Qatar Airways has announced seven new routes for 2012, including a route from Doha to Croatia's capital city of Zagreb.
The airline has announced its 2012 route expansion programme on Wednesday focusing on Australia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East with a raft of new destinations set to join the airline’s rapidly-growing global network.
Highlights include Croatia’s capital city of Zagreb, Perth in Western Australia, the Finnish capital Helsinki, Gassim in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and three East African cities – Zanzibar, Kigali and Mombasa, in Tanzania, Rwanda and Kenya, respectively.
Operating from the airline’s hub in Doha, all seven new routes will be launched over the next few months. They will join previously announced Baku and Tbilisi, the capital cities of Azerbaijan and Georgia, respectively, which are will become part of Qatar Airways’ family of routes from February 1.
Speaking at the Dubai Air Show on Wednesday, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker unveiled the new destinations, stressing the airline’s relentless expansion strategy was continuing with vigour.
“We are continuing what we started back in 1997 when Qatar Airways was launched with new routes and new aircraft being introduced at an unprecedented rate to further strengthen what is truly a global network airline,” said Al Baker.
“Our mission has been to operate to key business and leisure destinations around the world, but also to underserved markets where others dare not venture into. We take bold decisions to serve certain markets because we believe it makes strong business sense.
“Today’s announcement shows the confidence Qatar Airways has in such a diverse range of destinations. We look forward to offering even greater choice to the travelling public that they so deserve.”
In Europe, where the airline has launched seven routes this year, the addition of Helsinki and Zagreb will further strengthen its presence on the continent. Helsinki will become the fourth Nordic route served by Qatar Airways, with already successful operations in Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo.
Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, currently operates a modern fleet of 102 Airbus and Boeing aircraft to 109 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America from its Doha hub.