Aviation

10 Interesting facts about Qatar Airways : Jetline Marvel

1. The world’s first commercial passenger flight powered by a fuel made from natural gas.

On October 12, 2009, a Qatar Airways Airbus A340-600 conducted the world’s first commercial passenger flight using a mixture of kerosene and synthetic gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuel, produced from natural gas, on its flight from London’s Gatwick Airport to Doha.

A Qatar Airways aircraft completed the world’s first commercial passenger flight powered by a fuel made from natural gas.

The historic journey from London Gatwick to Doha took over six hours and was operated with an Airbus A340-600 aircraft using Rolls-Royce Trent 556 engines.

2. In May 2017, Qatar Airways became FIFA Partner and 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups official sponsor.

After the end of Emirates contract with FIFA, Qatar Airways was announced that it has an Official Partner and the Official Airline of FIFA as part of a sponsorship package lasting until 2022. Upcoming events sponsored by Qatar Airways will include the FIFA Confederations Cup 2017, the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, the FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019™ and the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™.

As an Official Partner of FIFA, Qatar Airways will have extensive marketing and branding rights at the next two FIFA World Cups, with an expected audience reach of more than two billion people per tournament. It will also have visibility at competitions such as the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA Futsal World Cup and the FIFA Interactive World Cup, the world’s largest online gaming tournament.

3. Qatar Airways has an oryx, the national animal of the State of Qatar, as its logo.

Everybody has seen the purple Oryx on Qatar Airways fin. The national animal of Qatar was completely extinct from the wild in 1972 but was reintroduced to the wild starting in 1982. Initially two herds were used to reintroduce the Oryx back. One from a Zoo in Phoenix, Arizona and another one from a “private collection” in Saudi Arabia.

The programme kicked off in Oman and then was further extended to the UAE, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Jordan. After 25 years the Oryx has spread across the Arabian Peninsula and is only listed as “Vulnerable”, which has to be considered as a big success.

4. As of May 2014, the company is fully owned by the Qatari government.

Qatar Airways, one of the Gulf’s “big three” carriers, has become fully state-owned after the nation’s sovereign wealth fund bought out private shareholders.

The Qatar Investment Authority has bought the stakes owned by its former Prime Minister and other shareholders, CEO Akbar Al Baker said.

The purchase took place last July, but has only recently been revealed. It is understood that 50% of the airline was formerly in private hands. The cost of the deal was not announced.

5. Qatar has its own many subsidiary company in its umbrella.

Qatar Airways has many divisions including:

Qatar Aircraft Catering Company
Doha International Airport
Qatar Airways Holidays
United Media Int
Qatar Duty Free
Qatar Aviation Services
Qatar Distribution Company
Qatar Executive (private jet).

6. Qatar Airways has ordered 37 A350-1000s.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, welcomed the arrival of the Airbus A350-1000 test aircraft to Qatar, as part of a special Demonstration Tour by Airbus. The visit was the first stop by the advanced aircraft to 12 destinations throughout the Middle East and Asia Pacific, designed to showcase the aircraft’s exclusive features to airlines and passengers. The arrival of the Airbus A350-1000 test aircraft comes just a month before Qatar Airways will become the global launch customer for the world’s very first A350-1000.

7. Qatar has one of the World’s Largest Business Lounge at Doha.

After commencing full operations at its new hub, Doha in 2014, Al Mourjan Business Lounge for Qatar Airways’ Premium passengers opened in July 2014. Al Mourjan Business Lounge is about 10 times the size of an Olympic size swimming pool and the Lounge access is for Qatar Airways and one-world first and business class passengers only.

Two-and-a-half acres in all, Al Mourjan consists of many individual spaces, all comfortable and pleasant to look at.

Qatar Airways says that entry into the Al Mourjan lounge is reserved for its own, as well as Oneworld alliance, First Class and Business Class passengers, while Qatar Airways Economy Class passengers can purchase lounge access for 450 Qatari riyals, or about $120 US.

8. Qatar has the world’s longest flight from Doha to Auckland it cross 10-time zones

The daily service from Doha to Auckland which is due to take off on December 3rd, 2016, is going to be the longest flight on earth. The distance between Qatar’s capital and the biggest city in New Zealand is 14,536 kilometres. The flight attendants are going to announce an estimated flight time of 18 hours and 30 minutes.

Not many aircrafts are able to perform such ultra-long flights and the only suitable candidate is the 777-200LR. Take a guess what the “LR” stands for? Yes, you are right! It stands for “Longer Range”. The big difference are the additional fuel tanks, lighter landing gear and raked wingtips.

9. Qatar Airways has formally joined Oneworld, becoming the first of the major Gulf carriers to join one of the global alliances.

The Doha-based carrier joins after just a one-year accession period and becomes the alliance’s 13th member. It is the second Middle Eastern member of Oneworld, alongside Royal Jordanian Airlines.

“We are convinced the time is right clearly right…and Oneworld is clearly the best alliance,” said Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker during a joining ceremony at Doha’s new Hamad International airport on 29 October.

10. Qatar airways has one of the mixed largest fleet in the world and Qatar Executive is the largest G650ER operator in the world.

Qatar Airways is the national carrier of the State of Qatar. Currently undergoing rapid expansion, Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world.

