QR announces robust expansion plans

QATAR has announced plans to launch scheduled flights to Australia and further expand its operations in India and Europe with new routes from the start of the Northern Winter 2009 schedules. Flights to Sydney and Melbourne, together with new services to Goa and Amritsar in India and two new European services are planned over the next nine months. In addition the carrier will also increase its frequencies to selected destinations across its global network from March 29. The carrier’s first new routes to be launched this year will be daily flights between Doha and Houston. In addition to the route expansion, Qatar Airways is gradually stepping up capacity from March 29 to eight cities – Geneva, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Lagos, Muscat, Mashad (Iran), Tunis and Algiers. The frequency increases will see the Philippines capital of Manila being served with two daily flights, up from the current 11 services a week; Nigeria’s commercial capital of Lagos going from five services a week to daily; and capacity to the Omani capital of Muscat rising from 15 to 21 flights a week. Jeanette Phillips (jeanettep@nowmedia.co.za)