia-Pacific. Many cities will be served with a strong schedule with daily or more frequencies.

The gradual expansion will focus initially on strengthening connections between the airline’s hub in Doha with the global hubs of its partner airlines around the world including London, Chicago, Dallas, and Hong Kong, along with reopening many major business and leisure destinations such as Madrid and Mumbai.

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Currently, the airline continues to operate flights to more than 30 destinations around the world. By the end of May, the airline plans to grow its network back to over 50 destinations, resuming services to cities such as Manila, Amman, and Nairobi. A further number of destinations are planned to be added by the end of June.