Fresh from introducing its very first routine service to Chiang Mai and on course to link to U-tapao next month, Qatar Airways will even more raise the Thai profile in its international network.
Al Baker: Here to remain in Chiang Mai
The Qatari flag provider will make its 5th Bangkok-Doha day-to-day flight, which is just in service in the winter season program (late Oct to March 30), a long-term year-round service beginning in the 2018 summertime strategy (April-October).
The provider will update its newly-launched Doha-Chiang Mai service, running on a seasonal basis from Dec 12, 2017 up until May 2018, to be year-round after that.
Qatar president Akbar Al Baker informed the Bangkok Post in Chiang Mai that the relocation highlights the airline company’s self-confidence in its Thailand-Qatar traffic outlook.
He likewise reconfirmed the inauguration of the airline company’s 5th non-stop path in between Thailand and Qatar, Doha-U-tapao, on Jan 28, 2018.
When asked if the airline company’s Doha-Chiang Mai service is sustainable provided seasonal need, Mr Al Baker stated the airline company will quickly look for to increase frequency on the path, now at 4 flights a week, to a day-to-day basis. There are even more prepares to go two times daily when need ends up being more powerful.
” Qatar is not going to stop (operating in Chiang Mai). We are here to remain and if there is a strong development we will release more frequencies,” he stated.
With Chiang Mai and U-tapao, Qatar will have more connections with Thailand than its Gulf competitors Emirates and Etihad Airways, both of which focus on serving Bangkok from their house bases in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
With the prepared ramp-up of frequencies detailed by Mr Al Baker, Qatar might lead the Gulf providers’ in seat capability offerings on the Thailand-Middle East connection.
On its Bangkok-Doha path, Qatar runs 4 kinds of widebody airplane: Airplane A380 superjumbo (one flight a day), Boeing 777-300ER (3 a day) and Boeing 787-8 or Airplane A340 (one a day).
Qatar’s Chiang Mai service raises the airline company’s overall weekly frequency to Thailand to 60 flights a week, flying 35 times a week to Bangkok, 14 times a week to Phuket and day-to-day service to Krabi.
The Qatar chief did not dismiss serving other locations in Thailand.
” If there are other chances with excellent traveler streams then we will consider it,” he stated, however decreased to call the prospective cities.
However he stated that blockage and slot restrictions at significant Thai airports like Suvarnabhumi must be kept in check to support Qatar’s growing footprint.
” I hope these airports are not too crowded to support our growth and feed more travelers from our network to Thailand,” he stated.
U-tapao near Pattaya will be the 27th location in the Far East served by Qatar, with 4 flights a week on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, 22 seats in service class and 232 seats in economy.
