Qatar Airways expansion, including new flight to Brussels

[AVION1]

Qatar Airways today announced its expansion programme was continuing with vigour with plans to launch six new routes in Europe and Asia from October 2010.

The Doha-based airline will phase in the route expansion over a four-month period with daily flights to Phuket – after Bangkok, its second destination in Thailand – kicking off the growth drive on October 11. The new flights will operate via Kuala Lumpur.

Three weeks later, beginning November 1, Qatar Airways adds the Vietnamese capital Hanoi to its network with four flights a week via Bangkok. The new route will support existing services to Vietnam’s commercial centre and largest city of Ho Chi Minh City, where flights will also be stepped up from four-a-week to daily.

November 24 marks the launch of the carrier’s European expansion drive with thrice-weekly flights to the French Mediterranean city of Nice. Operating via Milan, the Nice operation will strengthen Qatar Airways’ services to France, where it already operates to the capital Paris.

The New Year sees Qatar Airways’ entry into eastern Europe with the launch of four flights a week to the Romanian capital of Bucharest, starting on January 17. The services continue on to Budapest, capital city of Hungary.

And with five flights a week from January 31, the Belgian capital of Brussels, home of the European Parliament, rounds off an impressive list of destinations for the airline, which has maintained its strategy of opening exciting new routes around the world since launching just 13 years ago. Announcing the expansion at the airline’s annual commercial conference in the Qatari capital Doha today, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker spoke of the carrier’s commitment to develop its route network far and wide from its hub.

“Qatar Airways’ track record to grow remains strong and solid,” he said. “The airline is well positioned globally, focusing on a long term strategy that is forward thinking and not one to look back on.

“Budapest, Bucharest, Brussels, Nice, Hanoi and Phuket represent markets underserved so these are excellent opportunities for us to tap into.

“We spend a lot of time diligently analysing new route opportunities and I am pleased to say that the routes being announced today will not only open up new markets, but also strengthen our network strategy over our Doha hub.”

Added Al Baker: “Today’s route network and fleet size will increase sharply over the next few years and all of us within Qatar Airways rise to the challenge by continuing to give our customers the Five Star level of service they fully deserve.”

By 2013, Qatar Airways plans to serve 120 key business and leisure destinations worldwide with a modern fleet of 120 aircraft. Today, the airline’s fleet stands at 84 aircraft, flying to 90 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and North America.

This week – starting June 24 – Qatar Airways introduces South America into the airline’s family of routes with the launch of flights to the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo and Argentine capital Buenos Aires.

South America represents the latest destination for Qatar Airways this year. Over the past six months, the carrier has introduced flights to Bengaluru (Bangalore), Copenhagen, Ankara, Tokyo and Barcelona

[airtrotter]

great news for BRU!!

but stiff competition for Etihad, I would guess.
A morning departure would make the most sense for connections at DOH.

[BrightCedars]

Nice! Sweet! Any idea what can of equipment we can expect? A319/A320 or bigger?

[RoMax]

Nice! Sweet! Any idea what can of equipment we can expect? A319/A320 or bigger?

According to some rumours the A330 for BRU, Nice and Hanoi, the B773ER for Phuket and the A319/A320 for Bucharest/Budapest.

@airtrotter: I think the market is really big enough for both Etihad and Qatar. But maybe with these new route, an expansion of Etihad to BRU is further away now. But I'm sure they can operate both to BRU with good performances.

[sdbelgium]

It will indeed be an A330. Schedule below:

Code: Select all

QR 941 DOH 0735 BRU 1245 x26 332
QR 942 BRU 1535 DOH 2355 x26 332

Source: http://www.flightlevel.be/2541/qatar-ai ... ar-brussel

[Kapitein]

It will indeed be an A330. Schedule below:

Code: Select all

QR 941 DOH 0735 BRU 1245 x26 332
QR 942 BRU 1535 DOH 2355 x26 332

Source: http://www.flightlevel.be/2541/qatar-ai ... ar-brussel

That's a good schedule, I was fearing a new early morning flight

[regi]

Hm, I just checked the connections to/from BKK and it is just as with Etihad at the beginning: not interesting. But it probably will change, as it did with Etihad and who became a major player BRU-BKK.

[Bralo20]

Flights will be carried out with a A332 like mentioned in a C+Y confing, no F on the flights.

