No immediate plans for Qatar Airways to launch budget airline

The head of fast-growing Qatar Airways says there are no immediate plans to launch a budget airline to compete with Dubai's expanding low-cost carrier.

Instead, CEO Akbar Al Baker says Qatar Airways will concentrate on enlarging its global network.

Al-Baker is quoted Saturday by Khaleej Times as saying there are no current plans to create a budget airline to challenge the growing market share of flydubai, which began service in 2009 and now serves more than 50 destinations.

But al-Baker said Qatar Airways keeps "options open" on all future plans.

Al-Baker made the comments earlier this week in Seattle after he took delivery of the airline's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

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