Qatar Airways has said it is the first international airline to resume flights to the Maldives, with the first daily service touching down at Velana International Airport yesterday morning, marked with a water cannon salute.
“With the airline’s network never falling below 30 destinations throughout this crisis, Qatar Airways continues to lead the recovery of international air travel,” the airline said.
By July-end, the airline’s network will expand to some 450 weekly flights to more than 70 destinations with the addition of flights to the following destinations:
July 15 – Male, Maldives (daily flights); July 16 – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (three weekly flights); July 18 – Djibouti (three weekly flights); July 23 – Antalya, Turkey (two weekly flights); Bodrum, Turkey (two weekly flights); July 25 – Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen, Turkey (three weekly flights increasing to daily from August 1); and July 29 – Helsinki (three weekly flights).
With the resumption of services to the Maldives and Antalya and Bodrum in Turkey commencing next week, Qatar Airways’ growing network includes a number of popular summer holiday destinations that are open to visitors now (subject to certain restrictions).
Travellers can enjoy the white sandy beaches of the Maldives, one of the most popular and exclusive destinations in the world, soon soak up the summer sun on the golden shores of Antalya, or visit the historical sites and attractions of Bodrum.
Also open to beach lovers are the Greek islands through the airline’s Athens gateway, with the airline increasing its frequency to the city from seven to 11 weekly flights today. They can also fly with Qatar Airways to visit the blue seas of Zanzibar in Tanzania or the relaxing Mediterranean coastline of Tunisia via Tunis.
For those seeking a city break, Qatar Airways is operating regular services to many cities, including Milan, Rome, and Venice in Italy; Ankara and Istanbul in Turkey; plus six cities in the US.
Qatar Airways is one of the few global airlines to have never stopped flying throughout this crisis and continues to utilise its full fleet of 30 Boeing 787 and 49 Airbus A350 aircraft.
The airline’s variety of modern fuel-efficient aircraft has meant it can continue flying by offering the right capacity in each market.
Due to Covid-19’s impact on travel demand, the airline has taken the decision to ground its fleet of Airbus A380s as it is not commercially or environmentally justifiable to operate such a large aircraft in the current market.
Qatar Airways’ onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew include the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) for cabin crew and a complimentary protective kit and disposable face shields for passengers. Business class passengers on aircraft equipped with Qsuite can enjoy the enhanced privacy this award-winning business seat provides, including sliding privacy partitions and the option to use a ‘Do Not Disturb (DND)’ indicator.
Qsuite is available on flights to more than 30 destinations including London, Paris and Frankfurt.
The first daily service touched down at Velana International Airport yesterday morning, marked with a water cannon salute.
