Salman Siddiqui
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Qatar Airways’ first-ever aircraft decorated in the oneworld alliance livery was unveiled at a mega event held at the Hamad International Airport yesterday.
HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani attended the ceremony in which he officially inaugurated Qatar Airways’ joining of the coveted alliance.
Apart from the Prime Minister, high-ranking officials, including Minister of Energy and Industry HE Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, Minister of Finance and Qatar Airways chairman HE Ali Shareef al-Emadi, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces HE Air Vice Marshal Ghanim bin Shaheen al-Ghanim and US ambassador Susan Ziadeh, were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar al-Baker said the airline marked yet another major milestone in its short history by becoming a member of the alliance.
“I remember 16 years ago, when I was called to the office of HH the Father Emir to hand over the reins of Qatar Airways to me, I asked him a very simple question (about) what he expected from me. I got a very simple answer, but the most difficult one. That he wants the airline to be the best in the world. And we achieved it, I’m very proud to say,” al-Baker said as the audience erupted in a round of applause.
The CEO revealed that the oneworld livery would from now on be displayed on Qatar Airways aircraft.
“It’s a requirement of oneworld that all member airlines paint a certain number of aircraft in the standard alliance livery… .Within the coming weeks, four of our aircraft will support the full oneworld livery. We will be updating our signs at every airport throughout our network to include the oneworld branding… All 130 aircraft will carry the oneworld logo by their main passenger aircraft door. Six will be decorated like this 777 Boeing. They will serve as high-flying billboards to spread the word that Qatar Airways is now part of oneworld,” he said.
Qatar Airways adds 21 new cities to oneworld, bringing the alliance’s number of destinations to more than 900.
Qatar Airways is the second Middle Eastern carrier - after Royal Jordanian - to join the oneworld alliance founded in 1998 by American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qantas.
