Qatar Airways accelerates India push
Carrier will seek permission to set up new airline soon; plans 2 new routes to the UK
Qatar Airways Ltd may order 100 new jetliners before the end of this year to power its push into India and also plans to announce two new routes to the UK even as the country prepares to exit the European Union, chief executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said.
The carrier is confident that a new aviation policy mapped out by “futuristic” Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will permit 100 per cent foreign ownership of a domestic airline, Al Baker said on Monday in London.
Qatar Airways is briefing lawyers in India and will seek formally to establish the new airline Qatar Airways is targeting an Indian foothold after Etihad Airways of Abu Dhabi took a 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways India. Leading Asian carriers Singapore Airlines and AirAsia also have 49 per cent holdings in affiliates on the subcontinent, though no foreign operator has been able to acquire full control.
Al Baker sought to use the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) to secure a position in discount specialist Indigo during its initial public offering, but the fund failed to gain the required approvals in time. soon, with a tender for aircraft to follow. “It could be this year,” the CEO said after addressing the Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum. “It depends how fast we can arrange our application.”
Al Baker revealed last month that he planned to set up an Indian carrier with a fleet of 100 narrow-body jets, breaking into a fast-growing market where local rules previously prevented full ownership by foreign airlines. He said at the time that the Qatar Investment Authority could fund the venture, leaving Qatar Air to run it, though it’s not clear whether such an arrangement would avoid the curb.
Qatar Air’s expansion plans elsewhere include the addition of two new routes to Britain, the CEO said at the investment event. The carrier already offers 72 weekly services to the UK, where it serves London’s Heathrow hub as well as Manchester and Birmingham in England and Edinburgh in Scotland.