DOHA: Qatar Airways reinforced its position as one of the fastest growing airlines in the world by launching two more routes recently with scheduled flights to Johannesburg and Cape Town, the airline's first foray into South Africa.
QR580 from Doha, capital of the State of Qatar, touched down at Johannesburg International Airport early this morning before taking to the skies again for the short flight to Cape Town. Qatar Airways operates four flights a week between Qatar and both cities in South Africa, using an Airbus A330-200 in a two-class configuration of 24 seats in Business and 248 in Economy.
The addition of South Africa takes Qatar Airways' global network to 59 destinations. The new routes come just eight days after the airline began operating scheduled flights between Doha and Yangon, capital of Myanmar, in Southeast Asia. The award-winning airline operates an all-Airbus fleet of 40 aircraft, with plans to double its size over the next few years following a $5.1bn order with Airbus for 34 additional planes. Qatar Airways is one of the launch customers of the A380 'super jumbos' with two firm orders scheduled for delivery in 2009.
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the airline was spreading its award-winning Five Star service to a new market in South Africa to give passengers a taste of its excellent levels of service. The airline's revamped Business Class features seats with a 60-inch pitch and each converting into a two-metre long bed. Every passenger has 15-inch seat-back TV monitors and five pre-programmed electronic seat controls for take-off, eating, reading relaxing and sleeping. The seats also have back massage control functions.
"We are extremely delighted to expand our network to South Africa's commercial hub of Johannesburg and one of the world's top tourist centres of Cape Town," Akbar, said. "There are strong economic ties between the Middle East and South Africa and we are only too pleased to facilitate travel between the two regions." In addition to the winter 2005 flying programme, Qatar Airways has confirmed it will launch services to Osaka, Athens, Tunis and Algiers from summer 2005. By the end of 2005, the airline plans to serve at least 70 destinations, including cities in North America.
Last week, work began on the construction of the $5.5bn New Doha International Airport, which is scheduled to open in phases, beginning in 2009. Qatar Airways will manage and operate the airport, of which 40per cent will be built on reclaimed land from the Arabian Gulf. The new facility is designed to shape Doha as a key regional and global aviation hub.
The new airport will be the world's first to be designed and built specifically for Airbus's new A380-800 double-decker 'super jumbo' - the largest passenger aircraft ever built. The A380 will be capable of carrying more than 550 passengers, with Qatar Airways being a launch customer, taking delivery of the first of its four A380s in 2009, the year the new airport opens.
© The Peninsula 2005
