Qatar Airways: Difference between revisions
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'''Qatar Airways''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: القطرية) is the [[flag carrier]] airline of [[Qatar]], based in [[Doha]]. It operates a hub and spoke network, linking 81 international destinations. It is one of only |
'''Qatar Airways''' ([[Arabic language|Arabic]]: القطرية) is the [[flag carrier]] airline of [[Qatar]], based in [[Doha]]. It operates a hub and spoke network, linking 81 international destinations. It is one of only six airlines in the world with a five star ranking for service and excellence awarded by [[Skytrax]], an independent aviation industry monitoring agency. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways’ cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fourth year running in 2006 and second best worldwide following a survey of more than 12 million passengers. In 2007, Qatar Airways was awarded as the best Middle Eastern airline for the second year running, and the fourth best airline worldwide. Qatar Airways was awarded the best first class onboard during the 2007 Skytrax awards. |
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== History == |
== History == |
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Revision as of 19:02, 3 January 2008
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| Founded | 1993 | ||||||
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| Hubs | Doha International Airport | ||||||
| Frequent-flyer program | Qatar Airways Privilege Club - Qmiles | ||||||
| Fleet size | 62 | ||||||
| Destinations | 81 | ||||||
| Headquarters | Doha, Qatar | ||||||
| Key people | Akbar Al Baker (CEO) | ||||||
| Website | http://www.qatarairways.com | ||||||
Qatar Airways (Arabic: القطرية) is the flag carrier airline of Qatar, based in Doha. It operates a hub and spoke network, linking 81 international destinations. It is one of only six airlines in the world with a five star ranking for service and excellence awarded by Skytrax, an independent aviation industry monitoring agency. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways’ cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fourth year running in 2006 and second best worldwide following a survey of more than 12 million passengers. In 2007, Qatar Airways was awarded as the best Middle Eastern airline for the second year running, and the fourth best airline worldwide. Qatar Airways was awarded the best first class onboard during the 2007 Skytrax awards.
History
Qatar Airways was founded on November 22, 1993 as a national airline for the emirate of Qatar. The first flight was made on January 20, 1994 with a leased Boeing 737-200. Two Airbus A310s followed, but proved to be too large. The company also acquired two used Boeing 727s and two Boeing 747SRs, which were used to serve London Gatwick, Male, Colombo and Bangkok.
The airline remained unproductive and loss-making, so in 1997 a new management was put in place. A new livery was created and an Airbus-only policy introduced. The old and ineffective aircraft were sold, new Airbuses bought (for long-haul flights A300s, for short-haul A320s). From that point on the airline expanded rapidly, even after 9/11. Destinations throughout Asia, Africa and Europe were added.
In 2002, the A330 was introduced to the fleet, the airline became the launch customer for the A340-600HGW, and a new livery was introduced.
Five Airbus A380 have been ordered for delivery starting in 2011. Other orders include the first Boeings in Qatar’s fleet, 20 777s, and 80 Airbus A350XWBs.In March 2007, Qatar won the right to fly daily to Melbourne. Qatar Airways on Nov 11th, 2007 at the Dubai Airshow, announced an order for 30 787 Dreamliners and five 777 Freighters. The first 777 arrived in Doha on November 29, 2007.
Destinations
- Qatar Airways operates passenger flights to 81 world-wide destinations.
- The six newest destinations in the network are Ahmedabad (India), Stockholm (Sweden), Nagpur (India), Washington DC (USA), Newark (USA) and Geneva (Switzerland).
- Qatar Airways Cargo has launched flights to the Malaysian city of Johor, using an A300F.
- Qatar Airways flights into the North American market began on June 26, 2007 with four-times-weekly flights to Newark using a new A330-200 aircraft via Geneva, a new European destination for the airline. Daily nonstop flights to Washington DC started on July 19, 2007, with an A340-600HGW, soon to be upgraded to a Boeing 777-300ER.
