DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, visited the Tuscan cities of Florence and Pisa this week in celebration of the airline’s recent expansion in Italy.
During his visit, H.E. Mr. Al Baker met with representatives from the Italian media and hosted a VIP dinner in the Tuscan capital Florence, at the exclusive St. Regis Hotel.
Qatar Airways recently launched direct flights between Pisa and Doha’s Hamad International Airport, complementing the airline’s existing three destinations: Rome, Milan and Venice.
H.E. Mr. Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways' growth in service to Italy represents the importance of the country in relation to our global route network, with business and leisure passengers alike requesting access to the popular destinations of Rome, Milan, Pisa and Venice.
“I am delighted to have had the opportunity to meet local business and community leaders during my visit to Tuscany and experience first-hand the attraction and charm of this wonderful area.”
Passenger demand for flights to and from Italy on Qatar Airways has increased greatly in the recent years. The addition of Pisa to Qatar Airways’ Italian network on 2 August comes less than 12 months after the airline significantly increased capacity from Rome, Milan and Venice. Rome and Milan both benefited from a 30 per cent increase in capacity in 2015 with the introduction of wide body aircraft on their double daily flights, and Venice increased its seat offering by 70 per cent with the introduction of an A330 aircraft the same year, replacing the A320 previously serving the daily route.
The award-winning airline is flying the Airbus A320 daily to Pisa, the airline’s fourth Italian destination, and has been flying to Milan since 2002, Rome since 2003, and Venice since 2011.
The airline now offers six daily frequencies to Italy: two to Milan and Rome and one each to Venice and Pisa. The new daily flight to Pisa will increase the airline’s weekly flights from Doha to Italy from 35 to 42.
The new gateway connects travellers from Tuscany to the Qatar Airways network, through its state-of-the-art hub in Doha, to more than 150 business and leisure destinations including Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
The A320 also provides businesses importing and exporting goods to and from Pisa with 11 tonnes of belly-hold cargo capacity per week.
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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.
For further information contact:
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