Qatar Airways to launch direct flights to Gothenburg, Sweden

Qatar Airways has announced that it will launch direct five-times-a-week flights to Gothenburg in Sweden from December 12, making it the airline’s second Swedish gateway after Stockholm.

The flights to Gothenburg will be served with a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy, the Doha-based carrier has said in a statement.Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said, “It is with great pleasure that we announce the launch of direct services to Gothenburg, our second gateway into Sweden. Gothenburg is a charming city with much to offer both business and leisure travellers. "This new direct route demonstrates our commitment to expanding our presence in the Nordic countries, a highly important market for us, and to further connecting these destinations on our global network. We look forward to introducing travellers from around the world to this beautiful city.”Swedavia CEO Jonas Abrahamsson noted, "Sweden is the largest economy in Scandinavia, and at the moment it is also the strongest in Europe. New direct routes are an important contributing factor as they improve connectivity to markets that are crucial to the Swedish business community and attract capital and knowledge to the region. "This direct route is the result of successful co-operation where we, together with the region, have shown Qatar Airways the potential in the western Swedish market. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that Swedavia and western Sweden jointly welcome this large Middle East airline to Gothenburg Landvetter Airport.” othenburg, Sweden’s second largest city, is set to grow by almost a third by the end of 2035. It is an important industrial and business centre, with the largest port in the Nordic countries.Gothenburg also offers many scenic natural attractions for visitors to enjoy, from glistening lakes and granite cliffs to picturesque fishing villages. The city’s Bohuslan islands, stretching up the west coast, have been named 'one of the 10 great wilderness areas left in the world' and are renowned as a kayaking destination. Visitors can also visit Gothenburg’s Universeum, which offers a rainforest, a huge aquarium and a variety of exotic animals and plants all under one roof.Qatar Airways launched flights to Stockholm’s Arlanda Airport in 2007. The Stockholm-Doha route, which operates 14 flights per week, is also operated by a wide-body Dreamliner 787 with 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy.The airline currently serves the Nordic capital cities of Oslo, Norway; Copenhagen, Denmark; Stockholm, Sweden; and Helsinki, Finland, to and from Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Alongside Helsinki’s current Boeing 787 service, the cities of Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo are also served with a fleet of Dreamliner aircraft.The launch of cargo belly-hold flights out of Gothenburg will also provide a direct uplift for major exports to trade markets in Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia and New Zealand via the carrier’s state-of-the-art hub in Doha, the statement notes.Qatar Airways Cargo currently offers more than 870 tonnes of cargo capacity each week out of its Nordic destinations - Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm. As one of the region’s fastest growing cargo carriers, Qatar Airways Cargo serves its customers with a variety of specialist air freight solutions for all kinds of cargo, ensuring that their business needs are met.Qatar Airways recently revealed a host of upcoming new global destinations, including the announcement that it will be the first Gulf carrier to begin direct service to Luxembourg. Other new destinations to be launched by the airline include Tallinn, Estonia; Valletta, Malta; Langkawi, Malaysia and Da Nang, Vietnam.