Qatar Airways facts for kids
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| Founded | November 22, 1993 |
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| Commenced operations | January 20, 1994 |
| Hubs | Hamad International Airport |
| Frequent-flyer program | Qatar Airways Privilege Club (Avios; formerly Qmiles) |
| Alliance | Oneworld |
| Subsidiaries |
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| Fleet size | 258 |
| Destinations | 198 |
| Parent company | Government of Qatar |
| Headquarters | Qatar Airways Towers, Doha, Qatar |
| Key people | Badr Mohammed Al Meer (CEO) |
| Revenue |  QR 76,274 million (March 2023) |
| Operating income | QR 11,860 million (March 2023) |
| Net income |  QR 4,406 million (March 2023) |
| Total assets | QR 151,857 million (March 2023) |
| Employees | 48,475 (March 2023) |
Qatar Airways is the main airline of Qatar, a country in the Middle East. It is owned by the Government of Qatar. The airline's main base is at Hamad International Airport in Doha. From there, Qatar Airways flies to over 170 places around the world.
The airline has a fleet of more than 200 aircraft. Over 43,000 people work for Qatar Airways Group. Since October 2013, Qatar Airways has been part of the Oneworld alliance, which is a group of airlines that work together. Their slogan since 2015 has been "Going Places Together."
Contents
History of Qatar Airways
How the Airline Started
Qatar used to be a part-owner of another airline called Gulf Air. But in May 2002, Qatar decided to leave Gulf Air. This allowed Qatar to focus completely on its own airline, Qatar Airways.
Early Days and Growth
The government of Qatar started Qatar Airways on November 22, 1993. Flights began on January 20, 1994. The first city Qatar Airways flew to was Amman in May 1994.
By April 1995, the airline had 75 employees and two Airbus A310 planes. They flew to cities like Abu Dhabi, Bangkok, Dubai, and Manila. In 1995, they bought two Boeing 747 planes. They also got a used Boeing 747SP in 1996.
In 1997, Qatar Airways started flying to London. They also added two Airbus A300 planes to their fleet. A new logo was introduced when these planes arrived. In 1998, the airline ordered six new Airbus A320 planes. They also leased four more Airbus A320s to replace their older Boeing 727 planes. The first leased A320 arrived in February 1999.
By April 2000, another Airbus A300 joined the fleet. In 2001, Qatar Airways ordered two Airbus A380 superjumbo planes. They also started flying to Jakarta again. In May 2002, Qatar officially left Gulf Air to focus on its own airline.
In June 2003, Qatar Airways was the first airline to restart international flights to Iraq, flying to Basra. They also added their first cargo plane, an Airbus A300-600R, which was changed into a freighter. At the Paris Air Show in June 2003, the airline ordered many new planes from Airbus, including Airbus A321s, Airbus A330s, and Airbus A340-600s. That year, they also started flying to Shanghai in China, and to cities like Manchester and Singapore.
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The Qatar Airways Group made its first profit in the financial year ending March 2004. They carried 3.35 million passengers that year. In July 2004, Zürich became their 53rd destination. They added Yangon in December and Osaka in March 2005. Their first A340 plane arrived on September 8, 2006.
In May 2007, Qatar Airways agreed to buy 80 Airbus A350 XWB planes. This deal was confirmed in June. They also ordered three more Airbus A380s. In November 2007, they confirmed an order for 30 Boeing 787-8 planes and 14 Boeing 777-300ERs, among others. The first Boeing 777-300ER arrived in late November 2007. New destinations in 2007 included Newark and Stockholm. In November 2008, flights to New York-JFK replaced the Newark route.
In February 2009, the first two Boeing 777-200LRs were delivered. In June 2009, Qatar Airways ordered 20 Airbus A320 and 4 Airbus A321 planes. On October 12, 2009, the company made history with the world's first commercial passenger flight using fuel made from natural gas. In 2009, Qatar Airways also started flying to Australia, with Melbourne as the first city.
In April 2010, flights to Tokyo-Narita began. On May 18, 2010, their first Boeing 777F (freighter) started service. Since 2010, the airline has added many new destinations, including Ankara, Barcelona, Brussels, Bucharest, and Budapest.
In September 2011, Qatar Airways received its 100th plane from Boeing. In November 2011, they ordered 55 Airbus planes at the Dubai Airshow.
In July 2012, Perth became the second city in Australia served by Qatar Airways. On October 8, 2012, Qatar Airways announced it would join the Oneworld alliance. They officially joined on October 29, 2013.
