Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. operating as Qatar Airways, is the state-owned flag carrier of Qatar.
Headquartered in the Qatar Airways Tower in Doha, the airline operates a hub-and-spoke network, flying to over 130 international destinations across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania from its base at Hamad International Airport, using a fleet of more than 200 aircraft.
Qatar Airways was established on November 22, 1993; operations started on January 20, 1994. Amman was first served in May 1994.
The Qatar Airways Group —which included Qatar Airways, Doha International Airport and corporate business air services, ground handling and in-flight catering companies— reported its first profit ever for the fiscal year (FY) that ended on March 2004.
As of May 2014, the company is fully owned by the Qatari government. Qatar Airways has been fully controlled by the government since July 2013, following the buyout of a 50% stake from a former foreign minister and other shareholders.
As of June 2017 the Qatar Airways’ CEO is Akbar Al Baker, who has been serving in this position since November 1996. Baker is also a member of the Heathrow Airport board.
At March 2019, the Qatar Airways Group employed more than 45,000 people, of whom 32,000 worked directly for the airline.
Qatar Airways is as of February 2020 the largest shareholder in International Airlines Group (IAG) with 25.1% of the shares.
In December 2019, Qatar Airways purchased a 60% stake in Rwanda’s new $1.3 billion international airport, Bugesera International Airport. In February 2020, Qatar Airways acquired a 49% stake in Rwanda’s flag carrier airline, RwandAir. Qatar Airways also invests a 10% stake in the LATAM Airlines Group. They also own a 9.99% stake in Cathay Pacific. Qatar Airways and jetBlue are minority shareholders in JSX, an US Jet service provider.
Qatar Airways has many divisions including: Qatar Aircraft Catering Company, Doha International Airport, Qatar Airways Holidays, United Media International, Qatar Duty Free, Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Distribution Company, and Qatar Executive, a jet service provider.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the airline’s freight branch, is the world’s third largest international cargo carrier.
Qatar Airways has an oryx, the national animal of the State of Qatar, as its logo. The aircraft decor includes the word Qatar appearing in burgundy-coloured letters on a light grey background at both sides of the forward part of the fuselage with the word Al Qataria in Arabic titles appearing close to it in a darker grey and a smaller typeface. A burgundy oryx in a grey background adorns the tailfin. The airline unveiled this branding in 2006.
An all-business class flight to London-Heathrow was launched in May 2014 with Airbus A319LR aircraft.
As of today, Qatar Airways’ network spreads over 130 destinations after the settlement of Qatar’s airspace dispute with neighboring Gulf countries.
As of January 2022, Qatar Airways has around 200 aircrafts, consisting of Airbus A320, Airbus A321, Airbus A330, Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 777X, Boeing 787.
Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system is called Oryx One. Qatar Airways also offers Onboard Connectivity Wi-Fi, which allows passengers to send SMS and MMS, access email, and browse the internet. This service is available on all A380, A350, B777, B787, A319, and select A320, A321, and A330 aircraft.
After full operations commenced at its new hub, Doha in 2014, the Al Mourjan Business Lounge for Qatar Airways’ premium passengers opened in July 2014. Access to the Al Mourjan Business Lounge is for Qatar Airways and Oneworld first and business class passengers only.
In 2015 Qatar Airways opened the Al Safwa First Lounge for its first class passengers.The airline’s first lounge outside Doha opened at London Heathrow’s Terminal 4 in January 2012 and Qatar Airways opened its new Premium Lounge at Dubai-International’s Concourse D in April 2016. In January 2017, Qatar Airways opened its new premium lounge within Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle Airport, France.
Qatar Airways has earned many awards and accolades, becoming one of an elite group of airlines worldwide to have earned a 5-star rating by Skytrax. Voted Airline of the Year by Skytrax in 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 and most recently in 2022.