Current Fleets Passenger and Cargo both handling 212 aircraft which includes

39 Airbus A320s
23 Airbus A350-900s (2 leased LATAM aircraft)
30 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner
40 B777-300ERs

Corporate Jet Subsidiary Qatar Executive (12 aircraft)

And fleet on order includes-

100 Boeing 777Xs (including options)
8 Boeing 777-300ER
55 Airbus A350s
30 Boeing 787s
3 Boeing 777F
80 Airbus A320neo Family (including options)
1 Airbus A380
8 Airbus A330 Freighter options
60 Boeing 737 MAX
8 (20 firm and 40 options) and
30 Gulfstream G500 and G600 aircraft and the flagship G650ER.

Sharukh Gazi

Aviation

All passengers killed in plane crash, after pilot let his children to control the plane

When boarding a plane, passengers entrust their safety to the skilled hands of the pilot. However, tragedy struck when one of the flight ended in disaster as all passengers lost their lives in a horrific plane crash.

In 1994, during a flight from Moscow to Hong Kong, tragedy struck as an Aeroflot relief pilot made a fateful decision. In a move that would have devastating consequences, the pilot invited his own children into the cockpit to play with the controls. Little did anyone know, this seemingly innocent gesture would lead to the loss of all 75 lives aboard the aircraft.

It was a seemingly innocent act that led to catastrophic results. The relief pilot, Mr. Kudrinsky, invited his two children, Yana, 12, and Eldar, 15, into the cockpit during the late hours of the night. Little did anyone know, this simple gesture would set off a chain of events that would end in tragedy.

Once in the cockpit, the children were allowed to sit in the captain’s chair and play with the controls, unaware that they should have been disabled as the plane was in autopilot mode.

Eldar, perhaps in a moment of curiosity or innocence, held the control column down for a mere 30 seconds. Yet, in those brief moments, the autopilot disengaged, thrusting the aircraft into manual control.

By the time the pilots regained their seats and attempted to regain control, it was too late. Despite their efforts to pull the plane out of a dive, they overcorrected, causing the flight to climb almost vertically, ultimately stalling it.

Final moment Flight 593 crash

In the final moments, as the pilots struggled to stabilize the aircraft, Flight 593 crashed into the Kuznetsk Alatau Mountain range in southern Russia, completely obliterating the plane and claiming the lives of everyone on board.

Investigations revealed a chilling truth: there was no evidence of technical failure. Instead, the crash was attributed to the unthinkable decision to allow inexperienced hands to manipulate the controls of a commercial aircraft.

The black box recording captured the harrowing sequence of events, providing a grim reminder of the human cost of a lapse in judgment. In just over two minutes, the lives of all on board were tragically short, leaving behind a legacy of sorrow and unanswered questions.

Aviation

American Airlines Flight Attendant Orders First-Class Traveler to use Economy Restroom

On a recent American Airlines flight from Chicago O’Hare to Phoenix, Pamela Hill-Veal, a retired circuit court judge, found herself at the center of a disturbing incident.

Despite traveling in First Class, she was directed by a flight attendant to use the Economy Class restroom, sparking allegations of racial discrimination. According to Hill-Veal, the ordeal began when she used the dedicated First Class lavatory during the flight. A flight attendant approached her, accusing her of slamming the door and issued a warning.

Despite remaining calm, Hill-Veal faced further confrontation when she attempted to use the First Class restroom again later in the flight. The situation escalated as the flight attendant persisted in berating Hill-Veal, who felt targeted due to her race. She highlighted the disparate treatment, noting that white passengers were not subjected to similar directives.

In a distressing turn, the flight attendant followed Hill-Veal to her seat and allegedly touched her while threatening arrest upon landing. This alarming encounter left Hill-Veal feeling humiliated and traumatized, impacting her ability to rest even after the flight.

American Airlines has responded, expressing a commitment to investigating the matter and addressing discrimination claims seriously. However, the incident underscores ongoing concerns about racial bias in air travel and the need for accountability in ensuring all passengers are treated with dignity and respect.

Aviation

Southwest CEO Signals Major Shift: Farewell to Open Seating

Southwest Airlines is contemplating a significant shift away from its traditional open seating policy, a move that could signal a departure from its long-standing business model.

The potential change, which would introduce assigned seating and premium seat options, is being considered to appeal to a younger demographic of travelers. This adjustment would mark one of the most substantial alterations for the carrier since its inception in 1971.

Unlike its competitors who have embraced premium seating offerings, Southwest has stuck to its open seating approach, albeit providing the option for early boarding at a fee. However, with rivals like United Airlines witnessing revenue growth from premium seating, Southwest is reevaluating its strategy. According to Forbes, the airline industry has seen a shift in customer preferences over time, prompting Southwest to reconsider its seating model designed during an era of lower load factors.

While Southwest CEO, Jordan,told to CNBC that he has neither confirmed nor denied the possibility of premium seating, he acknowledges that the company is exploring various options. He emphasized that while it’s still early in the decision-making process, the initial results are promising, hinting at potential changes in the future.

Southwest currently operates with a single economy class cabin across its all-Boeing 737 fleet, with no assigned seating. However, the airline does offer the option for early boarding for passengers to secure their preferred seats for an additional fee. Over the years, Southwest has maintained a focus on simplicity and user-friendliness in its offerings, striving to minimize costs and complexity.

In contrast, competitors like Delta and United have capitalized on revenue growth from premium seating options such as business class, demonstrating strong upsell rates. Analysts have repeatedly questioned Southwest about the potential for introducing premium seating or additional fees, although the airline has traditionally refrained from charging for the first two checked bags.

For now, the only way Southwest passengers can secure their preferred seats is by paying for an earlier boarding position, as the airline continues to operate without assigned seating, allowing passengers to choose their seats upon boarding in a predetermined order.