DOHA– Qatar Airways (QR) aims to expand its network in Germany by adding service to more destinations. Unlike Emirates (EK), which faces restrictions limiting it to four German destinations, Qatar Airways (QR) operates under an Air Services Agreement that permits expansion.
The Doha-based airline currently serves Düsseldorf (DUS), Hamburg (HAM), Frankfurt (FRA), Berlin (BER), and Munich (MUC). Future expansion could include cities like Stuttgart (STR). This was according to Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori in a recent interview with Airliners.de.
Photo: Qatar AirwaysHistorical Connections Between Doha (DOH) and Germany
Germany and Qatar established diplomatic relations in 1973. The first direct flights between the nations began in the late 1990s. Qatar Airways (QR) launched its inaugural German service to Frankfurt (FRA) in 1998. It served as the airline’s European gateway for several years.
The relationship strengthened in 2005 when Qatar Airways (QR) expanded to Munich (MUC), followed by Berlin (BER) in 2008. German companies have maintained significant investment in Qatar’s development, particularly during infrastructure projects for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Lufthansa (LH) operated flights to Doha (DOH) between 1993 and 2017 before discontinuing the service due to competition from Gulf carriers. The aviation relationship has evolved from these early connections to Qatar Airways’ current extensive presence across multiple German cities.
Qatar Airways (QR) has now announced plans to add three more weekly flights to its Doha-Berlin service. This would be increasing the route frequency to 21 flights per week.
Photo: By Curimedia – Airbus A330-302 Qatar Airways A7-AEF, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26169258Qatar Airways Aircraft Delivery Challenges
Like many airlines, Qatar Airways faces expansion constraints due to delayed aircraft deliveries caused by supply chain challenges.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted the severity of these delays in a statement on social media platform X-
“By the end of 2024, the global order backlog had reached an unprecedented 17,000 aircraft. At current production levels it would take 13.5 years to clear the existing backlog.”
Photo: Qatar AirwaysQatar Airways Future Fleet Plans
Qatar Airways (QR) will begin receiving 50 narrow-body A321neo aircraft starting next year. Ten of these will be the long-range version. The Chief Commercial Officer indicated that this would be used to expand the German network.
Some travellers prefer Gulf-Europe flights operated by widebody aircraft. Qatar Airways would be using A321s to take less commercial risk when launching new routes compared to using larger 787 or A350 aircraft.
Airlines increasingly equip their narrow-body aircraft used for long-haul routes with fully flat seating in business class, maintaining premium service standards.
In Germany, as in the UK, Gulf airlines capitalize on national carriers’ focus on hub-based long-haul non-stop flights. This can fill gaps in direct connectivity to secondary markets through their Middle Eastern hubs.
Feature Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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