Qatar Airways into Africa

[GlobalFlyer]

Does anyone have an update on QR's plans to launch Lagos (Nigeria) in Q1 or Q2 of 2006?

They already obtained traffic rights following Bakr's visit to Nigeria recently.

[White Knight]

Copying Emirates as usual!! Do their management have any good ideas of their own:confused: :confused:

[A300Man-2005]

Madrid is a pretty good idea. It will hopefully capture a lot of the South American traffic that routes through Madrid, which previously had to move onwards to London, Paris, Frankfurt or Amsterdam to catch a flight o the Middle East and beyond.

I am quite surprised that EK hadn't started a Spanish destination thus far!

I wish QR well with their MAD services.


Lagos - March 2006 possibly.

[28one-to-nine]

Another interesting point made by A300Man-2005. Thank you.

[A300Man-2005]

....................is it a case of sarcasm is the lowest form of wit? Thanks for your repeated thanks.

[popay]

A300-2005,
off topic here. Just read the announcement about LH coming to Doha 3 times a week DEP 00:10 ARR 06:30 A330 starting from the 10th of January. What happened? QR and LH no more code share? Would like to hear your opinion.
Cheers. :8

[Boeing 787]

(AME) Lufthansa, more Gulf flights

Qatar: 8 hours, 59 minutes ago

Lufthansa will introduce three weekly services between Frankfurt and Doha by January 10 2006. Flights will run each Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and include a stopover in Kuwait. A 221-seat Airbus A330 will service the route.

[popay]

Boeing 787,
well EK isn't sleeping as well. EK will widen its presence in German market and will start service to STR (very good choice) and Berlin. MUC and FRA will go to A 380. Will be interesting to see what will be the next move from DOH.
Cheers.
:8

[White Knight]

STR and TXL - HOW? Can't crew HAM at the moment:confused:

[Boeing 787]

Popay

I just re-affirmed what you had previously wrote earlier re:Lufthansa.

I think that Lufthansa saw that Qatar Airways were doing well so decided to start serving Doha themselves rather than codeshare on the FRA route. This would mean that QR would have to start operating FRA from terminal 2 since Terminal 1 is only used by LH and Star Alliance airlines

Mr Baker also said during the Berlin launch press conference, that he wants QR to operate to three other German cities.

Can somebody please explain why the timings are different on the same route? Example FRA and LHR. Apart from QR001 which leaves Doha everyday at the same time, the other flights on certain days leave Doha at completely different times. QR007 leave DOH at 09:20 on Wednesday & Sundays whilst at 02:10 on a Tuesday. The same can be said on the FRA flights. All the timings are different. EK's flights to LHR for example all leave at the same time everyday. Has this to do with lack of aircraft or slots?

Thanks

[A300Man-2005]

This is due to the availabilty of slots, mainly at LHR.

When QR doubled it frequencies to LHR a few years ago from once to twice daily, they basically had to take whatever slots they could get at LHR.

These routes are almost primarily operated by single type of aircraft (A333) which are almost dedicated to the route, so aircraft availability is less of a problem.

MUC and FRA are still on AB6, so the erratic timings could well be due to a/c availability as opposed to slot restrictions at MUC and FRA.

Not sure.

[28one-to-nine]

No sarcasm intended, but that is interesting to know.

[A300Man-2005]

Popay

I have to admit to being a little surprised that LH have chosen Doha as a new destination. One can only assume that LH will continue to code-share with QR on onwards services from Doha, as I honestly cannot imagine there being sufficient traffic that actually terminates in Doha. Most of QR's traffic from Germany is - like all of their other origination points - transit traffic.

Three other points to note, as you have already correctly alluded to:

1) This is clearly happening as partial reciprocation for the German Authorities recent granting of additional capacity to QR in Germany.

2) It will be interesting to see if LH is granted fifth freedom rights (correct term?) for uplifting traffic from KWI to DOH and vice versa only, or whether this will be restricted. It will also be interesting to see if the new services will bear QR flight numbers too.

3) With Doha Airport already at bursting point, the last thing they need right now is another early morning, wide-body arrival, which will, on certain days, clash with the arrivals of other QR long haul wide body services inbound to Doha - CMN / TIP / KUL / SIN / LHR / MAN / FRA / MUC / VIE / ZRH / MAD / MXP / FCO / ICN / KIX / ALG / TUN...etc, etc...............

(Even more) Interesting juggling for QAS!!!!!


A300Man