[Conti764]

It will indeed be an A330. Schedule below:

Code: Select all

QR 941 DOH 0735 BRU 1245 x26 332
QR 942 BRU 1535 DOH 2355 x26 332

Source: http://www.flightlevel.be/2541/qatar-ai ... ar-brussel

Hmm, I've always thought the main reason for QR to establish a BRU route was to connect to the transatlantic offerings at BRU (Qatar hosts the biggest US base on foreign soil), but this schedule doesn't connect to the transatlantic batch of flights from BRU...

[RoMax]

It will indeed be an A330. Schedule below:

Code: Select all

QR 941 DOH 0735 BRU 1245 x26 332
QR 942 BRU 1535 DOH 2355 x26 332

Source: http://www.flightlevel.be/2541/qatar-ai ... ar-brussel

Hmm, I've always thought the main reason for QR to establish a BRU route was to connect to the transatlantic offerings at BRU (Qatar hosts the biggest US base on foreign soil), but this schedule doesn't connect to the transatlantic batch of flights from BRU...

Don't forget the NATO is in Brussels and also they are generating traffic to Doha out of BRU. This is a typically QR shedule for their EU routes (if there is only 1 flight a day or less).

And maybe...CO her second BRU-EWR rotation with connections with the QR flight. (As I tought CO has big contracts with the US government and things like that)

[Stij]

And maybe...CO her second BRU-EWR rotation with connections with the QR flight. (As I tought CO has big contracts with the US government and things like that)

QR operates themselves to EWR via GVA...

Cheers,

Stij

[RoMax]

And maybe...CO her second BRU-EWR rotation with connections with the QR flight. (As I tought CO has big contracts with the US government and things like that)

QR operates themselves to EWR via GVA...

Cheers,

Stij

Well that's new for me, QR isn't flying to EWR only non stop Doha-JFK as far as I know. But even when they would do it, it wouldn't make any difference as the US was asking to connect BRU and Doha.
The US was asking QR to connect BRU with Doha, so it's normal they will generate a lot of traffic on these flights. The most traffic will come out of BRU and Doha itself but a part will probably come out of the US, if that's the case they would need a connection to the US trough BRU.

[Stij]

And maybe...CO her second BRU-EWR rotation with connections with the QR flight. (As I tought CO has big contracts with the US government and things like that)

QR operates themselves to EWR via GVA...

Cheers,

Stij

Well that's new for me, QR isn't flying to EWR only non stop Doha-JFK as far as I know. But even when they would do it, it wouldn't make any difference as the US was asking to connect BRU and Doha.
The US was asking QR to connect BRU with Doha, so it's normal they will generate a lot of traffic on these flights. The most traffic will come out of BRU and Doha itself but a part will probably come out of the US, if that's the case they would need a connection to the US trough BRU.

I'm sorry, my mistake, things change quickly these days, two years ago I flew EWR BRU on 9W and the plane next to us was QR flying Geneva - Doha. That's the origin of my mistake.

But why would they adapt their schedule to connections to the US, when they fly themselves non-stop to JFK, IAD and IAH?

Cjeers,

Stij

[Conti764]

But why would they adapt their schedule to connections to the US, when they fly themselves non-stop to JFK, IAD and IAH?

Cjeers,

Stij

To attract some extra transfer passengers from EWR, ORD, IAD and the likes? But on the other side, with the NATO being headquartered at Brussels, their might be a sufficient market BRU-DOH without these transfer pax...

[RoMax]

But why would they adapt their schedule to connections to the US, when they fly themselves non-stop to JFK, IAD and IAH?

Cjeers,

Stij

To attract some extra transfer passengers from EWR, ORD, IAD and the likes? But on the other side, with the NATO being headquartered at Brussels, their might be a sufficient market BRU-DOH without these transfer pax...

The NATO headquarter in Brussels is the main reason why the US asked for this route. Connections to the US aren't really needed (and I never said that) but it could become handy if CO's second BRU-EWR rotation would connect with the QR flights. But QR don't really care about connections for this route (not at the BRU side and not at the Doha side).

[regi]

But why would they adapt their schedule to connections to the US, when they fly themselves non-stop to JFK, IAD and IAH?

Cjeers,

Stij

To attract some extra transfer passengers from EWR, ORD, IAD and the likes? But on the other side, with the NATO being headquartered at Brussels, their might be a sufficient market BRU-DOH without these transfer pax...

