Hamad International Airport (DOH) has announced the commencement of daily operations by Japan Airlines, linking Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) in Japan with Hamad International Airport in Qatar.
The inaugural flight, operated on 31 March 2024 by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft with a capacity of 203 seats, marks the first-ever flight to the Middle East by a Japanese airline – signifying a historic moment in the aviation industry.
Discussing this significant collaboration, Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President of Finance and Procurement at HIA, expressed enthusiasm for welcoming Japan Airlines to the Middle East via its hub in Doha. He says that the introduction of Japan Airlines’ daily flights from Tokyo to HIA marks a noteworthy achievement and highlights the growing partnership between Qatar and Japan. ‘Combining Japan Airlines’ latest launch with Qatar Airways’ recent resumption to Osaka, is projected to result in a 50% increase in weekly flight frequency between Qatar and Japan, which underscores Hamad International Airport’s commitment to advancing global travel and enhancing passenger experiences.’
Ross Leggett, Japan Airlines Managing Executive Officer, Route Marketing Senior Vice President, also emphasised the significance of their new Doha service. He highlighted that it is the first direct flight to the Middle East operated by a Japanese airline, complementing JAL’s global network. ‘The demand for business and leisure travel from Doha to Asia continues to grow, and we are excited to offer JAL’s renowned five-star service and unique approach to hospitality to even more travellers.’
Thierry Antinori, Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, also expressed satisfaction in welcoming Japan Airlines to Doha and anticipated further strengthening their successful relationship. ‘It is wonderful to see how our strategy to leverage Hamad International Airport’s position as a global five-star rated hub, continues to yield results and we hope to continue to attract even more partner airlines to this major gateway and stopover destination in the future.’
The inclusion of Japan Airlines as the 10th oneworld airline at HIA further solidifies the airport’s status as a crucial oneworld hub – promising world-class services and connectivity to over 190 passenger destinations. The introduction of Japan Airlines’ direct flights to Doha is expected to stimulate travel demand and foster stronger trade ties between Qatar and Japan. By offering more travel options for Japanese passengers to major destinations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East via HIA, the service aims to promote increased cultural exchange and economic collaboration, benefiting passengers and industries alike.
HIAs recent partnerships continue to highlight Qatar’s commitment to enhancing its tourism offerings in alignment with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 – showcasing the importance of the airport’s innovative air service development strategy which has proven instrumental in facilitating numerous airlines’ seamless establishment of routes to and from the region.
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