LOS ANGELES, United States – Qatar Airways celebrated the successful launch of daily, non-stop service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) last week with a star-studded gala event at the world-famous Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. The Skytrax 2015 “Airline of the Year” rang in the New Year by landing its first flight at LAX on 1 January, with the official celebration taking place on 12 January. The airline hosted many of Los Angeles’ prominent luminaries and celebrity guests including Paula Abdul, Jamie King, Nicole Scherzinger, Christina Milian, Brooke Burns, Mario Lopez, Terrell Owens and the cast of Bravo TV’s ‘Shahs of Sunset’ including GG Gharachedaghi and Asa Soltan Rahmati. The star-studded evening featured a stunning performance by Grammy Award-winning legend and global superstar Mariah Carey.
“Los Angeles is a key addition to our global network,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker. “Here, people dream big and embrace the glamour and sophistication that is the foundation of modern day air travel. Los Angeles gave rise to the first ‘jet set’ and we are honoured to bring our unmatched service and amenities to a city and a culture that appreciates our commitment to excellence.”
The audience of movie industry insiders, celebrities, philanthropists and travel and hospitality VIPs were treated to an Arabic-inspired opening number featuring aerialists and dancers as well as a short film on Qatar and the evolution of Qatar Airways. The guests were then invited on to the stage that has hosted the Academy Awards since 2002, to enjoy a dinner specially designed by Wolfgang Puck. To cap off the evening, the guests then enjoyed a show-stopping performance by the global superstar Mariah Carey, who delighted the audience with her classic, signature style.
The red carpet event also featured an incredible set of prize giveaways. To celebrate Qatar Airways’ 2016 brand campaign “Going Places Together,” the airline raffled pairs of Business Class tickets to any of the more than 150 destinations in its network.
“For us, travel is more than flying from point A to B. Our new service to Los Angeles opens opportunities for families to reconnect, new business ventures to be formed or strengthened, and for more travellers to enhance their lives through the transformative power of exploration and adventure,” continued H.E. Mr. Al Baker. “Through our award-winning service, we can share our rich cultures, exchange new ideas and drive economic benefits for Los Angeles and the cities now connected along our network.”
Los Angeles, the airline’s 8th US destination, is the first of many new launches for 2016. Qatar Airways will also commence service to Boston (BOS) on 16 March and Atlanta (ATL) on 1 June, while adding a second daily flight from New York’s JFK Airport on 1 April. In addition to new routes, the airline is the first to bring the state-of-the-art Airbus A350 to America, where it now flies a daily, non-stop service to and from Philadelphia (PHL).
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Notes to Editors:
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Now in its 19th year of operations, Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of 175 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. Qatar Airways won Airline of the Year, Best Business Class Airline Seat and Best Airline in the Middle East at the 2015 Skytrax Awards. This is the third time the airline won the accolade of Airline of the Year.
Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld global alliance. The award-winning alliance was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 by Skytrax for the third year running. Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Qatar Airways launched Oryx One in 2015, an enhanced interface for its inflight entertainment system, increasing the number of movies and TV shows on board from 950 to up to 2,000. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 as well as select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the five-star airline’s on-board Wifi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest cargo carrier, serves more than 45 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally on 175 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet now includes six Airbus 330, eight Boeing 777 freighters and one Boeing 747 freighter.
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Website: www.qatarairways.com