Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines are building on their strategic partnership, following Malaysia Airlines’ announcement to launch a non-stop service from Kuala Lumpur to Doha from 25 May.
The two airlines will significantly expand their codeshare cooperation, allowing passengers to connect via their hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Doha.
The codeshare expansion will add 34 destinations to the existing 62 codeshare destinations. The agreement benefits travellers who will have access to a much greater combined network and enjoy a seamless travel experience on both airlines with a single ticket including check-in, boarding and baggage-check processes, frequent flyer benefits and lounge access for the entire journey.
Starting 25 May 2022, customers flying on Malaysia Airlines’ new Kuala Lumpur to Doha service will have access to 62 codeshare destinations within Qatar Airways network to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America. Qatar Airways customers travelling from Doha to Kuala Lumpur can transfer to 34 Malaysia Airlines destinations including their entire domestic network and key markets in Asia, such as Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
Frequent Flyer benefits too
The enhanced cooperation will also include reciprocal loyalty benefits allowing Qatar Airways Privilege Club members to earn and redeem Avios points when flying on Malaysia Airlines, with similar benefits for Malaysia Airlines Enrich members when travelling on Qatar Airways’ services.
Privilege Club and Enrich members will also enjoy their benefits, depending on tier status, such as complimentary lounge access, complimentary extra baggage allowance, priority check-in, priority boarding and priority baggage delivery when flying with the airlines.
In Quotes
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Mr Akbar Al Baker said:
“We share a close and deep bond with Malaysia Airlines and welcome their new non-stop service between Kuala Lumpur and our home in Doha, Hamad International Airport. With this strategic partnership, we are committed to delivering greater choice and connectivity to our customers around the world. We are experiencing a new optimism in air travel and expect a strong rebound in global demand. With our dynamic partnership with Malaysia Airlines, we are aiming to provide unparalleled service and a superior travel experience for our customers.”
Malaysia Airlines Group Chief Executive Officer, Captain Izham Ismail, said:
“We are excited to deepen our cooperation with our long-standing oneworld partner Qatar Airways to bring the world closer to our customers with more choices and flexibility, exceptional services and innovative products, while upholding highest operational safety, just as passengers begin to travel again following the reopening of borders.
As we move into the endemic phase, this strategic cooperation shows both carriers’ commitment to offering an unrivalled range of value-added services to passengers and reflects the agility and resilience in facing the pandemic challenges. This partnership is opportune in our efforts to boost air traffic and expedite recovery to pre-pandemic levels, while also enhancing our global brand visibility.”
Evolving the partnership
Malaysia Airlines and Qatar Airways’ strategic partnership evolved progressively when it started in 2001. Since then, it has evolved to expand the collaborative partnership.
The move here is a result of a Memorandum of Understanding signed in February 2022 to leverage each other’s network strengths.
With the two airlines inside the same alliance, this is a logical upgrade of their relationship with useful connectivity for passengers as well as the returning frequent flyers who appreciate using their oneworld benefits.
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Will Qatar & Malaysia have a tie in with Star, One World or any other US Alliance?
Qatar Airways is already a oneworld member. Although recently it got more than friendly with Virgin Australia.
We’ll have to see what rules they want to follow … and how they choose to bend the rules.
Does this mean the pre-pandemic DOH-PEN QR flight is gone for good?
Anything is possible with this airline. Give it a few years….