Qatar Airways makes Canada debut

Qatar Airways is set to make its debut in Canada with the launch of scheduled flights to Montreal on June 29.

The Doha-based airline will be the only Gulf carrier to serve Quebec’s capital city.

Qatar Airway’s will fly three times a week to Montreal on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays using the airline’s flagship Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft. The non-stop journey from Doha will take 13 hrs 20 minutes.

The destination marks Qatar Airways’ first foray into Canada following a series of bilateral negotiations in Doha last year, when the airline secured rights to fly passenger and cargo flights to the country.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “Yet again, we are announcing another new chapter in our remarkable short history with a move into Canada and a strengthening of our North American operations.

“It truly is a milestone to bring Canada and, in particular, Montreal, into the Qatar Airways’ family of international routes. The introduction of our Montreal service will provide a strong transportation link between Canada and Qatar and further facilitate the already strong economic ties between our countries.

“According to the government agency Export Development Canada, there are more than 1,500 Canadian companies doing business in the Gulf and Qatar, in particular, is one of Canada’s largest trading partners in the Middle East.
 

“With the oil and gas industry being a key connection that naturally aligns us, we hope that as soon as our thrice-weekly service is well-established and boosts the Qatari and Canadian economy to receive additional traffic rights for a daily operation to Montreal.

During a visit to Qatar last year, the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Peter Van Loan, revealed that the first Canadian Embassy in Qatar was expected to open in the capital Doha this summer.

Qatar is home to more than 3,000 Canadian citizens and two Canadian university satellite campuses, The College of the North Atlantic and the University of Calgary. Canadian nationals arriving in Qatar may enter the country without prior visa arrangements. 

UAE national carriers, Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways have also been fighting for more landing rights in Canada, but have been declined by Canada's transport agency despite years of request.

Earlier this year, the UAE implemented new visa rules for Canadians in response to a political row between the two countries over Canada's refusal to grant the extra landing rights.