Doha carrier to raise European frequencies

Qatar Airways is to raise the number of flights offered from four European cities this winter.

The airline is adding capacity to Madrid, Athens and Stockholm in addition to going double daily on the Doha-Paris route on October 25 from 11 flights a week.

The increased frequencies represent an almost 40% increase in frequency across the four cities.

Madrid will see an increase in the number of flights from four-a-week to a daily service from December 2.

Athens will see flights go up from daily to double daily by March 2010.

Stockholm will see its first frequency increase since flights to the Swedish capital were launched in November 2007.

The addition of an extra weekly flight every Thursday from October 25 follows demand and the availability of aircraft, the airline said.

CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “Europe is one of our most important regions representing around 20% of our global coverage.

“While many airlines are cutting back capacity in the current economic conditions, we strongly believe on building capacity to meet the needs of the travelling public, both in the short-term and long-term.”

Qatar Airways’ London-based senior manager Europe Paul Johannes said: “With this expansion, Qatar Airways continues to be a dynamic force in the European market.

“We look forward to offering even more convenience to our customers and, in particular, with the launch of flights to Amritsar, Goa and Melbourne, Europe will be a key feeder market to these destinations.”

by Phil Davies