New Flights to Qatar Launched

EghtesadOnline: Iran’s flag carrier airline has launched a new flight from Persian Gulf International Airport in Asaluyeh, Bushehr Province, to Doha International Airport in Qatar, according to Abolqasem Jalali, an official with Iran Air.

News ID: ۷۴۹۶۷۶

12 February 2020

Using ATR aircrafts, the flight is operated on Sundays every week leaving Doha at 5 p.m. local time for Asaluyeh. The return flight is operated on the same day, leaving Persian Gulf International Airport at 7:40 p.m. local time for Doha International Airport, the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development's news service reported.

The new route was operated for the first time on Feb. 9, according to Financial Tribune.

In addition, the flag carrier launched a new flight between Bandar Abbas and Doha on Feb. 6. This flight is operated on Sundays and Thursdays every week. On Sundays, the flight leaves Bandar Abbas International Airport at 2:30 p.m. local time for Doha International Airport, while the return flight will be operated at 7:30 a.m. on Thursdays, the Ministry of Roads and Urban Development's news service reported.

A flight from Lamerd Int’l Airport to Doha Int’l Airport has also been launched. This flight is operated on Thursdays every week, leaving Doha at 10 a.m. local time and landing in Lamerd at 12 p.m. local time. The return flight is operated the same day at 12:45 p.m. leaving Lamerd for Doha.

According to Jalali, Iran Air currently operates flights from Bandar Abbas Int’l Airport to airports in Yazd, Shiraz, Asaluyeh, Isfahan, Chabahar and Kish, as well as to Dubai and Doha.

What’s more, the airliner operates flights from Bushehr Airport to airports in Isfahan and Shiraz; and from Lamerd Airport in Fars Province to airports in Shiraz and Doha.

Iran and Qatar have forged stronger economic ties in recent years and expanded flights between the two sides.

Qatar Airways was among the airlines that did not stop using Iranian airspace after the crash of a Ukrainian airliner in Iran, which Tehran later announced was shot down by mistake.

Weeks after the United States imposed unilateral sanctions against Iran last year, Qatar Airways announced plans to expand operations in Iran.

Qatar Airways started a direct flight between Doha and Isfahan on Feb. 4, 2019.

The state-owned flag carrier of Qatar now operates two flights a week on Mondays and Fridays using an Airbus A320 from Doha international Airport to Isfahan International Airport.

Qatar Airways is among the top 10 airlines and is capable of connecting Isfahan airport to 160 international destinations. Isfahan's Shahid Beheshti Airport is the fourth Iranian airport hosting planes from the Qatari flagship airliner.

In fact, Qatar Airways' new route to Isfahan comes on top of the airline's other destinations in Iran, namely Tehran, Shiraz and Mashhad.

The new service features 12 seats in Business Class and 132 seats in Economy Class.

Qatar Airways has flights to Europe, North and South America, Central Asia, Far East, Oceania and Africa.

Isfahan International Airport currently has flights to Najaf, Baghdad, Iraq, Kuwait, Dubai, Istanbul and Tbilisi.

“With its incredible, age-old architecture and bustling traditional bazaars, we are thrilled to announce Isfahan as Qatar Airways’ fourth-service gateway into Iran. Isfahan is a city that is not only steeped in history, but one that has also emerged in recent years to combine its rich cultural heritage with modernity, making it one of Iran’s most fascinating, colorful and lively places for international visitors. We are also delighted to announce that we are increasing our weekly services to both Shiraz and Tehran in January,” Qatar Airways Chief Executive has been quoted as saying.

“These latest launches are further evidence of Qatar Airways’ commitment to Iran, as well as the expansion of our network in this thriving market to provide greater connectivity to both business and leisure passengers alike,” he was quoted by Qatar's daily newspaper The Peninsula as saying.

Qatar Airways has operated flights to Tehran since 2004 and, with the introduction of two extra flights, the airline now operates a total of 20 weekly non-stop flights from Doha.

Iran grants tourist visas to holders of Qatari passports upon arrival at Iranian airports.

Qatari nationals can obtain a single or multiple-entry visa by Iran’s Embassy in Doha, to avoid occasional delays at the arrival airport in case of passenger crowding at the airport’s visa office.