Singaporeans to enjoy more travel options with Qatar Airways' expansion of Singapore operations

Qatar Airways has announced plans to introduce a second daily service to Changi International Airport.

According to Qatar Airways, the Doha-based airline currently operates daily flights into Singapore using its flagship Boeing 777 aircraft with the services continuing on to the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

Additional non-stop services between Doha and Singapore will be phased in from May 1 when the airline adds three weekly flights to its schedule. Three further weekly flights will be introduced from October 1. An extra flight will operate to Singapore from November 3, taking frequency up to double daily.

The new services will vastly increase the travel choices for Singaporeans looking to explore exciting new destinations, as Qatar Airways’ entire European, Middle East, Africa, North and South America network will connect with Singapore via Doha International Airport.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the addition of a second daily flight to Singapore was a key component of the airline’s growth strategy for the Far East.

“Singapore has been one of our best-performing routes in the entire region for a long time, with load factors consistently in the high 90s. The addition of a second daily service will allow Qatar Airways to grow the passenger market for inbound and outbound travel to Singapore,” said Al Baker.

“In 2010, Singapore experienced a record year in terms of economic growth and number of visitors to the city state. Qatar Airways is preparing to capitalise on these positive developments, which ultimately will translate to better services for passengers across our network.

Qatar Airways now flies to over 98 destinations, including South America with its daily flights to Brazil’s largest city, Sao Paulo and Argentina’s capital city Buenos Aires proving to be highly popular with both Singapore businesses and holidaymakers travelling to the continent.

Within Europe, Qatar Airways will add Stuttgart to its global network on March 6, a key business destination for many Singapore air travellers. The airline’s direct services to one of the automobile capitals of the world will provide increased access to the global headquarters of Daimler, Porsche, BMW and Bosch for these German companies’ Asia Pacific offices based in Singapore.

In addition, the airline recently added the French Mediterranean city of Nice to its expanding network, complementing the double daily flights to Paris and strengthening the carrier’s presence in France. Qatar Airways is now the only five-star carrier flying to one of the world’s leading tourism hot spots on the charming French Riviera.

The recent launch of three flights in as many weeks to the Romanian capital Bucharest (January 17); the capital city of Budapest in Hungary (January 17) and Belgium’s capital Brussels (January 31) brings the number of routes in Europe to 24 in total.

The airline has also increased frequency and capacity on selected existing European routes to enhance its network on the continent and is now the only Gulf carrier flying to two Scandinavian cities with daily flights to both Copenhagen and Stockholm.

With the introduction of its flagship Boeing 777 on daily flights between Doha and Madrid, Qatar Airways expanded its flight capacity into Spain, and offers Singaporeans direct access to both Madrid and Barcelona.

And from June 15, Qatar Airways will introduce daily non-stop flights to its third destination in Italy, the beautiful and romantic city of Venice. Singaporeans with a passion for new discoveries in travels, cultures, adventure, shopping and culinary delights will be able to choose from a wide range of travel options that this award-winning airline now offers to the Singapore travel market.

By 2013, Qatar Airways plans to service more than 120 key business and leisure destinations worldwide with a modern fleet of over 120 aircraft. Today, the airline’s fleet of 94 aircraft serves 5 continents across Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa, Europe, North and South America.