Four-times-weekly flights to Langkawi will be operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, expanding to five-times-weekly from 27 October 2019

Qatar Airways also operates services to Kuala Lumpur and Penang

DOHA, Qatar – To celebrate the launch of Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight to Langkawi, Malaysia, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, hosted a press conference today at the Ritz-Carlton in Langkawi.

The press conference was attended by Qatari Ambassador to Malaysia, His Excellency Mr. Fahad Mohammed Kafoud; Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Malaysia in Qatar, Mr. Mohamad Shahir Sabarudin; General Manager, Airline Marketing of Malaysia Airports, Mr. Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah; and Chief Executive Officer of Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Dr. Hezri Bin Adnan.

At the press conference, H.E. Mr. Al Baker highlighted the award-winning airline’s robust expansion plans, as well as its commitment to bringing more visitors to Malaysia and to connecting Langkawi to its extensive global network via the award-winning Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha.

H.E. Mr. Al Baker said: “We are very pleased to launch our new direct service to Langkawi, our third gateway into Malaysia. Langkawi is both an important tourist destination and a growing conference and exhibition centre which is becoming increasingly popular with international visitors. This new gateway will offer our Malaysian passengers even more convenience and enhanced connectivity to an extensive choice of destinations on our global route network. We invite all our global passengers to experience the ‘Jewel of Kedah’, and we look forward to welcoming you all on board.”

General Manager, Airline Marketing of Malaysia Airports, Mr. Mohamed Sallauddin Mat Sah, said: “We take immense pleasure in welcoming Qatar Airways to Langkawi International Airport (LGK) who has been our airline partner at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for the past 18 years. Early last year, Qatar Airways began flying direct to Penang International Airport from Doha. This new flight to LGK, which is an extended route via Penang, will definitely be a great addition to the international airlines operating at LGK. Being the first Middle Eastern carrier to operate at LGK, this long-haul flight will expand the tourism opportunities in Malaysia, particularly in Langkawi, The Jewel of Kedah. We look forward to creating many more memorable moments with Qatar Airways.”

Chief Executive Officer of Langkawi Development Authority (LADA), Dr. Hezri Bin Adnan said: “We are thrilled to welcome Qatar Airways’ direct flights to Langkawi, which will surely become a game changer to position Langkawi as one of the preferred tourist destinations in the world. It will definitely mark Langkawi as an important air connectivity hub to more than 160 international destinations world-wide. We look forward to offer an amazing, natural and luxurious experience for all visitors in Langkawi.”

Qatar Airways began direct services to Kuala Lumpur in 2001, and launched its Penang service in 2018. The airline currently provides more than 25 flights per week to Malaysia. In October 2001, Qatar Airways announced its codeshare agreement with Malaysian Airlines, and this was expanded in 2018.

Langkawi is fast becoming an internationally recognised tourist destination, seeing tremendous growth in its number of visitors, having grown almost 10% since 2013. The tropical paradise holds the status of UNESCO Global Geopark, one of only 64 in the world. It is also a Duty-Free-Zone, making it popular with shoppers, and provides various MICE (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) facilities.

As one of the world's leading international air cargo carriers, Qatar Airways Cargo already has a large presence in Malaysia, operating belly-hold flights to and from Kuala Lumpur that offer up to 300 tonnes per week with efficient connections to Europe, the Middle East and Africa via the carrier's state-of-the-art hub in Doha. Langkawi will also join Qatar Airways’ air freight network, with the carrier’s cargo arm offering up to 40 tonnes per week to and from Langkawi via Penang each week.

The new service to Langkawi, is part of the airline’s strong expansion plans in Southeast Asia and marks Qatar Airways’ third destination in Malaysia after Kuala Lumpur and Penang. Qatar Airways will initially start with four-times weekly Langkawi tag services via Penang with an increase up to five-times weekly services from 27 October 2019 on its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, featuring 22 seats in Business class and 232 seats in Economy class, with spacious cabins and specially-designed interiors.

Passengers travelling to Langkawi in Business Class can look forward to relaxing in one of the most comfortable, fully-lie flat beds as well as enjoy its five-star food and beverage service, which is served ‘dine-on-demand’, enabling passengers to order what they like, when they like. Passengers can also take advantage of the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, Oryx One, offering up to 4,000 entertainment options. 

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) to more than 160 destinations worldwide. 

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘Airline of the Year’ for the fifth time by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class,’ ‘Best Business Class Seat,’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’.

In addition to its service to Langkawi, Qatar Airways has launched a host of exciting new destinations in 2019, including Lisbon, Portugal; Malta; Rabat, Morocco; Davao, Philippines; Izmir, Turkey; and Mogadishu, Somalia; and will add Gaborone, Botswana to its extensive network in December 2019 with Luanda, Angola; and Osaka, Japan, following in 2020.

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