Qatar Airways grows ME footprint with Iraq flights

Qatar Airways said on Wednesday it had extended its Middle East footprint to Iraq with the launch of scheduled flights to the northern city of Erbil.

The Doha-based airline is operating four-flights-a-week non-stop on the route – the first of two new Iraqi services being launched within two weeks.

Effective June 7, Qatar Airways will start flights to the capital Baghdad, also operating four-times-a-week.

Erbil takes Qatar Airways’ global network to 115 destinations worldwide.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said: “Iraq has long been underserved due to the political and economic difficulties the country has faced over the years, but Iraq is undergoing reform, opening up to rapid infrastructure improvements and improved air access in an area for so long depleted by sufficient number of flights.

“With the changes taking place, there are a growing number of opportunities across the country prompting more international air travel. We look forward to making Erbil and our start-up to Baghdad next month a huge success.”

Fathi Al Shehab, Qatar Airways senior vice-president GCC, Levant, Iran, Iraq and Indian Sub continent, added: “Erbil is the latest route launch for Qatar Airways in a busy year that now sees the fifth destination added to the carrier’s global network since January.

“Greater air access facilitates movements to and from Iraq and will further promote business and trade. And of course by flying here, we help Iraqis all over the world get a step closer to their families and homes for short breaks or long holidays.”

Located 350km north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Erbil is the country’s third largest city and fastest growing with a population of over one million people.

Since the beginning of the year, Qatar Airways has launched flights to five destinations – Baku (Azerbaijan); Tbilisi (Georgia); Kigali (Rwanda); and Zagreb (Croatia).

Over the next few months, Qatar Airways launches services to destinations including Perth, Australia (July 3); Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (July 25) and Mombasa, Kenya (August 15).

Qatar Airways operates a fleet of 108 aircraft to 115 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.