Airline will also add 66 weekly frequencies to 20 existing destinations in 2020, including Dhaka, Bangladesh; Edinburgh, Scotland; and Windhoek, Namibia amongst others
Airline announced a host of exciting new destinations to be launched in first half of 2020, such as Dubrovnik, Croatia; Santorini, Greece; Osaka, Japan and non-stop direct flights to Kigali, Rwanda and Kilimanjaro, Tanzania
DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways is delighted to reveal two new exciting Mediterranean destinations will join its ever-expanding network in the first half of 2020, with many more to be announced in the coming months. The airline will also add 66 weekly frequencies to 20 existing destinations in its network due to strong market demand and the recent deliveries of more fuel-efficient aircraft.
The airline will be the first Gulf carrier to begin direct flights to Santorini, its fourth destination in Greece after Athens, Mykonos and Thessaloniki, with services to begin on 20 May 2020. Flights to Dubrovnik, Croatia, the airline’s second destination in Croatia after Zagreb will start on 20 April 2020.
Today’s announcements follow just one day after the inaugural service to Gaborone, Botswana that marked the ninth new destination launched by the airline in 2019. The airline also reconfirmed Osaka, Japan will join the airline’s network in 2020, with the inaugural flight departing on 6 April.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are pleased to announce Santorini, Greece and Dubrovnik, Croatia will be joining our global network in 2020. We are committed to offering our passengers as many seamless one-stop connection choices as possible. With the addition of these new routes, our network will expand to 170 passenger destinations, further consolidating our position as one of the world’s most connected airlines.
“We also invite all passengers to enjoy the extra capacity and flexibility provided by the 66 additional weekly frequencies we are adding to 20 existing destinations in our network. We are dedicated to giving our customers more options and flexibility when planning their business and leisure trips. These new flights are being added in response to market demand and are testament to our hard working team at Qatar Airways who continue to set the benchmark in the industry from customer service to catering and in-flight entertainment.”
The seasonal flights to Santorini, Greece and Dubrovnik, Croatia will be operated by an Airbus A320, featuring 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.
New destinations:
Dubrovnik, Croatia – Three weekly flights expanding to five (18 May to 30 September)
Santorini, Greece – up to four weekly flights
Osaka, Japan – five weekly flights expanding to daily from 23 June 2020
The following frequency increases are planned for 2020:
Europe
- Adana, Turkey will increase from three to five weekly flights
- Antalya, Turkey will increase from three to five weekly flights
- Athens, Greece will increase from three to four daily flights
- Belgrade, Serbia will increase from seven to 10 weekly flights
- Bodrum, Turkey will increase from three to five weekly flights
- Edinburgh, Scotland will increase from 10 to 14 weekly flights
- Oslo, Norway will increase from 10 to 14 weekly flights
- Venice, Italy will increase from seven to 11 weekly flights
- Warsaw, Poland will increase from 14 to 18 weekly flights
- Zurich, Switzerland will increase from 14 to 18 weekly flights
Africa
- Maputo, Mozambique will increase from three to five weekly flights
- Windhoek, Namibia will increase from five to seven weekly flights
- Three of the seven weekly flights to Kigali, Rwanda to be delinked from Entebbe, Uganda and operate direct non-stop flights to each destination
- Daily service to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania and Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania will be delinked with non-stop direct daily flights to each destination
Asia
- Colombo, Sri Lanka will increase from four to five daily flights
- Dhaka, Bangladesh will increase from three to four daily flights
- Penang and Langkawi, Malaysia combined service will increase from five to seven weekly flights
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted “Skytrax Airline of the Year” title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.
Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), to more than 160 destinations worldwide. The world’s fastest-growing airline has added a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network this year, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; Langkawi, Malaysia; and Gaborone, Botswana.
