Qatar Airways continues to lead the recovery of international travel, operating the world’s first fully COVID-19 vaccinated flight on April 6. QR6421 departed Hamad International Airport at 11:00 AM carrying only vaccinated crew and passengers onboard, with passengers also to be served by fully vaccinated staff at check-in. The special flight, which returned to Doha at 14:00,  showcased all the measures the airline has put in place to ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene on board, including its latest innovation, the world’s first ‘Zero-Touch’ in-flight entertainment technology. The special service will be operated by the airline’s most technologically advanced and sustainable aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000, with the flight also fully carbon offset in line with the carrier’s environmental responsibilities.

Passengers on board were able to livestream the historic experience thanks to Qatar Airways’ industry leading Super WiFi onboard that combines the latest technology from Inmarsat, SITA for Aircraft and Thales.

To show its gratitude to those who have played key roles throughout the pandemic, Qatar Airways gave away 100,000 complimentary return tickets to healthcare workers and 21,000 to teachers around the world in 2020.

Qatar Airways has become the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. This follows HIA’s recent success as the first and only airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These recognitions provide assurance to passengers across the world that airline health and safety standards are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented onboard and in HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety.

Qatar Airways is the first airline in the Middle East to begin trials of the innovative new IATA Travel Pass ‘Digital Passport’ mobile app. IATA Travel Pass ensures passengers receive up-to-date information on COVID-19 health regulations at their destination country, as well as complying with strict global data privacy regulations to enable the sharing of COVID-19 test results with airlines to verify they are eligible to undertake their journey.

Qatar Airways has announced its summer schedule, maintaining its position as the leading international carrier providing reliable global connectivity. Having never stopped flying throughout the pandemic the airline has worked diligently to be the world’s leading airline for safety, innovation and customer experience. By the peak of the IATA Summer Season, the national carrier of the State of Qatar plans to operate over 1,200 weekly flights to more than 140 destinations.

Qatar Airways continues to expand its network of destinations, offering more flights to international destinations than any other airline. By the middle of summer 2021, Qatar Airways’ plans to rebuild its network to more than 140 destinations including 23 in Africa, 14 in the Americas, 43 in Asia-Pacific, 43 in Europe and 19 in Middle East. Many cities will be served with a strong schedule with daily or more frequencies.

Qatar Airways destinations operating by the peak of IATA Summer Season 2021*:

Africa

Abuja(ABV),Accra (ACC), Addis Ababa (ADD), Alexandria (HBE), Algiers (ALG), Cairo(CAI), Cape Town (CPT), Casablanca (CMN), Dar Es Salaam (DAR), Djibouti (JIB), Durban (DUR), Entebbe (EBB), Johannesburg (JNB), Kigali (KGL), Kilimanjaro (JRO), Lagos (LOS), Luanda (LAD), Maputo (MPM),  Mogadishu (MGQ), Nairobi (NBO), Seychelles (SEZ), Tunis (TUN), Zanzibar (ZNZ)

Americas

Atlanta (ATL), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Dallas (DFW), Houston (IAH), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami(MIA), Montreal (YUL), New York (JFK), Philadelphia (PHL), San Francisco (SFO), Sao Paulo (GRU), Seattle(SEA), Washington D.C. (IAD)

Asia-Pacific

Adelaide (ADL), Ahmedabad (AMD), Amritsar (ATQ), Auckland (AKL), Bali (DPS), Bangalore (BLR), Bangkok (BKK), Brisbane (BNE), Calicut (CCJ), Cebu (CEB), Chennai (MAA), Clark (CRK), Colombo (CMB), Dhaka (DAC), Goa (GOI), Guangzhou (CAN), Hangzhou (HGH), Hanoi (HAN), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), Hong Kong (HKG),  Hyderabad (HYD), Islamabad (ISB), Jakarta (CGK), Karachi (KHI), Kathmandu (KTM), Kochi (COK), Kolkata (CCU), Kuala Lumpur (KUL), Lahore (LHE), Male (MLE), Manila (MNL), Melbourne (MEL), Mumbai (BOM), New Delhi (DEL), Perth (PER), Peshawar (PEW), Phuket (HKT), Seoul (ICN), Singapore (SIN), Sialkot (SKT), Sydney (SYD), Tokyo Narita (NRT), Trivandrum (TRV)

