8 more new routes to be announced by Qatar Airways

[RoMax]

Qatar Airways’ chief executive Akbar Al Baker has confirmed the launch of a further eight routes this financial year (running until end of March 2011), in addition to the seven already announced.

As previously reported the airline has already launched daily flights Doha-Bengaluru (from February 22), followed by Copenhagen (four times weekly from March 28), Ankara (four times weekly from April 5), Tokyo (daily from April 26) and Barcelona (daily from June 7). Announced this week were flights to Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires, although the start dates have yet to be announced.

In a later conversation Mr Al Baker confirmed that another eight destinations would be added, with “four or five” of these being introduced before the end of this calendar year.

New aircraft deliveries are helping Qatar’s expansion, particularly the B777-200LR aircraft which is capable of extremely long flights. At present Qatar has six of these aircraft, with two of them being used on the Doha-Houston route, and two on the Melbourne route.

The other pair of B777-200LRs is being used for training throughout the network, but with another two arriving in coming months, it would allow Qatar to fly to both Sao Paolo and Buenos Aires with one pair (these flights will be served as one route initially), plus one other ultra long haul destination.

Until recently this additional long haul destination was assumed to be Sydney, but Al Baker has made it clear that he thinks that the city is over-served by airlines, and therefore Qatar would not be flying there in the near-future. This opens up the possibility of Qatar using these B777-200LR aircraft to fly to another destination.

source: http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/q ... -continues

So maybe we can hope for non-stop BRU-DOH? As there are 8 new routes to be announced and BRU already mentionned as a possible future destination.

[Air Key West]

Thanks for the info. Will b.air miss the boat again like it did with Montreal ? It is known that there is a demand for direct Brussels-Doha flights.

[RoMax]

Thanks for the info. Will b.air miss the boat again like it did with Montreal ? It is known that there is a demand for direct Brussels-Doha flights.

I'm afraid SN isn't ready to start a BRU-DOH route before Qatar Airways will do it. I think SN will prefer US routes first, as 12% of their pax to AFI originate in the US. (The amount of US pax tranfering trough BRU to AFI is increased 40% last months, mainly because of the miles&more/Star Alliance membership and it will increase even more). So it's normal SN will not only relay on US partners for their transfer pax to AFI. Thanks to that big amount of transfer pax pax they can make own BRU-JFK/BOS routes profitable together with the point-to-point traffic (bussiness can be very important for BOS if they can get some good contracts). But you are right that there is a big demand for BRU-DOH (also because of the NATO, EU, US...). So SN needs to make choises, transfering pax out of the US or BRU-DOH.
But as I said in the beginning of my message I doubt they will be ready to launch the route before Qatar Airways, just like what happened with Montreal.

[Conti764]

Thanks for the info. Will b.air miss the boat again like it did with Montreal ? It is known that there is a demand for direct Brussels-Doha flights.

I'm afraid SN isn't up to Middle-Eastern competition... If QR wants to start Brussels, there is not much market left for SN to take. After all, most pax will prefer fying Qatar Airways while SN hasn't much to offer to other Star Alliance partners with LH already flying the DOH route.

[Air Key West]

It's true that if QR decides to fly to BRU, there will be no point for SN to fly the same route. But will QR fly to BRU ? Possible, but not sure.
It's also true that LH is already serving DOH, but this should not prevent other *A members or LH Group airlines from flying the same route. For instance, LH and LX are both serving DXB and MCT.
It is known that Nato has been asking for a direct flight between their headquarters and the main US base outside the US. It is a pity b.air is not seizing this opportunity.
But we all know that b.air will not fly to DOH because of the lack of vision and entrepreneurship from b.air's management already evidenced by the very long time it will have taken to put into service a fifth A330 to serve additional destinations in Africa, although figures showed that air traffic to Africa had practically not suffered from the global crisis. So, indeed, let's forget DOH for b.air since the stress is on Africa and even to Africa it takes them ages to introduce new aircraft.
Probably the best we can hope for is a QR flight, QR joining *A and code sharing with SN.

[RoMax]

What I understand out of the things said by SN and LH. The focus for SN's long haul plans are on AFI and US as most transfering pax to AFI comes out of the US (12% of all AFI pax). LH is the absolutly European leader to Asia/Middle East and I don't think they want to give away a lot of pax to another LH group carrier (for sure not until SN is a 100% daughter). Look at Rijadh/Jeddah, they are stopped by LX (and OS also I think) because LH wants these routes for them alone in their group. Same for Doha, as LH and LX already serve DOH LH will not be happy with a 3th carrier in the same group flying to DOH.
When SN will be a 100% daughter of LH we will probably see some extra long haul aircraft in the comming 5 years (lets say 2-6 extra in comming 5 years). But probably they will deployed on AFI, US (JFK, Boston,???) and maybe something in Asia. But I doubt SN will fly to DOH before QR will do it.

