Qatar Airways celebrates launch of direct daily route to Dublin
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, landed in Dublin on Thursday to host a press conference celebrating the airline’s new direct service between Dublin and Doha. HE Al Baker was welcomed at the airport by Dublin Airport Chief Executive, Kevin Toland; Dublin Airport Managing Director, Mr. Vincent Harrison and Sheikh Salman bin Jassim Al-Thani from the Qatari embassy in London. HE Al Baker hosted a crowded press conference on Thursday at the InterContinental Dublin for Irish and international media from Australia and Qatar who were keen to hear the latest plans for the airline.
During the conference HE Al Baker confirmed that Qatar Airways is committed to bringing more visitors to Dublin, boosting tourism to the already popular Irish capital and its neighboring cities. The new route will also give the people of Ireland the opportunity to connect to more than 150 destinations on the airline’s global network via its hub in Doha, Hamad International Airport.
HE Al Baker, said: “Dublin has long been on our list of destinations to add to our route map, and I am proud that we are here today to celebrate this important milestone in the history of our airline. We are here to serve the people of Ireland with a world-class service connecting them to business and leisure destinations on our global network. “It is also our pleasure to promote Ireland as a tourism destination to our loyal passengers who have already shown their appetite for Dublin.” Dublin Airport Chief Executive, Kevin Toland, who joined the press conference in Dublin, said: “We want to express our warmest welcome to Qatar Airways and its new daily route between Dublin and Doha. We welcome tourists from Doha and beyond to enjoy Ireland’s traditions and lively culture.
“There are many great reasons to take a break in Dublin which is a wonderful, vibrant and exciting city. Visitors can explore the city’s exceptional museums, take a cycle around town on the city bikes, or take a walk on cobbled roads. A stunning countryside of mountains, lakes and quaint villages are a short trip away from Dublin for everyone to enjoy.” Qatar Airways, one of the fastest-growing airlines in the history of aviation, will continue to expand its global network in 2017 and 2018, giving Irish passengers and expats living in Dublin the opportunity to travel seamlessly to more than 150 destinations. An additional 26 new destinations will be launched in 2017 and 2018 including Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Canberra, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Mombasa, Kenya.
The new direct flights to Dublin will also provide Qatar Airways Cargo’s customers 80 tons of belly-hold capacity each week. Temperaturecontrolled products are the major exports out of Ireland and the cargo carrier is proficient in supporting the air logistics through its specialist solutions QR Pharma, for pharmaceuticals and QR Fresh, for perishables. Customers are offered a seamless cool chain transfer for their temperature-sensitive products via the state-of-the-art and fully automated hub in Doha. Its facility at Hamad International Airport is wholly compliant with both, IATA Chapter 17 standards and Good Distribution Practice (GDP). Qatar Airways has already made an impact in Ireland with its new service flying at almost full capacity in the last few weeks since its launch. The airline has also made its presence in the market felt with key sponsorships at exciting events around the city including the Dublin Horse Show and the Darley Irish Oaks Day at the Curragh Racetrack.