Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has revealed a lot of interesting changes that are in store for its worldwide route network for Summer 2008 and Winter 2008-09. The major highlights are as follows :

*Note : All below mentioned changes are effective March 30th 2008

BOM / DOH / IAD - will operate a daily SAME PLANE service effective March 30th 2008 using a two class configured B 773ER.

LHR - 4th daily flight to Heathrow will be launched using an A 346 five times a week and an A 332 twice a week effective March 30th 2008. Flight details are as follows :

QR 017 Dep DOH 1635 - Arr LHR 2200
QR 018 Dep LHR 0755 - Arr DOH 1650

QR will start using their B 773ERs daily to LHR from August 2008. However, from October 2008, it will be used to LHR 12 times a week.

PEK - capacity on this route will be increased from 4 weekly A 332s to B 773ERs which will be deployed from Sept 1st 2008. Flight details are as follows :

QR 898 Dep DOH 0130 - Arr PEK 1440
QR 899 Dep PEK 2350 - Arr DOH 0425+1

DOH / GVA / EWR - increased to 6 weekly flights i.e. 1 A 333 + 5 weekly A 332s.

DXB - reduced from 8 to 7 daily flights.

KHI - capacity increased to daily A 321s.

LHE - frequencies increased from 2 to 3 weekly A 330s.

ISB - frequencies doubled from 2 to 4 times a week i.e. 2 weekly A 330s + 2 weekly A 320s.

BOM - capacity increase from daily A 330 to daily B 773ER.

HYD - frequencies reduced from daily to 6 weekly A 320s.

MLE - capacity increased to 9 weekly A 330s.

FRA - capacity increased to 9 weekly A 333s + weekly A 332.

MUC - capacity increased to 6 weekly A 333s + weekly A 332.

CMB - capacity reduced to 12 weekly A 320s + 2 weekly A 330s.

KTM - capacity reduced to 9 weekly A 320s + 2 weekly A 332s.

CEB - frequencies increased from 3 to 4 weekly A 330s.

CDG - capacity increased to 7 weekly A 346s + 5 weekly A 330s.

ZRH - capacity increased to 3 weekly A 333s + weekly A 332.

TXL - capacity increased to 2 weekly AB6s + 5 weekly A 320s.

MXP - frequencies increased from 5 weekly to daily A 330s from Sept 1st 08

Comments :

It is really nice to see QR trying to carve out a nice little niche market for itself by offering "same plane" service from BOM via DOH to IAD. Hopefully, it shall have a positive impact with regards to loads and yield on their IAD bound flights. Another interesting feature of their summer 08 timetable are the increased number of weekly flights flown to LHE & ISB. This goes to show that the airline has successfully lobbied in obtaining more traffic flights for the lucurative Northern Pakistan routes.