HAMAD INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER THROUGHPUT RISES BY 20 PERCENT IN H1 OF 2016
(Posted 19th September 2016)
Just over half a year since launching Sydney, using a Boeing B777 on the route, has Qatar Airways decided to up the capacity by switching to an Airbus A380, as a result of sustained strong additional demand on the route.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said when making the announcement: ‘From the moment we inaugurated service to Sydney earlier this year, we have been welcomed with open arms. Customers flying to and from Sydney appreciate our global route network and our efficient flight schedules, which save them hours of time on the average itinerary. We are pleased to respond in kind, with the introduction of the A380 service to Sydney, offering 517 seats per flight. Qatar Airways brings travellers from Australia to more destinations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa than any other airline serving Australia today. Australia is one of the main hubs of the business world in Asia Pacific, with many passengers flying worldwide for business and leisure. What better way to serve travellers from this key destination than to introduce our iconic A380 to the country, starting with the nation’s biggest hub, Sydney‘. The Airbus A380’s cabin layout offers 8 seats in QR’s award winning First Class, 48 state of the art seats on the equally award winning Business Class and 461 seats in Economy Class on the world’s largest passenger aircraft. Notably can First Class and Business Class passengers enjoy a lounge facility on board where they can relax, chat with other passengers and enjoy snacks and food throughout the flight.
This comes against the backdrop of Qatar Airways’s hub airport in Doha, Hamad International, recording a rise in passenger numbers of 20 percent during the first six months of 2016 compared to the previous year. In real figures that represents 17.6 million passengers who enjoyed traveling from, to and through this award winning airport.
Aircraft movements at the same time rose by 17 percent with 118.069 landings and takeoffs while cargo handled rose by 20.3 percent.
The main five routes with significant increase in passengers were Dubai, Bahrain, London, Colombo and Bangkok.
Qatar Airways serves East Africa daily and with multiple daily flights, depending on route, through Entebbe, Kigali, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar but was notably denied traffic rights into Mombasa to the continued upset of the Kenya coast tourism fraternity.