Europe

Adana (ADA), Amsterdam (AMS), Antalya(AYT), Ankara (ESB), Athens (ATH), Baku (GYD), Barcelona (BCN), Belgrade (BEG), Berlin (BER), Bodrum (BJV), Brussels (BRU), Bucharest (OTP), Budapest (BUD), Copenhagen (CPH), Dublin (DUB), Edinburgh (EDI), Frankfurt (FRA), Helsinki (HEL), Istanbul (IST), Istanbul Sabiha (SAW), Izmir (ADB), Kiev (KBP), Larnaca (LCA), London (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW), Madrid (MAD), Manchester (MAN), Milan (MXP), Moscow (DME), Munich (MUC), Mykonos (JMK),  Oslo (OSL), Paris (CDG), Prague (PRG), Rome (FCO), Sofia (SOF),  Stockholm (ARN), Tbilisi (TBS), Vienna (VIE), Warsaw (WAW), Yerevan (EVN), Zagreb (ZAG), Zurich (ZRH)

Middle East

Abu Dhabi (AUH), Amman (AMM), Baghdad (BGW), Basra (BSR), Beirut (BEY), Dammam (DMM), Dubai (DXB), Erbil (EBL), Isfahan (IFN), Jeddah (JED), Kuwait (KWI), Mashhad (MHD), Muscat (MCT), Najaf (NJF), Riyadh (RUH), Salalah (SLL), Shiraz (SYZ), Sulaymaniyah (ISU), Tehran (IKA)

*Subject to regulatory approval

Qatar Airways is proud to announce that it will join The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) as partner of the UEFA EURO 2020™, with the national carrier of the State of Qatar set to be the Official Airline of the tournament taking place from 11 June – 11 July 2021.

The 16^th edition of the flagship UEFA Championship will see the 24-team tournament celebrated across 12 host cities including Amsterdam, Baku, Bilbao, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Glasgow, London, Munich, Rome and St. Petersburg. Wembley Stadium will be set to host the final in London on 11 July, 2021. Qatar Airways will serve all the host cities either directly or through airline partners.  Additionally, the Qatar Airways brand will feature prominently across all digital platforms and stadiums set to host the 51 matches during the course of the summer tournament.

The sponsorship of the UEFA EURO 2020™ strengthens Qatar Airways’ presence in the world of sport; with the likes of FIFA, CONMEBOL, Paris Saint-Germain, AS Roma, Boca Juniors, FC Bayern München, K.A.S. Eupen and Al Sadd SC well placed in the carrier’s global football sponsorship portfolio, further representing its alignment with the national vision of Qatar.

Qatar Airways has announced it will soon become the first global airline to offer passengers 100 percent Zero-Touch technology for its award-winning Oryx One in-flight entertainment system across the A350 fleet as part of the airline’s latest COVID-19 safety measures.

The Zero-Touch technology, introduced in partnership with the Thales AVANT IFE system, will enable A350 passengers to pair their personal electronic devices (PEDs) with their seat-back IFE screen by connecting to ‘Oryxcomms’ Wi-Fi and simply scanning a QR code displayed on the screen. They can then use their PEDs to navigate and enjoy more than 4,000 options on offer through the airline’s award-winning Oryx One in-flight entertainment system, limiting the frequency of on board surface contact and providing greater peace of mind throughout the duration of their journey.

Qatar Airways is also set to become the first airline in Europe and the Middle East and North Africa region to offer passengers in Business and Economy the option to pair their personal Bluetooth headphones with the on-board seatback IFE system in all cabins on the Boeing 787-9 fleet.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “As an industry leader in the fight against COVID-19 and the first global airline to recently achieve a 5-Star rating in the coveted Skytrax Airline Safety Rating, Qatar Airways is committed to ensuring the highest standards of safety and hygiene on board its aircraft at all times.

“The introduction of the state-of-the-art Zero-Touch technology, and enabling passengers to use their personal Bluetooth headset on board is an important step in taking our already rigorous and stringent COVID-19 precautions to another level, limiting passenger surface contact and preventing any possible spread of infection on board.

“We hope it provides yet further assurance of the safety of air travel, as well as offering passengers on board increased confidence that they are enjoying the most consistently advanced customer experience available in the sky.”

Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 4,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.

Qatar Airways is proud to be the Official Airline Partner of the FIFA Club World Cup™, hosted in Qatar for the second year running, where the clash of the world’s continental club champions will take place between February 4 – 11, 2021.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament will be organized according to FIFA’s required safety guidelines to uphold the health and safety of all involved in the competition. Education City Stadium and Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium are all set to host the respective matches, with the likes of Ulsan Hyundai (AFC), Al Ahly (CAF), Tigres (CONCACAF) Palmeiras (CONMEBOL), FC Bayern München (UEFA) and host league champions Al Duhail SC (QSL), all set to compete for the most prestigious honor in global club football. In order to ensure a safe and seamless travel experience, the Hamad International Airport team are providing a bespoke operational plan for the teams’ arrivals and departure.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “As we gain momentum towards FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, we are delighted to be involved as the Official Airline that brings together the top clubs from every continent, where Qatar will once again be the stage for the FIFA Club World Cup Qatar 2020™. As the national carrier of the State of Qatar, we look forward to welcoming world-class football teams who will unite fans watching from around the world.”

