Qatar Airways exempted from ban on electronic devices on board all US-bound flights from the five-star Hamad International Airport
Airline committed to US expansion on its ultra-modern long-haul fleet with forthcoming launch of service to San Francisco
Qatar Airways serves 10 destinations across the US, including double-daily flights to New York, soon to feature the airline’s new Business Class Qsuite
DOHA, Qatar - Qatar Airways, the World’s Best Airline as voted by Skytrax 2017, is delighted to confirm it has been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to permit passengers to carry personal electronic items on board U.S.-bound flights, departing from its hub Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar.
The airline gained the exemption earlier today after U.S. officials inspected the security measures in full operation at Qatar’s state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport (HIA), an airport recently awarded five stars by Skytrax, the first airport in the Middle East to be bestowed with this recognition.
With the lifting of the electronics restrictions, passengers departing from HIA to all Qatar Airways’ U.S. destinations will be able to carry their personal electronic devices on board, and have uninterrupted use of them for business and leisure purposes throughout their flight.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “We are pleased to announce that the electronics ban has been lifted from Qatar Airways flights departing to all destinations in the U.S. Safety and security are always our highest priority. They are expressed throughout all of our corporate values, and must never be compromised.
“The security measures in place in Doha allow us to continue to provide our renowned world-class service for all our passengers travelling to the U.S. We look forward to providing our passengers an even greater choice of U.S. destinations soon, with the addition of San Francisco to our expanding network, on board the most modern of aircraft including the Airbus A350 and our Qsuite retro-fitted Boeing 777 aircraft.”
Qatar Airways recently announced its intention to make an initial investment of up to 4.75 per cent in its oneworld partner American Airlines, crediting the airline’s fundamentals, while intending to build a passive position within the company. Qatar Airways has long considered American Airlines to be a good oneworld Alliance partner, and looks forward to continuing this relationship.
Qatar Airways has developed a reputation for enhanced cooperation with industry and U.S regulators over the past 20 years, consistently being at the forefront of implementing new measures to enhance the safety and security of its passengers. Qatar Airways was the first airline to achieve 100 per cent compliance with the IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) when the programme was first implemented in 2003, and has since maintained its 100 per cent compliance record.
The airline will also bring its award-winning, patented new Qsuite Business Class seat to New York in September, retro-fitted on a Boeing 777 aircraft. Qsuite features the industry’s first-ever double bed available in Business Class, with privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room.
Adjustable panels and movable TV monitors on the centre four seats allow colleagues, friends or families travelling together to transform their space into a private suite, allowing them to work, dine and socialise together. These new features provide the ultimate customisable travel experience that enables passengers to create an environment that suits their own unique needs.
Qatar Airways, which celebrates 10 years of service to the U.S. this year, will launch flights to San Francisco in 2018, as part of its continuing expansion within the U.S.
The U.S. expansion is just part of the airline’s global growth plans, which include new routes to Canberra (Australia), Chiang Mai (Thailand), Douala (Cameroon), Libreville (Gabon), Rio de Janeiro, (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), as well as many other exciting destinations.
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Notes to Editors:
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is celebrating 20 years of Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations. The world’s fast growing airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its network in 2017/18, including Dublin, Nice, Skopje, Sarajevo and many more, flying passengers on board its modern fleet of 200 aircraft.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was recently named Airline of the Year by the 2017 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named World’s Best Business Class, Best Airline in the Middle East, and World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.
Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld global alliance. The award-winning alliance was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 by Skytrax for the third year running. Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 3,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as F.C. Barcelona, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message - Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest international cargo carrier, serves 60 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally with 200 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes eight Airbus A330 freighters, 12 Boeing 777 freighters and one Boeing 747 freighter.
For further information, please contact:
Qatar Airways Group, Corporate Communications Department
Tel: +974 4022 2200