Airliners-India.com

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/133900/qatar-airways-planning-destinations-india.html

Qatar Airways is planning to expand its network to India by reaching out to new destinations in the country in a bid to boost its share in the lucrative aviation market.

"We are planning to operate in two new destinations in India. India is a great country and has strong cultural, political and economic relation with my country," Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker told PTI here.

Already covering 11 cities in India, the airline is mulling on spreading its wings further. Not specifying which all countries are in the pipeline, Baker said, "Its important for Qatar to look at India. We have many plans in India, which I will not disclose as I love giving surprises."

With no immediate plans to expand the capacity of the aircrafts used by the airlines in India, he said, "As of now we are not planning to increase the capacity of the aircrafts. We haven't yet maximised the capacity."

Qatar Airways currently spreads across 11 Indian cities – in addition to Bengaluru, daily flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Cochin, Trivandrum, Kozhikode, Ahmedabad and Goa, with four services-a-week to Amritsar.

He said there are many air traffic rights under the bilateral air service agreement between India and Qatar, which the airline hasn't utilised. "We expand in a planned way. We will not dump any rights or the capacity just for the sake of it. We still have room to expand," he said.

Speaking about the under construction airport...New Doha International Airport, he said, "It is the most efficient and most user friendly airport. The airport will be complete by 2012."

The national airline for the state of Qatar spans its network to six continents, with a fleet of 94 aircrafts. Addressing a press conference here, a day after the launch of the inaugural flight from Doha to Brussels, Baker said, "Till 2020, almost two-thirds of our fleet will be replaced by A 350s."

About the order of A380s by the airline, Baker said, "We have high load factors. We were supposed to receive the orders of A380s by 2009. We have, however delayed it because of the NDIA work going on."

The Brussels Doha route launch established Qatar Airways' 98th international destination and marked the Gulf carrier's third new Europena route. It has been operating flights to both Bucharest and Budapest from its Doha hub in January.

Meanwhile, spreading its wings further into Europe, Qatar Airways has begun its inaugural service to Brussels, with the Belgian Prime Minister Yves Leterme terming the launch as a step towards increasing the cultural closeness of Qatar and his country.

The inaugural flight, QR941, which arrived at Brussels International Airport from Doha, has strengthened the Airways' network in Europe, taking the total number of destinations covered by the airlines to 24. Brussels is now the carrier's 98th network point.

"This launch has opened up the economic opportunities for both Qatar and Belgium. This will strengthen the bilateral relations between the countries and increase the cultural closesness of its people," Leterme said.

Brussels became the third European destination launched by the airline this month following Hungarian capital Budapest and Romania's capital city Bucharest.

CEO Qatar Airways Al Baker said, "The new direct airline represents a historic moment for the two countries. We have now established our presence in Brussels, which is the gateway to the rest of Europe."

The Brussels Doha route is served with an Airbus A330, with up to 30 Business Class seats and 275 Economy class seats. Among others present at the ceremony and the inaugural flight were the Belgium's Ambassador to Qatar H E Luc Devolder and other Ministers from the country.

Qatar Airways had on January 16 announced capacity increase to an array of destinations across its global network, to be phased in from March.

iah87 · Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566

Do they have permission already to fly to the 2 new cities, if one of them is not CCU.

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

While I believe it is going to be IXE and CCU am still hoping and praying against all odds that they somehow start Pune Razz

The_Goat · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:27 pm Post subject:

I strongly feel PNQ will be one of those new destinations. DOH-PNQ A320 service
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Jeh · Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:54 pm Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

Jaysit · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 4346

PNQIAD · Member Joined: 10 Apr 2007 Posts: 112

When I read the news item - I hoped the same as Ojas - being a Punekar Smile

Although - IIRC - QR does not have PNQ rights per the bilaterals - correct?

me111993 · Member Joined: 04 Sep 2009 Posts: 3225 Location: MAA/AMD

ameya · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 12:46 pm Post subject:

If people would have PUNE slots.. they would use it to connect to other destinations than BOM !

The problem above anything else is Slots in Pune !

a level 3 airport would give you slots but not PNQ !

abhijith16 · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:52 pm Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

There are just 2 destinations that are going to be announced, of which IXE is 99% sure. I'm anxious to know what the other would be, TRZ, PNQ and CCU are the front runners for that.

abhijith16 · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 6:57 pm Post subject:

Spiderguy252 · Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:19 pm Post subject:

It will be great if QR can make CCU work, competing with EK. On the downside, LH may choose to exit if these two Gulf carriers vastly erode loads and yields westbound.
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ssbmat · Member Joined: 20 Dec 2006 Posts: 1710

iah87 · Member Joined: 17 Apr 2007 Posts: 2566

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

CCU will only work if they take that flight further to China. QR is going to announce 2 new destiantions in China as well. So if they schedule their flights something like, for example,

QR 850 DOH - CCU 0105 0855 Mo, We, Fr
--------- CCU - XMN 1000 1650

QR 851 XMN - CCU 2315 0100+1
-------- CCU - DOH 0215 0545

QR 852 DOH - CCU 0105 0855 Tu, Th, Sa, Su
---------CCU - CTU 1000 1510

QR 853 CTU - CCU 0010 0100
--------- CCU - DOH 0215 0545

Under such a scenario the connections will work perfectly everywhere. Otherwise PNQ stands a better chance than CCU. However TRZ, JAI should not be ruled out as well.

PAL@YWG · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:21 am Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

It allows QR to use CCU as an intermediate point, but I have no clue whether they will have 5th traffic rights.

G-BYGB · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 12:20 pm Post subject:

@ssbmat

It is mainly due to the distance between MUM and PNQ which is 140-160kms that can be covered within 4hrs.So people would prefer the option of taking road transport.That is why the no.of flights between MUM-PNQ are low.

Pretty much like travelling from BLR-MAA or BLR-HYD,where people find it convinient to travel by train or bus rather than spending two hrs to reach the airport and another 2 hrs to reach HYD at a lesser cost.
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abhijith16 · Posted: Sat Feb 05, 2011 2:36 pm Post subject:

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

At the moment, yes, foreign carriers aren't allowed. However the diamond jubilee celebrations of Mangalore airport on 27th February will be the day when IXE will get it's international tag and a where a few international services will be announced.

avbuff · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 5031

Looks like CCU and IXE would be the destinations.

The_Goat · Posted: Tue Feb 22, 2011 12:34 pm Post subject: