and yet MAN is launched!
From "the Peninsula"(1/4):
"Qatar Airways is all set to launch its non-stop service to Manchester in UK tomorrow.
The airline will operate services to UK’s northwest gateway four times a week, taking its schedule to Britain from 11 to 15 flights a week, a press statement issued by Qatar Airways said yesterday.
The airline operates 11 flights a week from Doha to Heathrow in London.
“This is an exciting development for Manchester Airport,” the chairman of Manchester Airport, Councillor Brian Harrison, was quoted as saying of Qatar Airways’ proposed Doha-Manchester service.
This service will make the Middle East more accessible from the north of England and offer outbound passengers from the UK the ability to fly on with Qatar Airways to other international destinations, Harrison added.
Manchester will become Qatar Airways’ 40th destination with the carrier committed to notching up 50 destinations by the end of this year.
Qatar Airways, which operates 43 flights a week from the UAE, will operate flights to Doha from Abu Dhabi, which will conveniently link in with the non-stop service to Manchester.
The airline will operate flights to Manchester from Dubai every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
On Tuesdays and Saturdays, flight QR115 will leave Dubai International Airport at 2345 hours, arriving in Doha for the connecting non-stop flight to Manchester-QR041-which will leave at 0125 hours every Wednesday and Sunday, arriving in Manchester at 0625 hours.
On Mondays and Thursdays, flight QR101 will depart from Dubai airport at 1030hours, arriving in Doha for the connecting flight to Manchester-QR043-which will depart Doha International Airport at 1235 hours and arrive in Manchester at 1755 hours.
Qatar Airways’ service from Abu Dhabi to Manchester will operate four times a week. On Mondays and Thursdays, flight QR125 will leave Abu Dhabi International Airport at 1055hours for the flight to Doha and the connecting QR043 service to Manchester.
Qatar Airways will initially use a twin-engined, wide-bodied Airbus A300-600R aircraft on its Doha-Manchester route, with 224 seats in a three-class configuration. The service will have 12 seats in first class, 18 in business and 194 in the economy class."