Award-winning airline’s daily flights to Dublin will connect Ireland to Qatar and beyond
To celebrate this special occasion, the airline flew its next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft to Dublin
DOHA, Qatar – Dublin welcomed the first Qatar Airways flight from Doha today, inaugurating the new daily service that connects Dublin to the world.
Senior Vice President of Qatar Airways Europe, Mr. Jonathan Harding, travelled on board the inaugural flight and was greeted by daa Chief Executive, Mr. Kevin Toland; Dublin Airport Managing Director, Mr. Vincent Harrison; and Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Mr. Niall Gibbons.
To celebrate this special occasion, the award-winning airline flew its next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft to Dublin, giving VIP guests and key media the opportunity to tour the state-of-the-art aircraft. This was the first time a commercial passenger Airbus A350 aircraft has landed on Irish soil and the feedback from those on board was extremely positive.
Going forward, Qatar Airways will operate its daily Dublin service with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has a two-class configuration including 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “The launch of our new service to Dublin is an important milestone for Qatar Airways. The new service will connect the Irish people with more destinations globally and provide them the opportunity to experience our five-star service. We look forward to welcoming our new passengers on board and to connecting them to Doha and beyond.”
daa Chief Executive, Mr. Kevin Toland, said: “We want to express our warmest welcome to Qatar Airways and its new route between Dublin and Doha. This is a fantastic addition to our selection of destinations, and it is a great opportunity to boost Ireland’s tourism.”
The launch of the new route to Dublin will be Qatar Airways’ first-ever service to the Republic of Ireland, giving passengers easier access to the Middle East, Asia and Australia, with seamless connections to Sydney, Hong Kong, Melbourne and many more attractive destinations.
Dublin is a hub for more than 1,000 leading multi-national companies and the daily non-stop service will connect both business and leisure travellers to the airline’s extensive network. Irish residents will experience Qatar Airways’ renowned on-board service and will be able to enjoy the airline’s relaunched superior Oryx One entertainment system offering up to 3,000 entertainment options.
The new direct flights to Dublin will also provide Qatar Airways Cargo customers 80 tonnes of belly-hold capacity each week. Temperature-controlled products are the major exports out of Ireland and the cargo carrier is proficient in supporting air logistics through its specialist solutions QR Pharma, for pharmaceuticals and QR Fresh, for perishables. Customers are offered a seamless cool chain transfer for their temperature-sensitive products via the state-of-the-art and fully automated hub in Doha. Its facility at Hamad International Airport is wholly compliant with both IATA Chapter 17 standards and Good Distribution Practice (GDP).
In partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatar Airways has recently rolled out the +Qatar campaign, which gives Irish passengers the chance to book a complimentary hotel stay in some of Doha's finest hotels as well as obtaining a free transit visa.
The airline has also made its presence in the market felt with key sponsorships at exciting events around the city, including the Dublin Horse Show and the Darley Irish Oaks Day at the Curragh Racetrack. These partnerships celebrate the shared Irish and Qatari affinity for horses.
Following the Dublin launch, Qatar Airways will be adding flights to many more exciting destinations to its network in 2017 and 2018, including Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Canberra, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Chittagong, Bangladesh; Mombasa, Kenya; and Utapao, Thailand.
Dublin – Doha Flight Schedules:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays
Doha (DOH) to Dublin (DUB) QR017 departs: 07:45 arrives: 13:20
Dublin (DUB) to Doha (DOH) to QR018 departs: 15:25 arrives: 00:30
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday
Doha (DOH) to Dublin (DUB) QR019 departs: 01:50 arrives: 07:25
Dublin (DUB) to Doha (DOH) to QR020 departs: 08:50 arrives: 17:55
For images, please visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/qatarairways/albums/72157684868482296
Notes to Editors:
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is celebrating 20 years of Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations. The world’s fast growing airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its growing network in 2017/18, including Dublin, Nice, Skopje, Sarajevo and many more, flying passengers on board its modern fleet of 199 aircraft.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was awarded World's Best Business Class; Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East at the prestigious 2016 World Airline Awards managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
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.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 3,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as F.C. Barcelona, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message - Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest international cargo carrier, serves 60 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally with 199 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes eight Airbus A330 freighters, 12 Boeing 777 freighters and one Boeing 747 freighter.
For further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200