On November 12, 2012, Qatar Airways received its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner. It was the first Dreamliner delivered to an airline in the Middle East. This plane was first used for flights between Doha and Dubai. Dreamliner flights to London-Heathrow started on December 13, making Qatar Airways the first to use this plane for regular flights to the United Kingdom. In 2013, Qatar Airways started flights to Chicago and Ethiopia.
In February 2013, Qatar Airways opened a customer service center in Wrocław, Poland. In November 2013, Qatar Airways ordered 50 Boeing 777-9X planes. This deal was confirmed in July 2014 and was worth $18.9 billion. They also ordered four Boeing 777F cargo planes.
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In May 2014, Qatar Airways launched an all-business class flight to London-Heathrow using Airbus A319LR planes. Flights to Edinburgh also started in May 2014. The airline received its first Airbus A380 on September 16, 2014. A380 flights to London began in October 2014. Qatar Airways was also the first airline to use the Airbus A350 XWB. The first Airbus A350-900 was delivered on December 22, 2014, and its first flight was on January 15, 2015.
In January 2015, the airline ordered four more Boeing 777Fs. In June 2015, Qatar Airways ordered ten Boeing 777-8Xs and four more Boeing 777Fs. In August 2015, Qatar Airways changed its rules for cabin crew. They made it easier for employees to continue working if they became pregnant or married.
In January 2016, the airline received its first Boeing 747 cargo plane. In July 2016, the U.S. Department of State discussed claims that Qatar Airways received government help, but no action was taken. Qatar Airways denied these claims.
As of February 5, 2017, Qatar Airways had the longest regular commercial flight, between Doha and Auckland. In September 2017, Qatar Airways bought 49% of AQA Holding, which owns Meridiana airline.
In November 2018, the airline announced it would fly more often to Iran. In December 2018, the CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, said the company might leave the Oneworld alliance due to issues with other member airlines.
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On April 30, 2019, Qatar Airways stopped using its last Airbus A340-600 plane. This was done to have a newer fleet and because the Boeing 777 was more efficient.
In July 2023, the Australian Government limited Qatar Airways' plans to increase flights to Australian cities. This decision was supported by the Australian airline Qantas.
In October 2023, Qatar Airways announced they would work with Starlink to offer fast internet on their flights. In March 2024, Qatar Airways introduced "Sama 2.0," which is the world's first AI (Artificial Intelligence) cabin crew. This AI team helps passengers and creates personalized experiences.
Corporate Information
Business Trends
Here are some key facts about Qatar Airways' business over the years (ending March 31):
| Year | Revenue (QAR b) |
Net income (QAR b) |
Employees | Passengers flown (m) |
Cargo carried (000 tonnes) |
Fleet size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 35.6 | 1.6 | 39,369 | 35.6 | 954 | 190 |
| 2017 | 39.3 | 1.9 | 43,113 | 32.0 | 1,153 | 215 |
| 2018 | 42.2 | −0.25 | 45,633 | 29.1 | 1,359 | 233 |
| 2019 | 48.1 | −2.3 | 46,685 | 29.4 | 1,452 | 250 |
| 2020 | 51.1 | −7.0 | 50,110 | 32.3 | 1,493 | 258 |
| 2021 | 29.3 | −14.8 | 36,707 | 5.8 | 2,727 | 250 |
| 2022 | 52.3 | 5.6 | 41,026 | 18.5 | 3,000 | 257 |
| 2023 | 76.2 | 4.4 | 48,475 | 31.7 | 2,694 | 265 |
Leadership and Ownership
As of November 2023, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer is the CEO of Qatar Airways. He took over from Akbar Al Baker, who was the CEO for a long time, from November 1996 to November 2023.
The company is fully owned by the Qatari government. As of March 2023, the Qatar Airways Group had over 48,000 employees. Qatar Airways is also the largest shareholder in International Airlines Group (IAG), owning 25.1% of its shares as of February 2020.
Airline Divisions
Qatar Airways has several different parts, including:
- Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (which handles food for flights)
- Doha International Airport
- Qatar Airways Holidays (for vacation packages)
- United Media Int
- Qatar Duty Free (shops at the airport)
- Qatar Aviation Services (ground handling)
- Qatar Distribution Company
- Qatar Executive (private jet services)
Qatar Airways Cargo
Qatar Airways Cargo is the airline's part that carries goods and packages. It is the third largest international cargo airline in the world. They started dedicated cargo flights to Cairo International Airport in June 2009.
