Qatar Airways Makes Splash in D.C

Qatar Airways continued to raise its profile in Washington, D.C. with its title sponsorship of the 4th annual Capitol File Magazine White House Correspondents Dinner After Party – an event that drew a glitzy list of more than 600 guests from across the political and entertainment world.

International stars from stage, screen and TV were joined by fashion designers, media and political figures for the lavish event, held at the distinguished Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Prominent Washington political figures such as President Barack Obama’s White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers were among the attendees.

Also gracing the glittering occasion were celebrities such as Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker, Hollywood star Christian Slater, Desperate Housewives star and wife of NBA’s Tony Parker, Eva Longoria-Parker, hip hop music star Christopher Bridges aka "Ludacris," fashion designer Jason Wu, comedienne and the White House Correspondents Dinner official emcee Wanda Sykes and a host of media luminaries.

The evening was a memorable one for other than being a great party. The occasion also served to further build the profile of Qatar Airways, which has already associated with such worthy causes as the annual Best Buddies Ball, in the Washington, D.C. area.

Qatar Airways Vice President Americas Tony Hughes underlined the importance of the airline’s sponsorship, stating that it aligned Qatar Airways internationally-acclaimed Five-Star service, superior cuisine and on-board entertainment, with sought-after services of passengers.

"The party was comprised of movers and shakers and opinion influencers, and they are candidates for flying with Qatar Airways and enjoying our Five-Star service," said Hughes. "You had everyone there from a Saudi prince to film and music stars to CEOs of major businesses. These associations are a great way to raise the profile of Qatar Airways with key passenger groups. So our sponsorship of the event was a way to continue aligning ourselves with these key sections of the travelling public."

That fact was not overlooked by another important guest.

"Qatar Airways flying from Washington to Doha is great for the city and great for the State of Qatar," remarked His Royal Highness Abdul Aziz bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, who lounged in Qatar Airways’ VIP booth at the gathering. "Washington is an important city, and for Qatar Airways to have daily services between here and Doha is good for businesses and building relationships between the United States and the Arab world. I also believe Qatar Airways made a wise decision to launch flights between Houston and Doha as it connects the energy sectors and that can only mean good things for this business sector."

Jose Andres, well-known restaurateur credited for introducing Spanish tapas or small meals, to U.S. diners, echoed the sentiments of many at the party, in saying he thought Qatar Airways flying from Washington to Doha opened up access for travelers and businesses.

"For me to know that there is a direct connection between Washington and Doha and the State of Qatar, and between Washington and the Arab world is very important," said Andres, who owns restaurants in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. "I’m right now considering doing business in Doha and this airline connecting D.C. with Doha is very important for doing business."

Well-known Tennis Channel host Murphy Jensen also expressed his excitement about Qatar Airways, saying he loves to fly the airline on his frequent trips to the Middle East.

"Qatar Airways is a wonderful airline," said Jensen, who hosts Open Access, a show that chronicles high-profile international tennis events, and Murphy’s Guide, a travelogue show, which educates tourists about the cuisine and culture of the city where a major tennis event is being played.

"I think it’s great that they associated themselves with this party. It will raise their profile, and educate people about Qatar, which is a great country with a great tennis tournament," he said.

Qatar Airways currently operates 21 services a week from the United States to Doha, the airline’s hub in Qatar. With daily flights from Washington DC (Dulles), New York City (JFK) and Houston, Qatar Airways operates ultra-modern Boeing 777 aircraft on all the American services featuring touch-screen TV screens in every seat for passengers in both the Business and Economy Class cabins.

Qatar Airways’ Economy Class was voted Best in the World in Skytrax’s 2009 annual passenger survey, which also recognised the carrier as Best Airline in the Middle East for the fourth consecutive year. In addition, Qatar Airways’ cabin crew was recognised as Best in the Middle East for the seventh year running.

The Boeing 777-200 Long Range variant offers a two-class configuration of 42 seats in Business Class converting to fully flat beds and 217 seats in Economy Class, arguably the most spacious aircraft of any airline flying between the United States and Middle East.

Source: Qatar