Qatar Airways is preparing for the busy winter travel season and planning the next phase of its growth. After months of regional disruptions, including the temporary suspension of flights in February, the Doha-based airline has had to adapt its operations to offer passenger support, expand its routes and remain resilient.
And now, Hamad Ali Al-Khater, Chief Executive Officer at Qatar Airways Group, said that “passenger numbers have recovered to around 90%-95% of last year’s levels”, with Hamad International Airport currently handling more than 140,000 passengers a day as international carriers gradually return to Doha. This includes British Airways, which resumed daily direct flights from London Heathrow to the Qatari capital earlier this month.
Al-Khater was speaking during a behind-the-scenes tour at Hamad International Airport. Here, Euronews Travel was given in-depth access into the teams and facilities that have kept the airline’s operations running through a period of regional and international disruption, as well as preparing for the winter season.
Qatar Airways is also planning for the long-term. Al-Khater said the airline is set to receive new long-range aircraft by the end of the year with a new cabin configuration. This will allow the carrier to “reach destinations further away than our existing narrow-body aircraft can serve”.