On August 18, 2010, the airline launched its first dedicated cargo service to the US, flying from Doha to Chicago-O'Hare. In March 2015, Qatar Airways Cargo started a new cargo service to Los Angeles. In December 2016, they announced new cargo flights to cities in the Americas like Buenos Aires, São Paulo, and Miami.
Qatar Executive
Qatar Executive is a special part of Qatar Airways that offers private jet services. Their planes have a white body with a smaller version of the airline's Oryx logo in burgundy and grey.
The Royal fleet of Qatar Amiri Flight also uses the Qatar Airways design, but they are separate from the airline.
Al Maha Airways (Cancelled Project)
Al Maha Airways was a planned airline that would have served the Saudi Arabian market. It had a similar design to Qatar Airways but used green instead of burgundy. This project was cancelled in February 2017 due to problems getting its license and the diplomatic situation at the time.
Airline Design (Livery)
The logo of Qatar Airways is an Arabian oryx, which is the national animal of Qatar. The planes are light grey with the word Qatar written in burgundy letters on the front. The word also appears in Arabic in a darker grey. The tail of the plane has a burgundy oryx on a grey background. This design was first shown in 2006.
Fuel Innovation
On October 12, 2009, a Qatar Airways Airbus A340-600 made the world's first commercial passenger flight using a special mix of jet fuel. This fuel was made from natural gas. The goal was to show that jet fuel could be made from sources other than oil, especially natural gas, which Qatar has a lot of.
Sponsorships and Partnerships
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Qatar Airways sponsors many different events and teams:
- Since August 2005, they have sponsored weather forecasts on Sky News.
- From 2013 to 2017, Qatar Airways was the main shirt sponsor for the football club FC Barcelona.
- In August 2016, they became an official international airline sponsor for Sydney Swans (an Australian football team).
- Since May 2017, Qatar Airways has been a FIFA Partner, sponsoring all FIFA tournaments until 2022, and this deal was extended to 2030.
- In May 2017, they became the "Official Airline Partner" for the FIA Formula E Championship races in Paris and New York City.
- In February 2018, Qatar Airways became a sleeve sponsor for FC Bayern Munich football club.
- In April 2018, they became the main shirt sponsor for AS Roma football club.
- In July 2018, they became the main shirt sponsor for Boca Juniors football club.
- In August 2018, Qatar Airways was a "prestige partner" and official airline sponsor for the 2018 Asian Games.
- In October 2018, they became the main sponsor for CONMEBOL club competitions in South America.
- In November 2019, Qatar Airways became the title sponsor of the Philippines Football League.
- In February 2020, Qatar Airways became a premium partner for Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (PSG). In 2022, they became the main shirt sponsor for PSG.
- In August 2020, Qatar Airways became the main shirt sponsor for Club Africain of Tunisia.
- In February 2021, Qatar Airways sponsored the UEFA Euro 2020 football tournament.
- In February 2021, Qatar Airways started its WeQare program to fly wild animals back to their natural homes.
- In July 2021, Qatar Airways became the sponsor for CONCACAF national team competitions.
- On August 24, 2022, they announced a sponsorship with the Egyptian football club Al Ahly SC.
- On February 22, 2023, Formula One announced a partnership with Qatar Airways, making them the Global Airline Partner.
- On March 3, 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team, signed Qatar Airways as its title sponsor.
- In June 2023, Qatar Airways became the official airline partner of United for Wildlife, a group that works to protect endangered species.
- On September 8, 2023, Alpine F1 Team announced a partnership with Qatar Airways.
- On November 13, 2023, Inter Milan announced a partnership with Qatar Airways.
Investments
In 2015, Qatar Airways bought 9.99% of the International Airlines Group (IAG). They have slowly increased their share and owned 25.1% of IAG's shares by February 2020.
In December 2019, Qatar Airways bought a 60% share in Rwanda's new international airport, Bugesera International Airport. In February 2020, Qatar Airways also bought a 49% share in RwandAir, Rwanda's main airline. This helps RwandAir grow and helps Qatar Airways with its flight plans.
Qatar Airways also owns a 10% share in the LATAM Airlines Group and a 9.99% share in Cathay Pacific. They are also minority owners in JSX.
Where Qatar Airways Flies
Qatar Airways flies to over 90 countries on all six continents where people live. This includes 13 places in India and 11 in the United States.
In 2012, Qatar Airways added 14 new destinations, such as Addis Ababa, Baghdad, Perth, and Warsaw.
On May 27, 2014, Qatar Airways moved all its operations to its new main airport, Hamad International Airport in Doha. This airport replaced Doha International Airport. As of December 2014, Qatar Airways flew to 146 places worldwide. New destinations included Dallas/Fort Worth, Tokyo (Haneda), and Edinburgh.
