Qatar Airways cuts flights from 18 destinations to make way for FIFA 2022 World Cup: CEO

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al-Baker has announced the carrier has withdrawn flights from 18 destinations to make way for airlines bringing fans to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup set to take place next month. 

 

Al-Baker stated the priority was now to accommodate the hundreds of flights that will touch down at Hamad International Airport (HIA) for the sporting mega-event.

 

"Actually no, we don't have any new destinations," the CEO said during a news conference following questions on whether Qatar Airways was now growing due to the World Cup.

 

"Quite the contrary. We have reduced and withdrawn from 18 destinations in order to make space at Hamad international airport to bring fans. Our priority is not Qatar Airways' network but giving access to all countries participating and bringing in large numbers of passengers," added Al-Baker. 

Qatar will be expecting to receive approximately 1.2 million visitors via almost 500 shuttle flights daily alongside hundreds more charter flights and private flights.

 

"For shuttle flights, there will be 500 a day, for charter flights the list has not yet been finalised," said COO of HIA Badr Mohammad Al Meer.

 

From Gulf airlines alone, more than 160 daily shuttle flights to Qatar will be operated during the tournament. This is set to help fans travel to and from nearby cities every day, without the need to book accommodations in Qatar.

 

Flydubai is set to operate up to 60 daily round-trip flights carrying up to 2,500 fans. Saudi Arabia will operate up to 40 daily flights, and Kuwait Airways will operate up to 20 flights per day, according to Qatar Airways.

 

Al-Baker said German airline Lufthansa was considering restarting operations alongside Air France and the Netherlands' KLM.

 

Qatar Airways had previously announced that it would boost its workforce by 10,000 to handle the influx of passengers flying into Doha.