jet4hire
27th Jan 2004, 00:49
Well, incredible but true QR also soon to fly to the Caribbean from LHR.....A340????
Qatar Airways adds new destinations
Web posted at: 1/26/2004 6:53:30
Source ::: THE PENINSULA
IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Middle East, Dr Majdi Sabri (left), presenting a plaque to Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, yesterday to commemorate the Qatari flag carrier’s 10th anniversary.
DOHA: Qatar Airways will start flying to Luxor and Istanbul in June, Zurich in July and Kabul in November this year, said the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker, yesterday.
He made the announcement at a joint press conference with Dr Majdi Sabri, Regional Vice President for the Middle East of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Dr Sabri was in Doha on behalf of the global air travel association to congratulate Qatar Airways on its completion of 10 years in operation.
Akbar said more new services would be announced later in the year by the airline which plans to increase the number of its destinations to 60 from the present 48, before the end of 2004. Last year, Qatar Airways added 10 new flights.
He said the airline would operate A320 aircraft to Luxor, Egypt, four times a week and to Istanbul, Turkey, three times a week. Qatar Airways will use the long-range A319 to fly four times a week to Zurich, and the A320 to operate three times a week to Kabul.
Speaking on the airline’s 10th anniversary, Akbar recalled several “milestones” that served to change the course of its history. “One of the key milestones was the Qatari government’s decision to become a shareholder in the airline. H H the Emir has a strong vision for our country. He has rightly foreseen that the development of Qatar Airways would facilitate the economic and social growth of Qatar. It is because of His Highness’s vision that Qatar Airways has become the success that it is today,” he said.
The other significant milestone, he said was the relaunch of the airline in 1997. “We introduced Qatar Airways with a very strong focus on the customer, on innovation and an eye for small details.”
He said from a humble beginning the airline had reached a stage where it was looking to serve 60 destinations and fly 42 aircraft by the end of this year. He said Qatar Airways was expecting the delivery of 13 aircraft in 2004, and was urging Airbus Industrie to hurry up deliveries scheduled for the years to follow.
Speaking about the service to Kabul, he said the airline wanted to fly there earlier but could not owing to a shortage of aircraft. The bilateral agreement was already in place with the Afghan government and the airline expects a “huge commercial movement” to Kabul, he said.
Asked about plans for the US, Akbar said: “We are under a lot of pressure to fly to that country, more so with a sharp increase in American participation in various areas of business, industry and development in Qatar.” He, however, refused to divulge any plans to fly to the US and simply said: “Let it come as a surprise when it does. I do not wish to alert our competition at this stage.”
Dr Majdi Sabri said it was a pleasure to present Qatar Airways a commemorative plaque on their 10th anniversary on behalf of IATA and its Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani.
Among the airline’s list of achievements, he stressed its becoming the world’s first airline to successfully implement IATA’s Operational Safety Audit, which is expected to be adopted by all IATA members.
Akbar said having passed the audit not only confirms its absolute commitment to safety, but also puts it at an immense advantage when seeking codeshare arrangements with other top airlines.
Airline recovery
IATA’s Regional Vice-President for the Middle East, Dr Majdi Sabri said airlines in the region had recovered remarkably well after 9/11 and the Iraq crisis.
“I am pleased to report to you that the Middle East region scored the highest regional growth in 2003 for the second consecutive year. Until October 2003, the passenger growth rate stood at 10.1 per cent and freight at 15.2 per cent,” he told reporters yesterday.
Many centres in the region, like Doha, are fast emerging as major transit hubs transporting people from one part of the globe to the other, he said. Between 1992 and 2002, the Middle East market grew by 206 per cent, he added. “Since 1994, major routes in the region have been scoring impressive average annual growth rates that are double or even triple those achieved on intra-European routes,” he said.
Baker regrets Iraq coalition decision on Basra flights
DOHA: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker yesterday described as “regrettable” the decision of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq to disallow the airline from operating passenger flights to the southern city of Basra.
Qatar Airways was the first airline to fly a commercial airliner to Basra, albeit with relief material, soon after major action ended in Iraq, and carried on flying there for two months. “We were willing to assist Basra airport with ID screening and ground handling equipment and other services. But we’re a commercial airline and could not keep flying there without passengers. Regrettably, we were not given permission for this by the CPA,” he told reporters yesterday.
Asked about when the airline would start operations to Baghdad, Akbar said: “For us the safety of our passengers is the number one concern and that of our aircraft the number two,” implying that Qatar Airways was waiting for normalcy to return to the Iraqi capital before venturing there.
Von-gratulations!!! Akbar and Staff-y nose
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Qatar News | World Watch | Business News | Sports
:cool: :cool:
Qatar Airways adds new destinations
Web posted at: 1/26/2004 6:53:30
Source ::: THE PENINSULA
IATA’s Regional Vice President for the Middle East, Dr Majdi Sabri (left), presenting a plaque to Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, yesterday to commemorate the Qatari flag carrier’s 10th anniversary.
