Qatar Airways resumes flights to Yangon, Myanmar

After a four-year absence, Qatar Airways resumed flights to Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city, on Thursday. Qatar Airways suspended flights to Yangon in January 2008. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said Qatar Airways’ re-entry into Yangon marked one of the airline’s most important route launches of the year.

“Yangon becomes our ninth new destination so far this year to join Qatar Airways’ family of routes and the first Asian launch in 2012,” he said. “There has never been a better time to expand into Myanmar – a country blessed with rich natural resources, and proximity to some of the world’s most dynamic economies.”

Qatar Airways is operating thrice-weekly non-stop scheduled flights into Yangon from its Doha hub, flying an Airbus 319 aircraft in a two-class configuration offering eight seats in business and 102 in economy.

The former capital of Yangon and current gateway to Myanmar has by far the largest airport in the country, handling around 2.5 million passengers annually, two-thirds being international visitors – a figure set to rise sharply as airlines start flights from other markets.