Beijing, PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA – Award-winning Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, has become the first Middle East carrier to launch non-stop scheduled flights between Doha and Beijing, capital of the State of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf.

The first flight touched down at Beijing International Airport with a large delegation of dignitaries – including the Chinese Ambassador to Qatar, Zhao Huimin, and members of the media from Qatar – headed up by Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker.

The new flights, operated three times a week, are part of an aggressive winter route expansion campaign that sees six new destinations being served from Doha to cities around the world over the next two months.

Beijing, the political capital of the People’s Republic of China, becomes the second city in the country to be served by Qatar Airways following the successful launch last year of non-stop scheduled flights between Doha and Shanghai.

The Chinese capital also becomes Qatar Airways’ 9th destination in the Far East that also includes Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, Cebu, Manila, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur.

The airline now operates to 55 cities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Indian subcontinent and the Far East. By the end of 2005, Qatar Airways will serve at least 70 destinations, including cities in North America and Australia.

Al Baker said on arrival in Beijing: “Since the launch of our Shanghai flights last year, the route has proved very popular and it was only natural for us to extend our Five Star service to business and leisure travellers by introducing Beijing as our second destination in China.

“Qatar Airways is pleased to be the only Middle East carrier to offer the travelling community an air link to yet another city in China and share in the prosperity of a country which is enjoying an economic boom.”

He added: “This new route will appeal to both business and leisure travellers and offer good connections to passengers travelling between continents via Doha which is rapidly developing as a convenient hub in the Middle East.”

As one of the fastest growing and youngest carriers in the world, Qatar Airways has made significant inroads in the global aviation industry to become an award-winning airline in just a short few years.

“We recently joined an elite club of only two other airlines to be awarded a Five Star ranking for our high standards, excellent service and good quality by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry monitoring agency,” said Al Baker.

Skytrax has also ranked Qatar Airways’ cabin crew as the best in the Middle East for the second year running and fifth best in the world following a survey of more than two million passengers worldwide.

The Beijing flights are operated by state-of-the-art Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a two-class configuration of 24 seats in Business and 236 seats in Economy.

Beijing is one of Qatar Airways’ six new route launches this winter from Doha to further enhance the airline’s position as a truly international brand. Flights to London Gatwick have been inaugurated today (November 26), Seychelles comes on line on December 1, Yangon joins the network on January 8, 2005, and both Johannesburg and Cape Town are launched on January 16.

From the beginning of next summer’s flying programme in March 2005, five additional routes – Osaka, Melbourne, Athens, Tunis and Algiers – will join the rapidly developing worldwide network, further extending Qatar Airways’ reach to 64 destinations from Doha.

Al Baker added: “This route expansion programme reinforces our position as one of the fastest growing airlines in the world with new aircraft joining the fleet at a rate of almost one a month.”

Qatar Airways operates a modern all-Airbus fleet of 36 aircraft which will double in size over the next few years following a $5.1bn order for 34 additional Airbus jets.

The airline currently offers the latest inflight interactive entertainment system on board the Airbus A330. The Audio and Video On Demand system features 32 Hollywood movies and films from around the world and short programmes, together with a choice of 40 CDs, 16 audio channels and 12 interactive games such as Solitaire and Millionaire.

To celebrate the launch of the Beijing flights, members of Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club frequent flyer programme will be able to earn double Avios for the first full month of the new service.

Qatar Airways flies to Beijing three times a week. Flight QR898 leaves Doha at 2315 on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, arriving in Beijing at 1215 (next day) local time.

Return flight QR899 leaves Beijing at 2350 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, arriving in Doha at 0430 (next day) local time.