In June 2017, Qatar Airways flights were stopped from entering airports in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Egypt due to a diplomatic disagreement. This ban lasted until January 2021, when it was lifted.
On June 18, 2019, Qatar Airways launched its first flight from Doha to Davao, Philippines. In July 2019, they started flights to Mogadishu in Somalia. In August 2019, they added flights to Langkawi in Malaysia.
In September 2020, Qatar Airways stopped flights to Birmingham Airport and Cardiff Airport because fewer people were traveling due to COVID-19. Flights to Birmingham restarted in July 2023, but flights to Cardiff did not.
As of January 25, 2021, Qatar Airways flies to 120 destinations. They plan to expand to 130 routes by March 2021. On July 24, 2021, Qatar Airways restarted service to Cebu in the Philippines after eight years.
Qatar Airways has agreements with other airlines and train systems. This means they can sell tickets on each other's flights or trains. Here are some of their partners:
- Aer Lingus
- Air Canada
- Air Serbia
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- British Airways
- Cathay Pacific
- China Southern Airlines
- Deutsche Bahn (Railway)
- Finnair
- Garuda Indonesia
- Iberia
- Japan Airlines
- jetBlue
- LATAM Airlines Group
- Malaysia Airlines
- Oman Air
- Royal Jordanian
- RwandAir
- SNCF (Railway)
- SriLankan Airlines
- Virgin Australia
Aircraft Fleet
Qatar Airways uses both smaller (narrow-body) and larger (wide-body) planes. Their fleet includes:
In total, they have 258 aircraft.
Inside the Planes (Cabin Classes)
First Class
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First Class is only available on their A380 planes. These seats are very comfortable and can turn into a fully flat bed that is 90 inches (229 cm) long. Each seat has its own 26-inch (66 cm) TV screen. The seats are arranged so that there is one seat on each side and two in the middle (1-2-1 setup).
Business Class
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On their Airbus A380, A350, Boeing 777, and 787 planes, Business Class seats can become fully flat beds. They are arranged in a 1-2-1 setup, so everyone has direct access to the aisle. On other long and medium-haul planes, Business Class seats are in a 2-2-2 setup and can recline completely flat.
In March 2017, Qatar Airways introduced a new Business Class called "Qsuite." These new suites have doors and are arranged in a 1-2-1 setup. The middle seats can be turned into a "quad room" where four passengers can face each other. Some middle seats can even become a double bed, like a First Class product. Qsuite was first used on Boeing 777-300ER and A350 XWB planes flying from Doha to London Heathrow.
Economy Class
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Qatar Airways' Economy Class was named the best in the world in 2009 and 2010 by Skytrax Awards. Economy Class seats offer good legroom, up to 34 inches (86 cm). On Airbus A330 planes, passengers have individual TV screens. On Airbus A350, A380, Boeing 777, and 787 planes, passengers have touch-screen entertainment monitors.
Many of the Airbus A320 family planes also have individual seat-back TVs. Qatar Airways is upgrading more of its planes with these entertainment systems.
New Economy seats were introduced with the Boeing 787. These seats are arranged in a 3-3-3 setup. They are 16.9 inches (43 cm) wide and have 32 inches (81 cm) of pitch (space between seats). Each seat has a 10.6-inch (27 cm) LED screen for entertainment. Passengers can also use Wi-Fi and USB ports.
In-Flight Entertainment
Qatar Airways' entertainment system is called Oryx One. Most planes have personal screens on the seat backs. Some older Airbus A320 planes have main screens, but these are being updated. Qatar Airways also offers Wi-Fi on most of its planes, including all A380, A350, B777, B787, A319, and some A320, A321, and A330 aircraft.
Privilege Club (Loyalty Program)
Qatar Airways has a loyalty program called Privilege Club. Members can earn Avios miles when they fly with Qatar Airways or its Oneworld partner airlines. You can also transfer Avios miles from other airline programs like British Airways and Iberia. The Privilege Club has four levels: Burgundy, Silver, Gold, and Platinum, each offering more benefits.
Airport Lounges
In 2015, Qatar Airways opened the Al Safwa First Lounge for its First Class passengers at Doha.
The airline's first lounge outside Doha opened at London Heathrow Airport in January 2012. In April 2016, Qatar Airways opened a new Premium Lounge at Dubai International Airport. In January 2017, they opened another premium lounge at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. These lounges offer comfortable spaces for up to 200 passengers, with areas like terraces.
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See also
In Spanish: Qatar Airways para niños
- Transport in Qatar
