Qatar Airways completes 2019 with remarkable achievements


Maldives
PUBLISHED January 04, 2020

Qatar Airways has celebrated a successful year of strong network expansion, new aircraft deliveries and unique achievement as the only airline to win the Skytrax Award for the Worlds Best Airline for the fifth time.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: "2019 was another year of great achievement for Qatar Airways. There have been many highlights during the last 12 months, in particular receiving the highly prized Best Airline in the World award from Skytrax at this years Paris Air Show. To have won the accolade for a record fifth time for my country and our airline was a truly special moment.

"Our many achievements in 2019 are proof of one immutable fact - that Qatar Airways will never deviate from our commitment to provide our millions of passengers with the very best onboard experience every time they travel with us. Our growth over the last 12 months, in the face of adversity, has been impressive and going forward we will look to continue to prosper.

"As 2019 comes to an end, on behalf of our management and staff, I give our passengers our absolute guarantee that we will strive to continue to deliver the very highest standards of quality and excellence in the industry. I look forward to another year of success in 2020."

Highlights of the airline throughout 2019 included:

A growing fleet: The airline continued its strategy of investing in the worlds most technologically advanced aircraft to drive its ambitious route network growth. Through the course of the year, 32 aircraft were delivered to its Doha headquarters, including its 250th, an Airbus A350-900 in March. By the close of the year, the total combined fleet size of passenger, cargo and Qatar Executive (QE) was 259.

In January, the airline announced that it had converted 10 of its Airbus A321neo order to the A321LR, a longer-range variant which will allow it to connect with new growing markets from Doha.

Route expansion and partnerships: Continuing its proud record of being one of the worlds fastest-growing airlines, Qatar Airways launched a range of new destinations in 2019, namely: Davao, Philippines; Gaborone, Botswana; Izmir, Turkey; Langkawi, Malaysia; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; Rabat, Morocco; and Valletta, Malta, increasing the carriers network to over 160 destinations.

The airline also added a host of new increased frequencies to dozens of destinations including Amman, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Kuwait, Larnaca, Manchester, Miami, Milan, Penang and Vienna. Such additions are designed to give more choice and flexibility for both business and leisure passengers as well as offering flexible cargo options.

In addition, the airline signed a number of new or extended codeshare agreements with world-class airline partners, including IndiGo Airlines, LATAM, China Southern, and SriLankan Airlines.

Continued investment: The portfolio and investment strategy of the Qatar Airways Group continued to progress and diversify in 2019. In January, the on-market purchase of certain A shares and H shares of China Southern Airlines Company Limited ("China Southern Airlines") resulted in an aggregate holding of approximately 5 per cent of the total issued share capital.

A busy summer saw the airline commit to significant new orders for Boeing aircraft, Gulfstream Executive Jets and GE Engines, celebrated with a signing ceremony at the White House in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar and U.S. President Donald Trump.

December heralded the announcement of an agreement with Republic of Rwanda to develop, invest and operate in a new international airport at a ceremony in Kigali, witnessed by His Highness Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and His Excellency Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda. The airline will own 60 per cent of the new airport with the remainder being held by the Government of the Republic of Rwanda.

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