jet4hire
25th May 2004, 00:56
Here we go amigos!
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker (second right) addressing the media yesterday. Ali Al Rais, Mohammed Saleh Fakhri and Fathi Al Shehab are also seen.
Doha: Qatar Airways has recorded an increase in passenger load by 35 per cent to carry 3.3 million passengers in 2003-2004, up from 2.6 million passengers the previous year. It expects to carry 4.5 million passengers in this financial year based on the carrier’s current market forecasts, said the airline’s Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker yesterday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Qatar Airways’ 2004-2005 Commercial Conference, he said the airline has seen an increase in passenger revenue of 47 per cent in the financial year 2003-2004, buoyed by a 35 per cent increase in the number of passengers it carried last year. “Qatar Airways’ financial performance last year was outstanding and the revenue figures were also very high,” said the CEO without giving a figure.
“The results cap a very good year in which we placed an order for 34 aircraft, extended our route network to 49 cities and were named as one of three airlines to achieve Skytrax five-star ranking,” he said.
Akbar also said that with the addition of new destinations to its rapidly expanding route network and the delivery of new aircraft as part of a $5.1bn aircraft order, Qatar Airways will be increasing its seating capacity by 35 per cent in this financial year.
The order for 34 aircraft will allow the airline to operate with a fleet of 52 aircraft by 2008. The order includes A321s, A330s and A340s. The carrier has currently a fleet of 33 aircraft.
In the next two years, the airline will add 20 destinations to its route network to fly to five continents, bringing the total to 70 destinations by the end of 2005.
Besides, the airline recorded a 73 per cent increase in cargo revenue, driven largely by the introduction of its first cargo freighter and a number of wide bodied aircraft. Akbar said the airline will be adding few other cargo freighters in the next few years by converting the A300-600 aircraft owned by it into cargo freighters.
He said the airline is to sign a code share agreement with Yemenia soon.
“We already have code-share agreements with several airlines. Our code share portfolio is growing all the time. We are discussing with other airlines on the issue and hope that by the end of this year we will be announcing four or five more code share agreements,” he said.
The commercial results from the last financial year demonstrates that the enormous growth of Qatar Airways continues and will continue into the coming years, Akbar added.
Akbar hopes India will open skies again
Doha: Qatar Airways expects it would regain the permission to operate daily services to Kochi and Hyderabad under India’s temporary open skies policy that was ended on April 30 this year.
Akbar Al Baker, the airline’s CEO, said yesterday at a press conference that the previous Indian government had suspended the open skies policy that they were pursuing over the past few months due to electioneering in India.
The carrier was permitted to operate daily services to Kochi and Hyderabad under the policy late last year from the original three weekly operations to these destinations.
“I am confident that the new government will pursue a temporary open-skies policy. Don’t forget that this was the government that opened up India to more liberal policies in the past and I hope that they will be even more liberal, especially when it comes to the aviation policy,” said Akbar, who had earlier lashed out at India’s strict civil aviation policies, which he said were impeding tourism growth.
Akbar also criticised airlines that undercut fares even during peak demand period.
He said: “It is understandable that pricing will always be low for low-cost carriers.
“However, I think by dropping their fares scheduled carriers are desperate for positive cash flow”.
He said it would be a mistake by any strategist thinking wisely to undercut fares at a time when demand outstretches the supply.
“It only shows the incompetence of certain people who undercut their fares at a time when there is demand and thus an opportunity to make money,” he said.
“I don’t think they should increase the fares, but at least they should keep their fares to levels that the markets dictate,” he added.
Fly4biz
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:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :( :cool: :cool: :cool::cool:
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker (second right) addressing the media yesterday. Ali Al Rais, Mohammed Saleh Fakhri and Fathi Al Shehab are also seen.
Doha: Qatar Airways has recorded an increase in passenger load by 35 per cent to carry 3.3 million passengers in 2003-2004, up from 2.6 million passengers the previous year. It expects to carry 4.5 million passengers in this financial year based on the carrier’s current market forecasts, said the airline’s Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker yesterday.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Qatar Airways’ 2004-2005 Commercial Conference, he said the airline has seen an increase in passenger revenue of 47 per cent in the financial year 2003-2004, buoyed by a 35 per cent increase in the number of passengers it carried last year. “Qatar Airways’ financial performance last year was outstanding and the revenue figures were also very high,” said the CEO without giving a figure.
“The results cap a very good year in which we placed an order for 34 aircraft, extended our route network to 49 cities and were named as one of three airlines to achieve Skytrax five-star ranking,” he said.
Akbar also said that with the addition of new destinations to its rapidly expanding route network and the delivery of new aircraft as part of a $5.1bn aircraft order, Qatar Airways will be increasing its seating capacity by 35 per cent in this financial year.
The order for 34 aircraft will allow the airline to operate with a fleet of 52 aircraft by 2008. The order includes A321s, A330s and A340s. The carrier has currently a fleet of 33 aircraft.
In the next two years, the airline will add 20 destinations to its route network to fly to five continents, bringing the total to 70 destinations by the end of 2005.
Besides, the airline recorded a 73 per cent increase in cargo revenue, driven largely by the introduction of its first cargo freighter and a number of wide bodied aircraft. Akbar said the airline will be adding few other cargo freighters in the next few years by converting the A300-600 aircraft owned by it into cargo freighters.
He said the airline is to sign a code share agreement with Yemenia soon.
“We already have code-share agreements with several airlines. Our code share portfolio is growing all the time. We are discussing with other airlines on the issue and hope that by the end of this year we will be announcing four or five more code share agreements,” he said.
The commercial results from the last financial year demonstrates that the enormous growth of Qatar Airways continues and will continue into the coming years, Akbar added.
Akbar hopes India will open skies again
Doha: Qatar Airways expects it would regain the permission to operate daily services to Kochi and Hyderabad under India’s temporary open skies policy that was ended on April 30 this year.
Akbar Al Baker, the airline’s CEO, said yesterday at a press conference that the previous Indian government had suspended the open skies policy that they were pursuing over the past few months due to electioneering in India.
The carrier was permitted to operate daily services to Kochi and Hyderabad under the policy late last year from the original three weekly operations to these destinations.
“I am confident that the new government will pursue a temporary open-skies policy. Don’t forget that this was the government that opened up India to more liberal policies in the past and I hope that they will be even more liberal, especially when it comes to the aviation policy,” said Akbar, who had earlier lashed out at India’s strict civil aviation policies, which he said were impeding tourism growth.
Akbar also criticised airlines that undercut fares even during peak demand period.
He said: “It is understandable that pricing will always be low for low-cost carriers.
“However, I think by dropping their fares scheduled carriers are desperate for positive cash flow”.
He said it would be a mistake by any strategist thinking wisely to undercut fares at a time when demand outstretches the supply.
“It only shows the incompetence of certain people who undercut their fares at a time when there is demand and thus an opportunity to make money,” he said.
“I don’t think they should increase the fares, but at least they should keep their fares to levels that the markets dictate,” he added.
Fly4biz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool: :( :cool: :cool: :cool::cool: