Qatar Airways would be expanding operations to key European capital cities as a part of the airline's aggressive expansion programme to improve frequencies and offer wider choices to its passengers, the carrier said yesterday.
Following the recent decision to add three flights on the Doha-Paris route to make it a double-daily operation from October, the Doha-based carrier is adding capacity to Madrid, Athens and Stockholm – representing a near 40 per cent increase in frequency across the four cities, it said in a statement.
The airline added that the Spanish capital of Madrid (with Qatar Airways being the only airline flying between the Gulf and Spain), will see an increase in the number of flights from the current four-a-week to daily, effective December 2.
The Athens route being served daily at present, meanwhile, will see capacity rising over a five-month period beginning in October to an eventual increase to double-daily services from March 2010.
Stockholm will also see its first frequency increase since flights to the Swedish capital were launched in November 2007.
Also beginning October 25, the Paris route will see capacity rise from 11 to 14 flights a week offering passengers the option of a double-daily service for the first time, said Qatar Airways.
"Europe is one of our most important regions representing about 20 per cent of our global coverage. With almost 40 per cent increase in frequency across four European capital cities from the start of the winter flying season in October, Qatar Airways is opening up greater opportunities to travel for business or leisure," Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive, Qatar Airways, said in a statement.
Over the next few months, the carrier will expand its international operations with the launch of six new routes – Amritsar on October 11 and Goa on October 25 in India, Melbourne on December 6, followed soon after by Sydney, marking the airline's entry into the Australian market subject to government approval, besides two other cities in Europe.
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