Qatar Airways is to gradually reintroduce its flying programme with services to Heathrow, Edinburgh, Manchester and Dublin among those scheduled to restart by the end of June.
The airline says its ‘phased approach’ is “in line with passenger demand evolution” and the relaxation to entry restrictions it expects to the 80 destinations, including 23 in Europe.
It hopes to have resumed operations to 50 of those destinations by the end of May.
Qatar has maintained flights to at least 30 destinations throughout the coronavirus crisis, helping to repatriate one million people an transport more than 100,000 tonnes of medical supplies.
Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said: “Throughout this crisis our passengers have been at the centre of our focus. Our airline has implemented industry-leading hygiene practices and commercial policies enabling our passengers to book and travel with confidence. We have maintained a flexible and agile network.
“We continue to focus on our mission – how we can enable mobility for our customers and provide them with seamless connectivity to their final destination.”
Qatar Airways said it expects short-haul air travel will rebound first, with business between large global cities to pick up more gradually and then a move towards travellers visiting family and friends.
