Qatar Airways is adding a new destination to Thailand – with the introduction of a service to Chiang Mai in December 2017.
Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Hamad International Airport Doha, Image, Economy Class and Beyond.
This will be Qatar Airways fourth destination to Thailand, and will be operated initially as a seasonal service. The airline currently operates to Bangkok, Phuket and Krabi
Operations will include a four times a week service between Doha and Chiang Mai. The timetable looks like this:
Doha – Chiang Mai
QR822 DEPART DOH 20:05 ARRIVE CNX 06:00+1 - Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays QR823 DEPART CNX 07:10 ARRIVE DOH 10:55 - Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays Booked Equipment: Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner Operates 7th December 2017 until May 2018.
Whilst Qatar Airways have stated a “Wide-bodied aircraft” will be used, in the initial phase, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner will be employed according to the Qatar Airways booking engine.
Going through the press quote from Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, he states:
“Thailand continues to grow in popularity with holiday-makers and it’s not hard to see why. Our new flights to Chiang Mai mark our fourth route to this beautiful country, reflecting the demand from our customers for more high-quality leisure destinations.
Our existing services to Phuket, Krabi and Bangkok are already incredibly popular, especially with customers from European countries such as the UK, France and Germany. Therefore, we are delighted to announce yet another destination, offering our renowned five-star service between Doha and Chiang Mai for leisure travellers. It also demonstrates our commitment to expand our reach with ambitious new routes around the world, taking our passengers to where they want to fly.”
For those connecting from Europe and beyond, the timings should work pretty reasonably. Whilst it’s not a daily, service – for those on holidays – this shouldn’t matter as much. For those who need connect on days when there is no direct service, Qatar Airways offers connections via Bangkok with Bangkok Airways and Thai Airways.
Neither Emirates or Etihad have operations to Chiang Mai, with the heaviest international route being to Hong Kong, and the busiest domestic route to Bangkok Dong Mueang. Chiang Mai Airport is a focus point of Thai Air Asia, with it being the airline’s secondary hub – allowing lots of options should you wish to explore beyond the area..
For those who want to experience Northern Thailand via a one-stop flight via Doha, this is a reasonable option.
Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, with in-depth coverage, unique research as well as the humour and madness as I only know how to deliver.
Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can also follow me on Instagram too!
Also remember that as well as being part of BoardingArea, we’re also part of BoardingArea.eu, delivering frequent flyer news, miles and points to European readers