Qatar Airways Further Mega Expansion

[AVIACO]

Qatar Airways has just finalised a new codeshare agreement with bmi of the United Kingdom. In addition, the company has announced that it is also in talks with Boeing and Airbus for:

a) Up to 100 Boeing 7E7 aircraft, most of which will be the long range version;

OR

b) Airbus to be the launch customer of the Airbus A350, with purchases of up to 60 aeroplanes.

The company announces this as part of its ongoing ambitious expansion programme.

New routes to be started up next year (some of which will be direct codeshares with bmi) include New York JFK, Tunis, Algiers, Barcelona/Madrid and Athens.

(When will it ever end..............)

[eal401]

I understand they are also to fly into Gatwick in addition to Heathrow?

[AVIACO]

Gatwick services start on 26th November 2004. Airbus A330-200 in two classes - Business and Economy.

[eal401]

What frequency? Are they maintaining all services into LHR?

[AVIACO]

Heathrow will remain twice daily, using a mix of A333 and A332. Gatwick will initially be 4 times a week, increasing to daily, using A332.

LHR services will remain as FJY operations. LGW however will be the same as their Manchester ops, going in JY only.

I have heard sneaky news though that in the early days of the new Gatwick ops, the A300-600R will be used once a week due to shortage of new A332's , which are still being integrated into the fleet.

[eal401]

the A300-600R will be used once a week
What a surprise! :(

[tic]

AVIACO

Don't want to cause an argument, but where on Earth are you going to put 100 7E7's, from 2008 when they 1st come out?, not to mention the 380's.Maybe QR and EK are trying to expand too fast, too soon. Freddy Laker comes to mind. Surely at some stage the "bubble has to burst ". Money can buy anything, but to make the whole of the Gulf attractive to tourists, which is what it's all about at the end of the day,and for the most part Western,the Gulf States, and all of them, have to re-think. Oil won't last forever, but tourism will. Dubai has the right attitude in that respect, and Bahrain to a certain extent, but Qatar is way behind. The workers from Sub-continent are the "bread and butter", of all the Gulf states. Too many aeroplanes and ALL of us will suffer.
tic

[AVIACO]

Hey Tic,

Don't shoot the messenger! I am just reporting the news. I agree with you 100%. It all seems very bizarre.

However, all I am doing is reporting facts from other media reports. I have no idea how they are going to handle it.

Check out the news page on www.justplanes.com and you will see further information on Qataria's expansion plans. It will also appear on their website soon.

Aviaco

[Vuelo]

maybe we will see DOH - MAN - JFK with both a QR and BD codeshare? That would vertainly do well as it would increae BD's transatlantic ops from MAN and feed in to the UA network at JFK.