[Air Key West]

Within the LH Group only LH flies to DOH. LX doe not. I maintain that it is a pity (even a shame) not to take advantage of a market which is practically offered to you on a silver plate (by Nato). Of course, Nato pax will not be sufficient to make the flight profitable, but it is a good basis to start on. But I know, b.air will not fly to DOH. Let's see if QR is interested and if they are, let's hope for Brussels Airport that they will have evening arrivals and departures. If they decide to fly to BRU...

[RoMax]

Within the LH Group only LH flies to DOH. LX doe not. I maintain that it is a pity (even a shame) not to take advantage of a market which is practically offered to you on a silver plate (by Nato). Of course, Nato pax will not be sufficient to make the flight profitable, but it is a good basis to start on. But I know, b.air will not fly to DOH. Let's see if QR is interested and if they are, let's hope for Brussels Airport that they will have evening arrivals and departures. If they decide to fly to BRU...

Well indeed. It's not my best day today.
Well at least we agree about SN not operating BRU-DOH in the near future.
The thing I hoping for (as I'm pretty sure SN will not start DOH services) that QR starts non-stop flights. And afternoon arrivals so I can spot them.

[easyland]

One of the possible and very probables new routes is Doha-Sofia. Today, the Bulgarian prime-minister announced that an agreement between Bulgaria and Qatar is signed for cooperation in transport. According to Bulgarian Government sources, Qatar airways is expected to launch sheduled service to Sofia in October...

[BrightCedars]

Come one guys, let's be serious, even if NATO would be a customer there is no way one can realistically see SN start an own flight to DOH. An A330 will be overkill or frequency will be ridiculous. QR has the A319LR and perhaps even A320LR that have the legs to do this and has an entire network at the other end (DOH).

Also, taking security into consideration if one aims at targeting NATO, it would be much easier to spot the SN aircraft than the QR one doing BRU among the so many QR aircraft flying in and out of DOH.

SN has all it needs to serve the Middle East niche: EY codeshare via AUH. DXB would probably be better but is cut throat and it cannot be that one day EK wouldn't fly DXB-BRU.

Let's hope QR do start BRU and add some more color variety to the tails we have at our home airport. And let's see if SN can just already put IST back on its route map. IST would offer great coverage of the Near and Middle East together with Star Alliance partner TK.

[RoMax]

Come one guys, let's be serious, even if NATO would be a customer there is no way one can realistically see SN start an own flight to DOH. An A330 will be overkill or frequency will be ridiculous. QR has the A319LR and perhaps even A320LR that have the legs to do this and has an entire network at the other end (DOH).

Also, taking security into consideration if one aims at targeting NATO, it would be much easier to spot the SN aircraft than the QR one doing BRU among the so many QR aircraft flying in and out of DOH.

SN has all it needs to serve the Middle East niche: EY codeshare via AUH. DXB would probably be better but is cut throat and it cannot be that one day EK wouldn't fly DXB-BRU.

Let's hope QR do start BRU and add some more color variety to the tails we have at our home airport. And let's see if SN can just already put IST back on its route map. IST would offer great coverage of the Near and Middle East together with Star Alliance partner TK.

Actually we agreed about this already. I've never believed in a SN flight BRU-DOH, but I believe in a QR flight between BRU and DOH. If it's not this year it will be next year of the year after... but I'm pretty sure it will come.

[sn-remember]

SN mgt ....
It's 8 yrs I am "fulminating" ...
It reminds me Van Rafelghem times ... (for the happy french litterates : "je vous parle d'un temps que les moins de .. ans ne peuvent pas connaître .. ;")
I prefer not to comment ...
We have great hopes in the coming LH mgt but but but ...
THey let indeed yul go away and now Doha ..
And of course lots lots of dsevelopments expected in AFI (and US for those who read me I was consistently from the start pleading for the restart of some NA routes .. a shame they left the rich heritage of Sabena go away ... same for AFI btw they were far more powerful in AFI back in 2001 than BAir has ever been )
Yes negative toll ..

Of course DOH can be served by SN, LH is never going to oppose that !
The only strategy is profits !
The metal ?
It can be found out don't tell me !
The route ? I would see a tag on on DBX
The a/c type ? I believe a 200 seater would be ok.

Same can be said for NYC, BOS , YUL (too bad), maybe another focus city, why not ORD or IAD ... to be analysed.
BUT the core business obviously is Africa ... They have 4 (or 5?) a/c and it seems they don't know what to do with this 5th plane (increadible .. no ?)
I could see in the near future a fleet of 10 to 12 a/c
If anybody can give me the reference of the team in charge, I would gladly help on this task (I am serious !)
I know it can seem a bit pretentious but I studied a lot on these matters and since a long time ...

[sn-remember]

To be more practical ..
A route like BRU-VIE-DOH could be started tomorrow using an A319 (I know a bit smallish but better than nothing). An upgrade could come later if the route is proved successfull ..
Just my 2 cts ?