The NATO headquarter in Brussels is the main reason why the US asked for this route. Connections to the US aren't really needed (and I never said that) but it could become handy if CO's second BRU-EWR rotation would connect with the QR flights. But QR don't really care about connections for this route (not at the BRU side and not at the Doha side).

wow, that is a harsh statement. So the main point is just a confortable direct connection between Brussels and Doha? And mainly for NATO reasons? I am never too old to learn.
What makes Qatar Airways so much different that they would not care about connections, so much as Etihad changed its shedules? And so did Emirates to a certain extend for the flights from Düsseldorf.

[RoMax]

wow, that is a harsh statement. So the main point is just a confortable direct connection between Brussels and Doha? And mainly for NATO reasons? I am never too old to learn.
What makes Qatar Airways so much different that they would not care about connections, so much as Etihad changed its shedules? And so did Emirates to a certain extend for the flights from Düsseldorf.

The NATO will generate a lot of traffic for this route (off course not enough to make it profitable with only the NATO traffic). The US was really asking for this route, so that's a good point for QR. Connections in Europe to the US aren't that important for QR as they have non-stop flights to the US. Connections out of Doha are more important (for particular routes) for QR but for some destinations not that important. BRU is one of them, partly because of the NATO the connections out of Doha are less important. This route can work without connections. By the way are you gonna say you know it better than Qatar Airways, an airline that is expanding enormously and most of the time only upgrading their routes. Connections to Bangkok, ok they could be important but don't forget Etihad and Jet are two heavy's on this market. They are the two main carriers flying pax between BRU and BKK and I think SN is even working with both of them for connections towards BKK. So why would QR also offers these connections if they don't need these.
Maybe when QR will upgrade the route with a bigger airplane or more frequenties the shedule will change in favor of connections out of Doha. But for the moment they aren't needed to make the route profitable. (About Etihad that changed their shedule, their flights did well before they changed their shedule, altough not that well, but etihad hadn't such big thing as the NATO. Don't underestimate this NATO traffic.)

[Kabila]

Please stop moaning about connections to BKK. Be assured that BRU will have excellent connections to BKK via DOH. Because next to the 6 new cities announced, QR also announced that it will increase DOH BKK from 2 to 3 flights a day. And this is what the connection will be:

QR942 Brussels (BRU) 15:35 Doha (DOH) 23:55
QR614 Doha (DOH) 00:45 +1 day(s) Bangkok (BKK) 11:30 +1 day(s)

QR617 Bangkok (BKK) 02:35 Doha (DOH) 06:00
QR941 Doha (DOH) 07:35 Brussels (BRU) 12:45

These are far from bad connections; so they will be hunting down those BKK customers. EY and 9W will feel it.

[RoMax]

Please stop moaning about connections to BKK. Be assured that BRU will have excellent connections to BKK via DOH. Because next to the 6 new cities announced, QR also announced that it will increase DOH BKK from 2 to 3 flights a day. And this is what the connection will be:

QR942 Brussels (BRU) 15:35 Doha (DOH) 23:55
QR614 Doha (DOH) 00:45 +1 day(s) Bangkok (BKK) 11:30 +1 day(s)

QR617 Bangkok (BKK) 02:35 Doha (DOH) 06:00
QR941 Doha (DOH) 07:35 Brussels (BRU) 12:45

These are far from bad connections; so they will be hunting down those BKK customers. EY and 9W will feel it.

I knew they would fly more times a day to BKK, but I had no idea about the shedule, so thanks. In this case it mean QR does care about connections to BKK (altough the BRU route is not the only reason for this new BKK flight, as their are also other EU routes with no previous connections to BKK and with this shedule they will have.) In this case indeed EY and 9W will feel it.

[regi]

Please stop moaning about connections to BKK. Be assured that BRU will have excellent connections to BKK via DOH. Because next to the 6 new cities announced, QR also announced that it will increase DOH BKK from 2 to 3 flights a day. And this is what the connection will be:

QR942 Brussels (BRU) 15:35 Doha (DOH) 23:55
QR614 Doha (DOH) 00:45 +1 day(s) Bangkok (BKK) 11:30 +1 day(s)

QR617 Bangkok (BKK) 02:35 Doha (DOH) 06:00
QR941 Doha (DOH) 07:35 Brussels (BRU) 12:45

These are far from bad connections; so they will be hunting down those BKK customers. EY and 9W will feel it.

Thank you Kabila.
This is great news. Friends who took Qatar Air from Paris were very happy about the flight.
Seems that BKK is more important than some people would think...