FLEXIBLE BOOKING MECHANISM CONTINUE AS QATAR AIRWAYS PREPARES FOR RELAUNCH OF BRISBANE FLIGHTS
(Posted 15th May 2020)
Unlimited date changes are allowed, and passengers can change their destination if it is within 5,000 miles of the original one
Tickets can be swapped for Qmiles, exchanged for a travel voucher valid for two years, or refunded to the original form of payment
Qatar Airways has extended its flexible booking policy to offer even greater choice and peace of mind to passengers when planning travel.
The airline will allow unlimited date changes, and passengers can change their destination as often as they need if it is within 5,000 miles of the original one. The airline will not charge any fare differences for travel completed before 31 December 2020, after which fare rules will apply. All tickets booked for travel up to 31 December 2020 will be valid for two years from the date of issuance.
Alternatively, Qatar Airways’ passengers can swap their ticket for Qmiles to use however they like, or exchange it for a travel voucher with 10% additional value, also valid for two years. Further options include refunding tickets to the original form of payment if the flights get cancelled, or in the form of a travel voucher. For full terms and conditions visit www.qatarairways.com/RelyOnUs.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Bakar, said: “We recognise that it can be difficult to plan travel with absolute certainly in the current climate. That is why we have extended our booking policies to offer even more choice to our passengers. We want to ensure that when they need to fly, they can travel with an airline they can trust. But if they need to change their plans, they can rely on us to make this easy for them.”
This enhanced policy is another demonstration of Qatar Airways’ position as an airline that passengers can trust. It follows the airline’s fulfilment of its mission to take over one million people home during the current COVID-19 pandemic, by maintaining 24/7 operations including the provision of 100 charter flights.
Qatar Airways recently announced that it has begun a phased approach to expanding its network in line with passenger demand evolution and the expected relaxation of entry restrictions around the world. It aims to rebuild its network to an initial 52 destinations by the end of May and 80 in June. The airline’s latest extensions to its flexible booking policy allows passengers to change their plans with ease as more destinations are reinstated.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.
The airline’s home and hub, Hamad International Airport, was recently ranked the “Third Best Airport in the World”, by the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2020, rising from fourth position in 2019. It was also named “Best Airport in the Middle East” for the sixth year in a row.
Meanwhile has the airline also confirmed the resumption of a three times a week service from Doha to Brisbane in Australia.
The flights will be operated by an Airbus A350-1000 offering 46 seats in Business Class and 281 seats in Economy Class with flights connecting through the airline’s state-of-the-art hub at Hamad International Airport, voted “Third Best Airport in the World” and “Best Airport in the Middle East” this week by Skytrax.
The airline is resuming services after previously receiving short-term approval to operate to Brisbane from late-March to early April. During this period Qatar Airways helped reunite over 5,000 stranded travellers with their loved ones and transported over 270 tonnes of cargo, including Australian agriculture exports.
By maintaining 24/7 operations throughout the crisis, including almost 200 charter flights, Qatar Airways’ has become the leading airline in taking people home, repatriating over one million people worldwide and in the process receiving widespread praise and thanks from passengers and governments, including Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “In these difficult times, customers are looking for an airline they can trust, our commitment and willingness to get people home continues to provide assurance. We have built a strong level of confidence with passengers, governments, trade partners, and airports as a reliable partner during this crisis and we intend to continue delivering on this mission. Qatar Airways received exceptional approval to operate short term services to Brisbane to repatriate the many tourists, students and diplomats who wanted to go back to their home countries. Our flights also provided Australians with an opportunity to come back home from various parts of the world including Europe, the Gulf and Middle East, Asia, and others. We successfully completed this task, but now there are more travelers wanting to get home. We know this is an anxious time for many stranded travellers around the world who want to be with their families and loved ones during this difficult time. With the resumption of these three-weekly flights, we are supporting critical passenger movements, and aiming to alleviate some of those anxieties.”
With the resumption of flights to Brisbane, Qatar Airways will operate 21 passenger flights per week to Australia:
· Three-weekly flights to Brisbane (Airbus A350-1000)
· Four-weekly flights to Perth (Airbus A350-1000)
· Daily flights to Melbourne (Airbus A350-1000)
· Daily flights to Sydney (Airbus A350-1000)
Qatar Airways continues to operate to 16 destinations in Europe, including London, Frankfurt, Paris and Amsterdam, with plans to add an additional seven European destinations by the end of June.
