Qatar Airways commences full operations at Hamad International Airport

Monday, 2 June 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

DOHA, Qatar: Qatar Airways last week commenced full operations at its new state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), at 09:00 local time.

With the first Qatar Airways commercial flight QR1113 from Bahrain landing at HIA at 09:10 local time, all operations for all airlines have now been transferred to HIA. The first commercial flight of Qatar Airways touched down at Hamad International Airport, marking the commencing of full operations of the national airline at Doha’s new airport.

“The moment we have all been building towards for many years arrived today as QR1113 touched down, marking the historic start of our full operations at the world-class Hamad International Airport,” said Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker. “This is yet another milestone in the rich history of Qatar Airways, and one that will allow us to fully realise our ambitions, and to offer our passengers the very best of services, both in the air and on the ground.” “Qatar Airways will be able to offer an exceptional passenger experience, as HIA has been designed with passengers foremost in mind. The airport will also be able to accommodate the world’s largest aircraft, such as our much-anticipated Qatar Airways Airbus A380 which will commence operations to the UK in June and France in July.”

Passengers travelling on today’s historic day were greeted with roses, dates, coffee, chocolate and Qatari flags. They were also able to take advantage of the many new services available at Hamad International Airport, from the free Wi-Fi to play areas for children, multiple quiet areas to relax, and the amazing array of shopping and eating options. With more than 70 retail outlets offering an unprecedented selection of designer labels, high street fashion, electronics, gourmet foods and much more, Qatar Duty Free at HIA also has more than 30 cafes and restaurants with a sumptuous selection of global and local cuisine.

All passengers travelling via HIA are advised to arrive three hours before their flight, with check-in closing one hour before departure for Economy Class, and 45 minutes before departure for First and Business Class. e-Gates are already operational in both the departures and arrivals areas, offering holders of an e-Gate Card a swift journey through the new airport. Helpful HIA staff will also be readily available to assist at information desks and throughout the airport. The new airport is located on the East coast of the peninsula, just 16 km from the centre of Doha and 4 km from DIA. Due to an elaborate newly-built road infrastructure surrounding HIA, arrival time to the airport is around 25 minutes, depending on traffic. Qatar Airways’ passengers can travel to HIA via car, bus, taxi or limo services.

Qatar Airways to launch cargo flights to Mexico

Qatar Airways Cargo is to launch a twice-weekly freighter service to Mexico City on 11 June. Qatar Airways Cargo will operate the twice-weekly service between Doha and Mexico City’s Licenciado Benito Juarez International Airport, using a Boeing 777 freighter. Freighters will depart from Doha’s state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport on Wednesdays and Sundays and from Mexico on Mondays and Thursdays. “The first Qatar Airways Cargo flight to Mexico will be a historic moment for us, as it heralds the beginning of our operations in Latin America,” said Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo, Ulrich Ogiermann. “This is yet another important milestone for us, and it demonstrates that we are well on track towards becoming a world-class air cargo service provider with international reach. Our customers can rely on our extensive network of more than 40 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide, in addition to the freight delivered on our 134 passenger aircraft to 140 key business and leisure destinations globally.” Major exports from Mexico include cars and vehicle parts, consumer electronics (televisions, mobile phones, LCD displays), oil and oil-derived products, silver, perishables and pharmaceuticals. Qatar Airways Vice President Cargo for Americas Ian Morgan said: “Mexico has one of the world’s largest economies, and it boasts one of the most developed manufacturing sectors in Latin America. The new dedicated Qatar Airways Cargo service will create new and exciting opportunities for businesses in Mexico and beyond.” Qatar Airways Cargo recently strengthened its product portfolio with the launch in January 2014 of two new premium services that optimise the transportation of time and temperature-sensitive goods, including high-value pharmaceutical products and perishables. The new services, QR Pharma and QR Fresh, add to the company’s substantial range of cargo services and further enhance its capacity and flexibility to effectively move sensitive commodities in line with the highest world-class standards.