DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways is pleased to announce a code-share partnership with Air Botswana, offering Qatar Airways travellers enhanced access to three key destinations in Botswana, Africa.
The partnership with Air Botswana, the national airline of Botswana, will provide Qatar Airways passengers with connections to the Botswana cities of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun via Qatar Airways’ South Africa gateway Johannesburg. Qatar Airways operates double-daily flights between Johannesburg and its state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport in Doha, with onward flights to more than 150 destinations worldwide.
The new code-share agreement allows business and leisure travellers fast and convenient access to the home of Botswana’s rich mineral industry, abundant game reserves, and luxury safari lodges. Botswana’s luxurious tourism experiences are complemented by Qatar Airways’ ultra-modern fleet of aircraft featuring the world’s best Business Class on services to South Africa.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Our new code-share agreement with Air Botswana will offer even greater opportunities for passengers from across our global network, especially from key markets in Europe and Asia to easily connect with popular destinations in Botswana, to take advantage of exclusive leisure experiences.
“Code-share partnerships and airline alliances continue to play an important role for Qatar Airways. We are committed to serving the travel needs of the African market and the addition of Air Botswana flights to Qatar Airways’ route network is an important expansion of our network.”
The Southern African region is an important market for Qatar Airways, with three destinations in South Africa including Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, and on the east Maputo in Mozambique. Expansion in this region is a key focus for Qatar Airways, having launched services to the Namibian capital Windhoek on 28 September, with Lusaka in Zambia to follow, and the resumption of services to the Seychelles in December 2016.
Air Botswana’s Acting General Manager, Ms. Agnes Khunwana, said: “We are delighted to join forces with a renowned global airline like Qatar Airways to launch code-share services to a number of Botswana cities. This partnership provides Qatar Airways’ passengers with easy and direct access to a number of key business and high-end leisure destinations across Botswana while providing easy access to Qatar Airways’ global network for the people of Gaborone, Francistown and Maun when booking directly with Qatar Airways. We look forward to working closely with Qatar Airways into the future.”
Travellers connecting to Qatar Airways’ global network from Southern Africa will have access to more than 150 destinations and will continue to see Qatar Airways expand its global reach, with more than a dozen new destinations added in 2016 to explore. This year, the airline has launched routes to Adelaide (Australia), Atlanta (USA), Birmingham (UK), Boston (USA), Helsinki (Finland), Los Angeles (USA), Marrakech (Morocco), Pisa (Italy), Ras Al Khaimah (UAE), Sydney (Australia), Windhoek (Namibia) and Yerevan (Armenia). Over the next few months, the network will grow further with Krabi (Thailand) and Seychelles.
Qatar Airways, the national airline 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, the airline operates a modern fleet of 191 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents.
Notes to Editors:
Qatar Airways’ code-share agreement with Air Botswana is non-reciprocal and Air Botswana customers are not able to book through Air Botswana on Qatar Airways operated flights.
For images please visit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/qatarairways/albums/72157674068002351
About Qatar Airways:
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 191 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents.
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’ inflight 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 as well as 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 is one of the world’s leaders in sponsoring global sporting events, including the strategic team sponsorships of FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia FC. Qatar Airways’ strategy reflects 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 cargo carrier, serves more than 50 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally on 191 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet now includes eight Airbus 330Fs, 11 Boeing 777 freighters and two Boeing 747 freighters.
About Air Botswana:
Air Botswana is the country’s flag carrier and national airline. The airline has to date become a model African regional carrier with a wide reputation for quality air services. Air Botswana continues to be on the IATA’s IOSA registry, attesting to the airline’s full commitment to the highest operational and safety standards.
The airline services Botswana’s key economic sectors of mining and tourism through the provision of convenient connections linking Africa’s business and leisure centres. In fact, Air Botswana has the highest number of flights for a foreign airline with over 90 weekly flights into/out of Johannesburg’s ORT airport. Domestically, Air Botswana provides daily links from the country’s capital city, Gaborone to Francistown, the nation’s second city, as well as daily links to Maun, gateway to the world famous Okavango Delta, a listed World Heritage site. The airline also connects Gaborone with Kasane, the entry point to the prolific Chobe National Park on the northern border with Namibia. There is also a convenient connection linking Maun and Kasane, two of Botswana’s prime tourist destinations.
Regionally, Air Botswana has five daily flights between Gaborone & Johannesburg and between three and four weekly flights to Cape Town, Harare & Lusaka. From Francistown, passengers are also able to connect directly to Johannesburg. Passengers arriving in Johannesburg on long-haul flights can access daily Air Botswana direct flights to Maun, Botswana’s premier tourism destination.
Today’s fleet is made up of a combination of ATR 72-500, ATR 42-500 and one leased Bombardier CRJ. Plans are underway however for the airline to re-fleet with newer aircraft in line with the new business plan and projected growth strategy.
For Further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200, Fax: +974 40225350
E-mail: qrmedia@qatarairways.com.qa
Visit our homepage www.qatarairways.com or our sites on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and YouTube.
For Qatar Airways corporate images, please click here: http://www.qatarairways.com/corporateimages
Air Botswana Commercial Department
Tel: +267 3688420/426
Email: marketing@airbotswana.co.bw
Web: www.airbotswana.co.bw
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