The draw for the tournament took place at FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich, mapping out the tournament schedule, which kicks-off at the Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on February 4.

In addition to being the Official Airline Partner of FIFA, the Qatar Airways football family of top global clubs includes Al Sadd SC, AS Roma, Boca Juniors, FC Bayern München, K.A.S. Eupen and Paris Saint-Germain. Fans can pick up the latest football strips of European champions FC Bayern München, when transiting through HIA at the only standalone FC Bayern Fan-Shop in the Middle East. The national carrier of the State of Qatar has key partnerships with several other high-profile sport events and organizations.

In November 2020, Qatar Airways unveiled a specially branded Boeing 777 aircraft painted in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ livery, to mark two years to go until the tournament kicks off on 21 November 2022. The bespoke aircraft, which features distinctive FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ branding was hand-painted to commemorate the airline’s partnership with FIFA. More aircraft in the Qatar Airways fleet will feature the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ livery and will visit several destinations in the network.

Qatar Airways currently operates more than 800 weekly flights to over 120 destinations across the globe. By the end of March 2021, Qatar Airways plans to rebuild its network to over 130 destinations with many cities to be served with a strong schedule of daily or more frequencies.

Qatar Airways released this statement and video:

The world’s leading cargo carrier commits to fly wild animals back to where they belong, at no cost. Chapter 2 is part of WeQare, the carrier’s sustainability program.

Qatar Airways Cargo announces Chapter 2 of its sustainability program WeQare: Rewild the Planet. The cargo carrier is committed to preserving wildlife and endangered animals and has pledged to transport these animals back to their natural habitat free of charge.

Guillaume Halleux, Qatar Airways Chief Officer Cargo said, “We are concerned about the legacy we leave for the future generation. As the world’s leading cargo carrier, we strongly believe in giving back to the community and protecting our environment. We all know that animals have an important role to play in preserving ecological balance which in turn ensures existence and stability of the environment. Through Chapter 2 – Rewild the Planet, we want to encourage this preservation and that is why we are offering free transport to bring wild animals back to where they belong.”

The airline has released a series of striking advertisements and a special video to commemorate the announcement and importance of Chapter 2. Through them, Qatar Airways Cargo aims to raise awareness of such issues among its customers and air cargo stakeholders.

All the chapters of WeQare are based on the core pillars of sustainability – environment, society, economy and culture and the program has the backing and support of the employees of Qatar Airways Cargo.

The cargo carrier believes that such positive actions will have a ripple effect and inspire people to put sustainability on top of their agenda. Qatar Airways Cargo will launch more chapters in the coming months, all of which are directly linked to the everyday activities of the carrier. Through such innovative programs, Qatar Airways Cargo is leading the way for a more sustainable and socially responsible air cargo industry and playing an active role in building tomorrow’s world.

As an inaugural signatory to the Buckingham Palace Declaration in March 2016 and a founding member of the United for Wildlife Transport Taskforce, Qatar Airways has a zero tolerance policy towards the illegal trade of endangered wildlife. The cargo carrier’s initiative to bringing wildlife back to their natural habitat is consistent with the airline’s commitment to fight wildlife trafficking and illegal trade of wild animals.

Qatar Airways made this announcement:

Qatar Airways on January 18, 2021 resumed flights to Cairo in the Arab Republic of Egypt with a daily service. QR1301 departed Hamad International Airport to Cairo International Airport at 15:15 local time and landed at its destination at 17:40 local time. The flight was operated by Qatar Airways’ state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Later this month, Qatar Airways will resume flights to Alexandria on Monday 25 January (QR1317 will depart from DOH at 15:15 and will land at HBE at 17:50).

Qatar Airways on January 11, 2021 resumed flights to Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a daily service. QR1164 from Hamad International Airport to King Khalid International Airport took off in Doha at 13:45 local time and landed safely at its destination at 15:10. The flight was operated by Qatar Airways’ Airbus A350-1000.

Later this week, Qatar Airways will resume flights to Jeddah on Friday, January 15 (QR1188 departing DOH at 18:50) and to Dammam on Saturday, January 16 (QR 1150 departing Doha at 17:10).

All Qatar Airways flights to KSA will be operated exclusively by wide body aircraft including the Boeing 777-300, Boeing 787-8 and Airbus A350.

The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 110 destinations with plans to increase to over 125 by the end of March 2021.