Qatar Airways Expansion

[A300Man]

Qatar have just commenced new services to Milan and Frankfurt, and initial load factors (especially FRA) are healthy. Of course, these are two routes recently relinquished by Gulf Air.

QR's services to Casablanca and Riyadh are also proving very healthy, with the Riyadh route requiring upgrading from an A320 to and A300 / A330 at peak periods.

Sanaa in Yemen is the next route due online in July.

To cope with this expansion, QR are currently planning to lease-in some additional A300 capacity for the next 6 month period, along with an additional A330. The A300 currently on lease (all white A7-AFA) shall also remain in the fleet indefinately.

Also, the Amiri Flight's A330 is nearing the completion of it's fit-out in Switzerland, so it may well soon be the case that the faithful A340 will soon be departing these shores. Shame!

If the A300 leases-in are "wet", then I look forward to seeing some of you guys here in Doha very soon.

[MTQatar]

Hello A300Man,

Keep the updates coming. Good to hear that the routes are performing well.

Sanaa in Yemen is the next route due online in July.

Actually first flight is scheduled for June 22. The flights will operate DOH-AUH-SAH-DOH one time weekly and DOH-SAH-AUH-DOH 2x weekly. lets hope they do well here as even EK found SAH unprofitable. Sharjah will also come soon and Tehran (Un-Anounced). When anouncing Frankfurt the CEO has said that they will anounce two more European destinations soon. Rumours are that in the ATB QR signed a deal with a Swiss tour operator.

Also, the Amiri Flight's A330 is nearing the completion of it's fit-out in Switzerland, so it may well soon be the case that the faithful A340 will soon be departing these shores. Shame!

Don't worry the Emir is getting an A340-500 in June next year. Also a source from airbus has said that their are 2 A340-500 assigned to Qatar Airways beside the one to the Emir. As you know QR will operate non-stop to the US starting Early 2004.

To cope with this expansion, QR are currently planning to lease-in some additional A300 capacity for the next 6 month period, along with an additional A330.

Will the A330-200 stay for a while. Right now their aren't any available CF6-80E1A3 A330-200 for immediate lease the only ones that are available are the ex SR and ex SN but with the EI's problems some of their aircaft will be freed up.

Regards,
MTQ

[Airbusser]

I was just wondering if Qatar will be able to keep up pace with this expansion?

Is there enough traffic and pax available for such an expansion? It looks to me that they are trying to take advantage of the post 9/11 syndrome by anticiapting the allready sensible restart of aviation but at the same time they are seeing things to big....

This would not be the first carrier to find itself into big trouble after an over-expansion plan.

It might very well be that I am totally wrong here because I do not know a thing of the middle east market, I am just looking for opinions of the ones flying there...

[MTQatar]

Hello Airbusser,

Their expansion isn't big when you consider their passenger growth numbers. A conservative estimate will see 85-95% increase in numbers of passengers by 2004 while their operations will only increase by 60%. Also QR have to be quick in their expansion so that EK doesn't establish itself to much before QR enter a market.

Regards,
MTQ

[Airbusser]

Hi MT Qatar,

thanks for the figures. I have been studying that market for some weeks now but I have to admit that is not easy at all, especially when living in europe.

So please do allow me to post some reflections of mine. Maybe you can give me yours as well.....

With all due respect....

I do not believe that QR will be able to become bigger than GF within 7 months and still be in a healthy condition.

There are some market rules to be followed here and no company can ever grow that fast! I agree, Qatarian economics are the fastes growing in the region, the emergence at GF will help as well, ....etc but this will not justify a growth of 150% in 7 months.

Also I do not see the reason why QR should want to become bigger than GF. I will not consider EK here because that is another league I should think. The middle eastern market is rather crowded allready.

Maybe, like somebody here said allready before, it would be wiser for QR to focus on a niche market like they are allready doing with the comfort offered on board. Other destinations, something special,...i dont know!

I have never understood why carriers are always trying to defeat their closest competitors by wanting to do exactly the same thing but only on a bigger scale! I have seen (and felt!!) that same thing happening in the SN/SR scenario and look at the results now....

Besides that, I do not think that GF will remain so quite as it is now. Hogan seems to have taken firm control of the company, together with SH&E, and their plans are rather big as well! They as well know that al lot of things need to be changed and that a niche market, if you can find a right one, is very lucrative! GF will change its image and the services offered a,d they have the advantage of their know howand their fully grown network!

I dont think it would be wise just to say" dont mind GF, they will not do anything new!"

What are the opinions here.....

[near enuf is good enuf]

I believe the amiri 330 and 340 that were supposedly going to Switzerland for outfitting will now be outfitted in LHT.
Work hasn't even begun yet so don't expect to see them 'till late '04.;)

[Icarus]

A conservative estimate will see 85-95% increase in numbers of passengers by 2004

That means you shall have increased your RPK's by 295% in 18 Months with only a 60% increase in operations.

Ambitious - Yes
Achievable - Dream on! :rolleyes:

[Jack The Lad]

Forgive me for being my usual cynical self!

Qatar compete with Emirates? You've gotta be having a laff here, never in a million years.

Everything will start looking rosy at Qatar, then the baker will do his usual trick and sack the lot that put it together and made it work. Don't believe me? Just ask all those that used to be there.

Nothing there ever changes for the better. Sad, but true

[kumul1]

Yes, I've seen an EK B777 on the ground and A 330 a few mins later, Chockers, offcourse, and that was only DXB- DOH- DXB.
I know they do a lot of visa runs, but the amount of 'VIP' vehicles suggested otherwise.

( I was told some of the Qatari Royal Family were travelling) :confused:

[3000psi]

Hi Jack !!!!

I couldn't agree more..... until "snack-bar- the- baker " mess around.!!
I do feel sorry for the good will and strong motivation .....I' ve read on this thread.
just Think....... its time to draw a line.... and wishe MT qatar & A300 Man good luck....after all we've been there ourself and know how much support you need....who knows they may win........where we fail !!!!
I'm fine with my job back to the west........lets hope for once ( or dream....) mentality will really change and this guys will get the opportunity of their life !
Mharaba !!!