Japan Airlines (JAL) has commenced daily operations to and from Qatar, linking Tokyo Haneda Airport with Doha’s Hamad International Airport (HIA), in the first-ever direct flight to the Middle East by a Japanese airline.The inaugural flight was operated on March 31 by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft with a capacity of 203 seats. On the historic partnership, Sujata Suri, senior vice-president (Finance and Procurement) at HIA, said: "We are thrilled to welcome Japan Airlines to the Middle East through its renowned hub in Doha. The launch of Japan Airlines’ daily flights from Tokyo Haneda to Hamad International Airport is a landmark achievement and a testament to the flourishing partnership between both Qatar and Japan."Combining Japan Airlines’ latest launch with Qatar Airways’ recent resumption to Osaka, is projected to result in a 50% increase in weekly flight frequency between Qatar and Japan, which underscores Hamad International Airport’s commitment to advancing global travel and enhancing passenger experiences”."Our new Doha service perfectly complements JAL’s global network and enables customers to seamlessly connect to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and South America through our partnership with Qatar Airways, a member of the same oneworld alliance as JAL,” said Ross Leggett, JAL managing executive officer and Route Marketing senior vice president."The demand for business and leisure travel from Doha to Asia continues to grow, and we are excited to offer JAL’s renowned five-star service and unique approach to hospitality to even more travellers,” Leggett added.Qatar Airways chief commercial officer, Thierry Antinori said: "We are very pleased to welcome our oneworld partner Japan Airlines to Doha and look forward to further building our successful relationship for the worldwide customers flying from and to Japan and North Asia.” The inclusion of JAL as the 10th oneworld airline at HIA further solidifies the airport’s status as a crucial oneworld hub – promising world-class services and connectivity to over 190 passenger destinations.
April 02, 2024 | 12:31 AM