- Starting summer 2007, flights to Madrid have been upgraded to the newer A330-200 aircraft, replacing the A300-600R on the route. Doha-Berlin (TXL) flights has also been upgraded to widebody aircraft instead of the Airbus A319LR, with an increase in weekly frequency.
- Qatar Airways applied to the Australian Government to fly daily from Doha to Sydney and Melbourne but this was initially rejected. The airline however, was granted the rights for daily flights to Melbourne.[1]
- Qatar Airways plans to begin nonstop flights from Doha to Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport to begin in Summer of 2008 as it continues to expand into the North American market.[2]
- Qatar Airways will drop its Doha-Yangon route starting January 9, 2007, citing commerical reasons.
Cargo
Qatar Airways Cargo, the airlines freight branch, has ordered 7 777-200F. The first B777-200 freighter will be delivered to the airline in 2009 to coincide with the opening of the New Doha International Airport, which will have freight facilities able to handle 750,000 tonnes of cargo per annum during its first development phase. The B777-200F will be used primarily on Qatar Airways' Far East and European routes and will be supplemented by Airbus A300-600F freighters that operate on regional routes feeding the airline's hub.
- Developments
Qatar Airways Cargo has received its third dedicated freighter A300-600RF, and plans to launch cargo operations to Algiers, Tunis, Milan, Istanbul, Karachi, and Colombo. It has started once-weekly cargo flights to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. [1]
Other destinations already in the network – Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Khartoum, Dubai, Nairobi, Bangalore, Chennai, Lahore and Dhaka.
Fleet
Qatar Airways formerly flew an all-Airbus fleet but now has a mix of Airbus and Boeing aircraft. The fleet consists of the following aircraft as of November 2007:
Passenger
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (First/Business*/Economy) |
Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600R | 8 | 250 (18/232) 216 (12/18/186) |
Middle East, North Africa, Europe, Far East | Exit from Service: Mid 2008 |
| Airbus A319-100 | 2 | 110 (8/102) | Middle East, Western Africa, Northern Africa | |
| Airbus A320-200 | 12 | 144 (12/132) | Middle East, South Asia, Austria | |
| Airbus A321-100 | 4 (3 orders) (5 lease-orders) |
177 (12/165) 196 (0/196) |
Middle East, South Asia | |
| Airbus A330-200 | 18 (4 orders) |
218 (12/24/192) 238 (12/18/208) 260 (24/236) 272 (24/248) 281 (22/259) |
Middle East, Europe, South East Asia, Southern Africa, and Newark |
|
| Airbus A330-300 | 10 (4 orders) |
305 (30/275) 259 (12/24/223) |
Middle East, Europe, South Asia, South Africa, Far East | |
| Airbus A340-300 | 1 | Bangkok, Jeddah, Dubai | Temporary aircraft Used for Qatari Amiri Flight | |
| Airbus A340-600 | 4 | 266 (8/42/216) | Europe, North America, and Hong Kong | Exit from service: Late 2009 6 orders cancelled in 2007 |
| Airbus A350-800 XWB | (20 orders) | 270 | Medium-long haul | |
| Airbus A350-900 XWB | (40 orders) | 314 | Long haul | |
| Airbus A350-1000 XWB | (20 orders) | 350 | Long haul | |
| Airbus A380-800 | (5 orders) | Long haul | Entry into service: 2012 | |
| Boeing 777-200LR | (12 orders) | Long haul | Entry into service:Mid 2008 Deliveries: 2008-2011 | |
| Boeing 777-300ER | 2 (26 orders) |
335 (42/293) | Long haul | Entry into service: 2007 Deliveries: 2007-2010 |
| Boeing 787-8 | (30 orders) (30 options) |
Long haul | Entry into service: 2010 |
*Business Class is offered on selected routes only.
Cargo
| Aircraft | Total | Capacity | Routes | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A300-600RF | 3 | 44 tons | Europe, India and South-East Asia | |
| Boeing 777F[3] | (7 orders) | Entry into service: 2008 |
In addition to the 2 Airbus A380, Qatar Airways ordered 3 more of the type at the 2007 Paris Airshow. It will start services with the A380 in 2011 to London (ref: Airliner World, March 2005). Qatar has pushed back the delivery of these aircraft until 2012 citing that it does not want to take the aircraft while it is moving into its new international terminal at Doha International Airport.[4]
At the 2005 Paris Air Show, Qatar Airways ordered 60 Airbus A350s and 20 Boeing 777s, with options for 20 more Boeing 777s. The airline has recently signed a new contract for 80 A350 XWB as the original A350 program was scrapped. The Boeing 777s will be delivered between 2007 and 2010 (ref: Air International, July 2005). On December 17, 2006, Qatar Airways announced an order for 2 Boeing 777-200Fs. Five more Boeing 777-200Fs were announced at the 2007 Dubai Airshow. It will begin to receive the first of 27 Boeing 777s it has ordered in November 2007 with deliveries extending out to mid-2010.
On March 15th, 2007, Qatar Airways received the 800th member of the A330/A340 family aircraft, an A330-200, from Toulouse during a brief ceremony to commemorate the occasion. Qatar Airways was the launch customer of the A319-100LR aircraft and the A340-600HGW aircraft. It has since canceled its remaining 4 orders for the A340-600, citing high fuel use and increased cost base compared to the new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, which will take over the role of long-haul high-capacity workhorse until delivery of the A350-1000 in 2015.[5]
On May 30, 2007, Qatar Airways placed an order with Airbus for 80 A350 XWB (20 -800, 40 -900 and 20 -1000) valued at over $16 billion.[6]
Qatar has also placed a firm order for 30 Boeing 787-8, with 30 options. The average age of the Qatar Airways fleet is 4.6 years as of December 2007.
Cabin
All classes onboard Qatar Airways aircraft (except A300/319/320/321) have video screens at every seat. Live digital satellite television can be accessed on the A330 and A340 aircraft, offering a range of European and Arabic channels. All long-haul fleet aircraft are to be equipped with the live television system by the end of 2007.
First Class
First Class offers a 180 degree flatbed, a 15-inch seatback in-flight entertainment (IFE) system featuring movies, TV, and audio selections, a personal telephone, power-ports, a feather duvet, slippers, pajamas, and an overnight amenity kit.
Privilege Club
Qatar Airways' Privilege Club loyalty programme has reciprocal agreements with Lufthansa's Miles and More, Middle East Airlines' Cedar Miles, All Nippon Airways' Mileage Club, United Airlines' Mileage Plus, and US Airways' Dividend Miles frequent flyer schemes. Privilege Club also has tie-ups with international hotel & car rental companies.
Qatar Airways Exclusive Premium Terminal
The Premium Terminal is the world's first dedicated terminal for First and Business Class passengers opened at Doha International Airport in Winter 2006. Built in nine months at a cost of US$90million, the 10,000sqm Premium Terminal features facilities ranging from check-in, duty-free shopping, conference rooms, nursery and play area to spa treatment rooms, sauna, jacuzzi and restaurants. Water features are used throughout.
Codeshare partners
Incidents and accidents
- An Airbus 330-200 (Flight QR889) suffered a double engine flameout on approach into Shanghai on June 1, 2006 after a flight from Doha. Both engines were restarted and an emergency landing made at Pu Dong International. The aircraft, registered A7-ACI, had just been delivered. [7]
- On April 19, 2007, an Airbus 300-600R (registration A7-ABV) was written off as a result of a hangar fire during maintenance at Abu Dhabi International Airport (GAMCO maintenance center).
References
- ^ Qatar Airways launches Melbourne flights The Australian 16 March 2007
- ^ http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=187583&version=1&template_id=57&parent_id=56
- ^ "Boeing/McDonnell Douglas Orders and Deliveries." Boeing.
- ^ "Qatar Airways pushes back A380s to 2012" Flight Global, 25/10/07
- ^ "First Boeing jet of many touches down in Qatar".
- ^ Article from Bloomberg.com 30 May 2007
- ^ GE investigates double CF6-80 flame-out on Qatar A330-200 into Shanghai16 June 2006
External links
