According to the CEO of the company, Qatar Airways has cancelled flights to 18 locations in order to make room at Hamad International Airport for airlines transporting soccer fans to the World Cup beginning next month.
Qatar Airways reduces flights to make space for World Cup fans
The goal right now, according to Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker, is to handle the numerous flights that will be arriving in the nation for the competition. The games, which will draw nearly 1.2 million spectators, will take place in Qatar from November 20 to December 18. Qatar anticipates 500 shuttle flights each day in addition to hundreds more charter aircraft and private jets. Eight stadiums, all less than 40 kilometres from the centre of Doha, are used to host the games, which include contests from a total of 32 nations.
Akbar Al Baker, the airline’s chief executive, was questioned at a press conference if the World Cup was the reason for the airline’s current growth. He said, “Actually no, we don’t have any new destinations.” The opposite is true. Our aim is not Qatar Airways’ network but offering access to all participating countries and bringing in sizable numbers of people, thus we have lowered and withdrew from 18 routes in order to provide room at Hamad international airport for fans.
Along with Air France and KLM, he claimed that German carrier Lufthansa was thinking about starting up again. The competition is expected to draw hundreds of aircraft each day, according to Qatar Airways COO Badr Mohammad Al Meer. A significant number of supporters will also travel in just for the games and choose to stay in nearby Dubai.
The number of charter flights has not yet been finalised, but there will be 500 shuttle flights every day, he said.
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