Airlines

Qatar Airways Expands Flight Services to London, Male, Miami, and Tokyo

Qatar Airways Launches Four Additional Flights from Amsterdam

Qatar Airways, recently crowned as the World’s Best Airline by Skytrax in 2024, is set to enhance its global presence by increasing flight frequencies to several key destinations for the 2024-2025 season.

The airline’s decision to ramp up operations to London, Male, Miami, and Tokyo reflects its commitment to providing unparalleled service and meeting the growing demand of international travelers.

Starting on October 27, 2024, Qatar Airways will increase its flights to London Heathrow (LHR) from 49 to 56 weekly, offering more than 42,000 seats per week each way. This expansion is a testament to the strong demand from passengers, particularly those from Australia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and the UK.

Qatar Airways to Introduce New First Class Cabin by Early 2026
The additional flights, combined with two daily flights operated by British Airways, bring the total to an impressive 10 daily services between Doha and London, ensuring greater flexibility and convenience for travelers.

In December, Qatar Airways will bolster its operations to two more destinations. Beginning on December 13, 2024, flights to Male (MLE) will increase from 21 to 28 weekly, providing more options for travelers from Germany, Italy, and the UK seeking an idyllic escape to the Maldives. New qatar airways airport hambourg 2024 Shortly after, on December 16, flights to Miami (MIA) will be increased from 10 to 12 weekly, catering to passengers from Miami eager to explore the vibrant cultures of Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

The airline’s expansion efforts will extend into early 2025 with an increase in flights to Tokyo Narita (NRT). Starting on February 14, 2025, Qatar Airways will operate 11 weekly flights to Tokyo, up from the current seven, allowing travelers from Europe and beyond to immerse themselves in Japan’s rich cultural heritage.

In addition to the increased flight frequencies, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can take advantage of enhanced benefits, including earning Avios on their flights and enjoying discounts when using Avios for ticket payments. Passengers can also redeem Avios at Qatar Duty Free outlets at Hamad International Airport and on qatar airways seat map Holidays travel packages, offering even more value to frequent flyers.

Airlines

US DOT Approves Merger: Alaska Airlines & Hawaiian Airlines Finalize Deal

In a significant development for the aviation industry, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an order granting an exemption for the transfer of international route authorities in the merger of Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines.

The merger, which is expected to be completed in the coming days, represents a major consolidation in the airline sector. Under the terms of the exemption, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines are required to adhere to several key public-interest protections.

Emirates Rolls Out Refurbished Boeing 777s Across Six U.S. Destinations

These stipulations are aimed at preserving service quality and consumer benefits as the merger progresses. Specifically, the airlines must protect the value of rewards, maintain existing service levels on crucial Hawaiian routes to the continental U.S. and inter-island routes, and support rural services.

Additionally, they are required to ensure competitive access at the Honolulu hub airport, offer fee-free family seating, provide alternative compensation for controllable disruptions, and lower costs for military families.

This proactive approach by the DOT marks a new phase in the Department’s merger review process. For the first time, airlines are required to agree to binding, enforceable public-interest protections as a condition for closing their merger.

Japan Airlines Rolls Out Free Domestic Flights to International Passengers

This move highlights the DOT’s commitment to safeguarding public interests and ensuring that mergers do not undermine service quality or competition. As part of the merger agreement, Alaska Airlines will assume approximately $900 million in Hawaiian Airlines’ debt.

Despite this substantial financial responsibility, Alaska plans to retain Hawaiian as a separate brand, which will negate the need for repainting aircraft. To secure approval from the DOT, the airlines agreed to maintain current service levels on key routes where competition is limited.

The exemption granted by the DOT allows Alaska and Hawaiian to finalize their merger while remaining separate and independently operated until the Department completes its review of the transfer application. If the transfer is approved, the public-interest protections will remain in effect for six years.