Manama, BAHRAIN – Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker has held official talks with the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa during a meeting in the Kingdom.
Al Baker thanked the Crown Prince, also the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force, for helping promote trade links between Bahrain and Qatar. He also briefed the Crown Prince on Qatar Airways’ rapid expansion and developments at the New Doha International Airport, which is due to open in 2009.
The meeting was held at the Al Rafaa Palace on the eve of the three-day Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE) travel trade show being held in Manama, the city’s capital. The Qatar Airways delegation at the meeting included General Manager Commercial, Mohamed Saleh Fakhri, Senior Manager Commercial Operations East, Ali Al Rais, and Senior Manager Marketing and Communications, Salam Al Shawa.
Qatar Airways currently operates a total of 37 scheduled flights a week between Bahrain and Doha with excellent onward connections for business and leisure travellers to destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian subcontinent and the Far East.
Al Baker spoke of Qatar Airways’ meteoric rise as a key player in regional and global aviation with its current fleet of 46 aircraft set to more than double to 110 jets by 2015.
He also spoke of the revolutionary in-flight products being introduced by Qatar Airways this summer. This includes a First Class lounge on its new Airbus A340 long-haul aircraft and the opening of the world’s only dedicated First and Business Class terminal at Doha International Airport for exclusive use by Qatar Airways’ passengers travelling in the premium cabins.
BITE, which is taking place at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, attracts airlines, hotels, car rental companies, travel agents and tour operators from around the world.
Qatar Airways’ Doha – Bahrain route is currently operated with a mixture of A320s and A330s offering passengers the best levels of comfort and service, with excellent onward connections to many of the airline’s 70 destinations worldwide.
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is proud to be Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways has been awarded World’s Best Airline, World's Best Business Class; Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
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.
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 sponsors world-leading sports teams including FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia FC 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 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