Friday, Feb 03, 2012

Gulf News

Dubai Qatar Airways has threatened to cancel its flights to the Maldives following planned moves by the private operator of Male International Airport to raise handling fees by 51 per cent.

Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said late yesterday in a statement that the airline is “dismayed” to hear of planned moves that will “significantly impact operations” and “threaten the future of its services to the holiday islands”.

The airline chief, who is well known for his forceful comments, said that the planned increases were “totally unreasonable”.

“My message to the Maldives authorities is to think again, think rationally and think about the future prosperity of your tourism industry.

“These steps may have not been thought through seriously by the airport operator and I urge them to think again,” he said, adding that the Maldives economy is wholly based on tourism.

Impact

“If we or any other major player withdraws services because of these unwarranted and draconian measures, it will be the people of the Maldives who will lose out, impacting their livelihoods as they rely heavily on the tourism industry,” Al Baker declared.

Qatar Airways has been flying to the Maldives for more than 10 years and currently operates twice-daily flights from Doha.

Higher fares

The carrier stated that moves by the Maldives airport operator to increase fees will lead to “higher passenger fares, greater operational costs” besides “seriously questioning” Qatar Airways’ continued presence in the Maldives.

The carrier also said it carries hundreds of thousands of holidaymakers from around the world to the Indian Ocean islands, helping to significantly support the local tourism industry and the country’s economy.

aviation

If we or any other major player withdraws services because of these unwarranted and draconian measures, it will be the people of the Maldives who will lose out, impacting their livelihoods as they rely heavily on the tourism industry.”

Akbar Al Baker

CEO, Qatar Airways

By Shweta Jain?Senior Reporter

Gulf News 2012. All rights reserved.