In the ever wanting need to grow its network and funnel people through its hub of Hamad International Airport, Qatar Airways is expanding its operations in Eastern Europe.
Qatar Airways Airbus A320 at Hamad International Airport, Doha – Image, Economy Class and Beyond
So what’s new on the table?
- Firstly, Doha to Belgrade will be introduced as a direct service from 16th March 2016 with an Airbus A320 aircraft.
- Doha to Zargreb will be boosted to 10 flight a week (from 7) from 3rd April 2016 with Airbus A320 aircraft
- Doha to Budapest will be boosted to 10 flight a week (from 7) from 3rd July 2016 with Airbus A320 aircraft
- Doha to Baku (Azerbaijan) will be boosted from a 7 flights a week service to 11 flights, with the introduction of an additional four times a week service from the 27th March 2016 with Airbus A320 aircraft.
- Doha to Yerevan will be a new service which will operate four times a week with an Airbus A320 from the 15th May 2016.
- Doha to Warsaw will be upscaled from an Airbus A320 to an Airbus A330-300 from 1 July 2016
- Finally, Doha to Moscow will be upscaled to a Boeing 787-8 and Airbus A320 operation – which is currently operated with two Airbus A320 aircraft. The change has gone into effect and is currently flying as QR0233/QR0234 flying as a Boeing 787-8
That’s a lot more changes to the Qatar Airways network as it grows and expands its markets. Eastern Europe is a market that Qatar Airways wants to tap into. By using smaller narrowbody aircraft, it can fill seats and operate at a lower cost than a widebody jet. And if the route becomes popular – it can scale it up without much effort.
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Now, if only AA would let us route this way on award redemptions. It’s no more miles in the air to get to Baku and Yerevan connecting in Doha than in Moscow, but you can’t connect to a Europe award from the U.S. in the Middle East.