ASMARA FLIGHTS HALTED LEAVING FEW OPTIONS FOR ERITREANS TO TRAVEL OUT OF THE COUNTRY
(Posted 07th December 2016)
It is understood that Qatar Airways has suspended their flights from Doha to Asmara, the Eritrean capital city without citing specific reasons for the halt of services.
While leaving the option of a return open has a statement of the airline suggested the flight suspension was due to ‘operational reasons‘ which of course leaves the real reasons open to speculation.
Qatar Airways is one of the few international airlines which flew to Asmara, leaving less than a handful of others like FlyDubai, Turkish and Egypt Air connecting the Eritrean capital to the rest of the world.
Eritrea, a country with a huge tourism potential of beaches and historical sites combined, has struggled however to attract any meaningful number of tourists as a result of the country’s political course and growing isolation.
Qatar Airways’ country office in Asmara will remain open, according to information received, for the time being to assist travelers with confirmed bookings to either get a refund or else are helped with alternative travel arrangements, difficult as that may be.
Qatar Airways launched their twice a week service to Asmara only two years ago in December 2014 and was promptly embraced as the most fancied airline to travel with by Eritreans from among the international carriers flying to Eritrea.
