According to Qatar Airways, plans are underway to fly a summer schedule to more than 80 destinations worldwide. This follows lifting of travel restrictions with in many countries. The flights mainly target tourists who travel more during summer and repatriates who will be flying back to their home countries after the lock downs.
Qatar airways has been one of the few airlines that continued regular, scheduled flights during the global lockdowns to contain the novel coronavirus, maintaining services to about 30 worldwide destinations.
With an announcement via their Twitter handle, the airways earlier said it would recommence flights to destinations it had suspended due to the virus outbreak and that it intended to fly to up to 80 destinations by June.
Earlier on, Qatar Airways’ Chief Executive Akbar al-Baker commented that global travel demand will take years to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and many business travellers may never return to the skies, having become accustomed to working remotely, while job losses and business closures would also have an impact.
Akbar supplemented that he would be “very surprised” if travel demand recovered before 2023-2024. The airways’ business rival Emirates on the contrary said a recovery could be 18 months to three years away.
To manage a slow recovery, Qatar Airways will reduce its fleet by a quarter, with some aircraft expected to remain grounded and others returned to lessors, and reduce flights.
“I am sure there will be demand,” al-Baker told Reuters, forecasting the airline would be able to fill between 50 percent and 60 percent of seats.
“There are still a lot of people stranded around the world (and) people who want to visit their loved ones.”
However, restoring confidence in how to safely operate services and give passengers confidence to fly ahead of restrictions easing is another matter. Qatar Airways will encourage passengers to keep a safe distance from each other where possible while on board, al-Baker said.
Qatar Airways cabin crew will begin wearing protective suits and passengers will have to wear face masks on board with limited interactions between both.
Cabin crew had been wearing face masks and gloves while on board. But from this week, they will also wear suits over their uniforms, while face masks have been made mandatory for passengers.
“We have introduced these additional safety measures onboard our flights to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of our passengers and cabin crew, and to limit the spread of coronavirus,” al-Baker said.
Those not wearing a face mask inside the State of Qatar risk a fine of 200,000 riyals ($55,000) and a maximum prison sentence of three years.
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