DOHA - Qatar Airways has announced a 47 per cent increase in passenger revenue during the 2003/2004 financial year, buoyed by a 35 per cent increase in the number of passengers the five-star airline carried in the last year.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Mr Akbar Al Baker announced today at the airline’s 2004/2005 Commercial Conference that it carried more than 3.3 million passengers in the last year, up from 2.6 million passengers the year before.

Mr Al Baker said the airline exceeded all commercial expectations during the last financial year, recording a 47 per cent increase in passenger revenue, a whopping 73 per cent increase in cargo revenue, and a 35 per cent increase in passenger numbers.

“Our commercial results from the last financial year demonstrate that the enormous growth of Qatar Airways continues, and will continue into the coming years,” said Mr Al Baker.

“The results cap a very good year in which we placed an order for 34 new aircraft, extended our route network to 49 cities, and were announced as one of three airlines to achieve Skytrax’s five-star ranking.

“In the last financial year we carried more than 3.3 million passengers, an increase of 35 per cent on the previous financial year.

“The 47 per cent increase in passenger revenue was more than matched by a 73 per cent increase in our cargo revenue, driven largely by the introduction of our first cargo freighter.

“We will continue to position the airline for continued strong growth.

“We expect to carry 4.5 million passengers in this coming 2004/2005 financial year, based on our current market forecasts.

“With the addition of new destinations to our rapidly expanding route network and the delivery of new aircraft as part of a $5.1 billion aircraft order, Qatar Airways will be increasing our seating capacity by 35 per cent in this financial year.

“In the next two years, Qatar Airways will be adding 20 new destinations to its route network to fly to five continents by the end of 2005.

“Within this financial year, we will be adding Tehran, Zurich, Luxor, Istanbul, Kabul, Osaka, Johannesburg and others,” he said.