Qatar Airways is set to start direct flights from Doha to Mogadishu in July to rejuvenate the already growing international carrier market in Somalia.
Akbar Al Baker, the CEO of Qatar Airways has announced that the move will boost trade with Somalia and also caters for the demand of the route.
He said six other destinations are upcoming in additions to its rapidly-growing global network, at the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest international travel and tourism trade show.
At a press conference attended by nearly 200 members of the media, Mr. Al Baker revealed an array of forthcoming global destinations the airline will launch in 2019, including Lisbon, Portugal; Malta; Rabat, Morocco; Langkawi, Malaysia; Davao, Philippines; Izmir, Turkey; and Mogadishu, Somalia.
“We are very pleased to reveal our new Economy Class experience here at ITB, proving that our commitment to providing the very finest experience extends to all of our passengers, not only those in Premium class. Our new Economy Class seat, with its redesigned recline system and additional leg room, will ensure that our passengers in Economy Class arrive at their destinations feeling rested and refreshed. We invite all visitors to ITB to visit our stand so that they can experience this unique product for themselves,” Al Baker said.
“We are also tremendously excited to be adding seven new destinations to our rapidly expanding global route network later this year, and to be able to connect our passengers to anywhere in the world they wish to go.”
The move comes a time when Ethiopian and Kenyan national carriers took same decision to restart directs to Somalia.
After more than three decades, Ethiopian Airlines plane landed in Mogadishu last year.
Somalia and Ethiopia halted all flights halted in the 1970s after the two countries engaged in a deadly war over a border dispute.
Kenya Airways has also restarted its direct Nairobi – Mogadishu flights.
The airlines postponed the launch of its direct flight earlier over clearance issue.