DOHA: Qatar Airways will start flying to Luxor and Istanbul in June, Zurich in July and Kabul in November this year, said the airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker, yesterday.
He made the announcement at a joint press conference with Dr Majdi Sabri, Regional Vice President for the Middle East of the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Dr Sabri was in Doha on behalf of the global air travel association to congratulate Qatar Airways on its completion of 10 years in operation.
Akbar said more new services would be announced later in the year by the airline which plans to increase the number of its destinations to 60 from the present 48, before the end of 2004. Last year, Qatar Airways added 10 new flights.
He said the airline would operate A320 aircraft to Luxor, Egypt, four times a week and to Istanbul, Turkey, three times a week. Qatar Airways will use the long-range A319 to fly four times a week to Zurich, and the A320 to operate three times a week to Kabul.
Speaking on the airline’s 10th anniversary, Akbar recalled several “milestones” that served to change the course of its history. “One of the key milestones was the Qatari government’s decision to become a shareholder in the airline. H H the Emir has a strong vision for our country. He has rightly foreseen that the development of Qatar Airways would facilitate the economic and social growth of Qatar. It is because of His Highness’s vision that Qatar Airways has become the success that it is today,” he said.
The other significant milestone, he said was the relaunch of the airline in 1997. “We introduced Qatar Airways with a very strong focus on the customer, on innovation and an eye for small details.”
He said from a humble beginning the airline had reached a stage where it was looking to serve 60 destinations and fly 42 aircraft by the end of this year. He said Qatar Airways was expecting the delivery of 13 aircraft in 2004, and was urging Airbus Industrie to hurry up deliveries scheduled for the years to follow.
Speaking about the service to Kabul, he said the airline wanted to fly there earlier but could not owing to a shortage of aircraft. The bilateral agreement was already in place with the Afghan government and the airline expects a “huge commercial movement” to Kabul, he said.
Asked about plans for the US, Akbar said: “We are under a lot of pressure to fly to that country, more so with a sharp increase in American participation in various areas of business, industry and development in Qatar.” He, however, refused to divulge any plans to fly to the US and simply said: “Let it come as a surprise when it does. I do not wish to alert our competition at this stage.”
Dr Majdi Sabri said it was a pleasure to present Qatar Airways a commemorative plaque on their 10th anniversary on behalf of IATA and its Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani.
Among the airline’s list of achievements, he stressed its becoming the world’s first airline to successfully implement IATA’s Operational Safety Audit, which is expected to be adopted by all IATA members.
Akbar said having passed the audit not only confirms its absolute commitment to safety, but also puts it at an immense advantage when seeking codeshare arrangements with other top airlines.
Airline recovery
IATA’s Regional Vice-President for the Middle East, Dr Majdi Sabri said airlines in the region had recovered remarkably well after 9/11 and the Iraq crisis.
“I am pleased to report to you that the Middle East region scored the highest regional growth in 2003 for the second consecutive year. Until October 2003, the passenger growth rate stood at 10.1 per cent and freight at 15.2 per cent,” he told reporters yesterday.
Many centres in the region, like Doha, are fast emerging as major transit hubs transporting people from one part of the globe to the other, he said. Between 1992 and 2002, the Middle East market grew by 206 per cent, he added. “Since 1994, major routes in the region have been scoring impressive average annual growth rates that are double or even triple those achieved on intra-European routes,” he said.
Baker regrets Iraq coalition decision on Basra flights
DOHA: Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker yesterday described as “regrettable” the decision of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) in Iraq to disallow the airline from operating passenger flights to the southern city of Basra.
Qatar Airways was the first airline to fly a commercial airliner to Basra, albeit with relief material, soon after major action ended in Iraq, and carried on flying there for two months. “We were willing to assist Basra airport with ID screening and ground handling equipment and other services. But we’re a commercial airline and could not keep flying there without passengers. Regrettably, we were not given permission for this by the CPA,” he told reporters yesterday.
Asked about when the airline would start operations to Baghdad, Akbar said: “For us the safety of our passengers is the number one concern and that of our aircraft the number two,” implying that Qatar Airways was waiting for normalcy to return to the Iraqi capital before venturing there.
Von-gratulations!!! Akbar and Staff-y nose
Related Stories
Camel march to mark Qatar Environment Day
Airfare issue to top Keralite organisations’ meet
Air Miles plans membership drive
Lanka Lions plans mini-marathon to mark Independence Day
Qatar proposes honouring GCC writers
Doha Club bonfire party on January 28
Indian kidney patients seek assistance
French dental centre in Doha
Doha-based Keralite to move court against user’s fee
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Qatar News | World Watch | Business News | Sports
:cool: :cool: