Qatar tightens links with SA

LAST month Qatar
Airways expanded its
reach in South Africa
with the official launch of a
four times a week DurbanDoha
service. The airline
already flies daily from Cape
Town and double daily from
Johannesburg.
Akbar Al Baker, Qatar
Airways ce, said he expected
high load factors on the
route to Durban, both in
terms of leisure tourism and
corporate travel. He said the
development of the Dube
Trade Port in Durban offered
“tremendous opportunities”
for further growth in Durban
and South Africa.
“Qatar is one of South
Africa’s largest trading
partners in the Middle East
and adding Durban to our
existing South African routes
will further strengthen the
bond between the two
countries, especially in
the tourism sector.”
Akbar said it was high time
that Qatar Airways and the
other Gulf carriers expanded
in Africa to bring more
competition to the aviation
sector on the continent. He
said African carriers were
currently undercapitalised
and neglected by their
governments. “African
governments should
subsidise their national
carriers in order to let them
stand on their own feet.
Once that happens, and
people have confidence that
the airline is safe, there is
huge potential.
“Africa is an underserved
continent with the largest
potential for growth. The
continent has been starved
of proper air services for a
long time. On the few air
services available, I think
the airlines have really
taken the African people to
the cleaners. It is obvious
that airlines like us and our
Gulf colleagues need to
operate to Africa in order
to give the African people
connectivity, good value
for money, a high standard
product and respect as
passengers,” he added.
Qatar Airways flies to
Durban on Mondays,
Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays, using a
Boeing 787. The flight,
which makes a stop in
Johannesburg, leaves Doha
at 07h45 to arrive in Durban
at 17h35. The return flight
departs Durban at 18h45 to
arrive in Doha at 06h20 the
next day.
Premier of KZN, Edward
Senzo Mchunu, commented
that direct long-haul air
services from Durban
were the lifeblood of
the province’s economy.
“We want to believe that
connectivity between KZN
and Qatar is going to grow
leisure tourism and trade in
leaps and bounds.”