LONDON – Qatar Airways has announced plans to resume services in Taif, Saudi Arabia, in January 2023.

Starting on January 3, the carrier will be operating services to the Saudi-based destination on a thrice-weekly basis.

QR1206 will depart from Hamad at 0740 local time, arriving in Taif at 1010 local time. The return, QR1207, will depart Taif at 1110 local time and arrive back in Hamad at 1320 local time.

Qatar Airways already operates the following out of Saudi Arabia:

• Riyadh – 2x daily – 14x weekly.
• Jeddah – 4x daily – 28x weekly.
• Medina – 2x daily – 14x weekly.
• Dammam – 5x daily – 35x weekly.
• Qassim – 1x daily – 7x weekly.

The addition of the three weekly Taif flights means that Qatar Airways will be operating 101 flights per week out of the Kingdom.

Recent Winter Expansion…

Last month, the airline, with its cargo wing, announced additional frequencies for the Winter 2022 schedule.

The carrier has increased services to many destinations around the world this winter to meet the growing demand for the winter season.

Middle Eastern Operations 

Qatar Airways Cargo is set to increase its services to Kuwait, operating 4x weekly instead of its usual 2x, and is also increasing frequencies to Muscat by adding an extra two services, from once weekly to three times weekly. A mix of A310 (leased) and B777 freighter aircraft will be operated on these services. 

They also recently launched a freighter service to Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, operating Boeing 777 freighters twice a week, with 100 tonnes cargo capacity each way per flight.

European Operations 

In Europe, the cargo carrier offers its air freight services to and from 48 destinations, operating both belly-hold cargo services as well as freighters. The carrier recently launched two new bases for cargo operations in Athens, Greece, and Vienna, Austria. 

Qatar Airways Cargo will operate once a week Boeing 777 freighter to Athens with 100 tonnes of cargo capacity each way per flight and once a week A310 freighter to Vienna, with over 35 tonnes of cargo capacity each way per flight.

The carrier has also introduced belly-hold services to Düsseldorf, once again expanding its operations in the European region. The launch of the daily flights between the two cities increases cargo capacity to Germany to over 1,500 tonnes each way, each week. 

Finally, the cargo carrier has also increased its flights to Amsterdam, The Netherlands, by adding three weekly freighter flights and three weekly passenger flights effective Dec. 23.

The Americas 

Qatar Airways Cargo covers 21 passenger and freighter destinations in the Americas. 

It has introduced additional services to Chicago increasing its freighter flights from 10 weekly to 11 weekly in addition to daily passenger service.

Passenger Operations 

Qatar Airways has recently been boosting up its network for the winter season, with some of the increase being a result of high demand for the long-anticipated and upcoming FIFA World Cup. 

On the increase, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, stated:

“Qatar Airways continues to enhance its schedule and network by increasing frequencies to many key destinations across the world.”

“This increase will provide even greater choice to our business and leisure passengers, who can connect seamlessly via the World’s Best Airport, Hamad International Airport, to more than 150 global destinations.”

The Qatar Airways group has a very busy winter ahead of them with all of their recently announced increases in their cargo and passenger operations.

Overall…

It remains that even despite the FIFA World Cup 2022 taking place in Doha, the airline is thinking ahead to 2023.

Traffic from the FIFA World Cup plus the boosted frequencies for the Winter season will no doubt open themselves up to more revenue streams and, therefore, more chance of a profit moving forward.

All eyes will be on the carrier to see what those financials will be like next year.