Qatar Airways Celebrates 25 Years of Flying to the UK with Special Retro Livery Aircraft

31 March 2022

The flight included a bespoke British-themed menu including Sunday roast, and fish and chips with mushy peas

Retro aircraft given a special welcome on arrival at London Heathrow

London, UK – Qatar Airways celebrated an important milestone in its history as it marked 25 years of services to the UK with a very special flight on 30 March 2022.

On 30 March 1997, Qatar Airways launched its Doha to London Heathrow service, using an A300-600R aircraft. 25 years on, Qatar Airways is now one of the world’s biggest airlines, operating 35 flights per week from Doha to London Heathrow, and more than 50 a week to the UK.  

Yesterday, passengers and aviation fans were taken down a nostalgic journey when the airline flew its retro livery Boeing 777-300 aircraft to commemorate that very first flight. Qatar Airways Flight 007 was welcomed into London Heathrow with a traditional water cannon salute and a special celebration event for passengers.

The airline marked this occasion with an in-flight food menu, designed to evoke traditional British flavours. The exclusive à la carte menu illustrated famous icons in the UK including Britain’s red telephone boxes.

Passengers seated in Premium Cabins were invited to dine from the exclusive ‘25 Years of Excellence in London’ à la carte menu featuring famous English dishes including Sunday roast with Yorkshire pudding, beef pie, fish and chips with mushy peas and strawberry trifle. Economy Class passengers were also treated to bespoke dishes prepared for London’s celebration featuring distinct British dishes including Shepherd’s pie, Sunday roast chicken, sausage rolls and trifle for dessert.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “This is an incredibly important landmark in our history as we celebrate the anniversary of one of our longest serving and most popular routes. The last 25 years has seen us grow from a small airline to one of the largest in the world. Our airline itself celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, and London was an important first step in our journey; it remains a cornerstone of our global network today. This milestone also showcases Qatar’s exceptional relationship with the UK, and we look forward to our next 25 years.”

Chief Executive Officer of Heathrow, John Holland-Kaye, said: “We want to congratulate Qatar Airways on a quarter of a century of linking London and Doha through Heathrow, the UK’s only hub airport. By working together with partners like Qatar Airways we can maintain and build on the UK’s vital connections to key cities around the world, for the benefit of passengers and businesses.”

Qatar Airways extended its celebrations in the Premium Cabin with surprise treats for passengers from UK’s most iconic department store, Harrods. Passengers received a Harrods’ All-Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Biscuits and Harrods’ London edition of Earl Grey Tea. In addition to a special Qatar Airways branded teddy bear.

To celebrate the anniversary, the airline has launched special fares offering up to 25 per cent discount on flights from London Heathrow to selected destinations including the Maldives, Seychelles, Sydney and many more. Customers can book until 1 April 2022, using promo code LHR25.

The airline was established in 1997 by his Highness The Father Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, who outlined a vision to turn Qatar Airways into a leading international carrier with the highest standards of service and excellence. Since then, Qatar Airways has carried more than 2.5 million passengers between London and Doha, shown thousands of different movies on board and been named Skytrax ‘Airline of the Year’ a record six times by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax, for the sixth time. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’.

For the video please click here.