(08 Nov 2021)
Qatar Airways has returned the much loved Airbus A380
to service, due to an ongoing capacity shortage.
It is anticipated that at least five of the
airline’s ten A380 aircraft will be brought back into service on a
temporary basis over the coming weeks to support fleet capacity on
key winter routes, including London Heathrow (LHR) and Paris
(CDG), from 15 December 2021.
The national carrier for the State of Qatar is
currently facing significant limitations to its fleet capacity as
a result of the recent grounding of 19 of its Airbus A350 fleet
due to an accelerated surface degradation condition impacting the
surface of the aircraft below the paint, as mandated by the Qatar
Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA).
Qatar Airways Airbus A380 reg: A7-APF. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com
The airline also recently re-introduced a number
of its A330 fleet following a continued increase in capacity
requirements due to the easing of travel restrictions and the
upcoming peak winter holiday period, which are anticipated to see
a return to pre-COVID levels.
Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, said, “The recent grounding of 19
Qatar Airways A350 fleet has left us with no alternative but to
temporarily bring some of our A380 fleet back on key winter
routes. These groundings are due to an ongoing issue
relating to the accelerated degradation of the fuselage surface
below the paint, which as yet remains an unresolved matter between
Qatar Airways and the manufacturer for which the root cause is yet
to be understood.
“This difficult decision reflects the gravity of
the A350 issue and is intended to be a short-term measure to
assist us in balancing our commercial needs. It does not signify a
permanent reintroduction of our A380 fleet, which were grounded in favour of more fuel-efficient, twin-engine aircraft at the onset
of the COVID19 pandemic.
“We continue to strongly urge Airbus to prioritize
their investigations into the conclusive root cause of the issue
affecting the A350 aircraft type, and ensure it proposes a
permanent solution at the earliest opportunity to repair the
damage and correct the underlying root cause.”
The national carrier of the State of Qatar
continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over
140 destinations.
Headlines:
Marriott to Expand The Luxury Collection to Australia
Qatar Airways Returns Airbus A380 to Service
Sabre Launches Air Price IQ and Ancillary IQ
Minor Appoints João Corte-Real as Cluster GM of Two Resorts in Sri Lanka
FCM Invites Corporate Travel Managers to Experience Preview of New Platform
Air Astana Resumes Scheduled Flights Between Almaty and Baku
Gulf Air Launches Boutique Charter Service
Elbit Systems to Upgrade Training Platforms of British Army
Delta Air Lines Reports 450% Surge in International Bookings
David Steyn Moves to Cambodia as GM of Shinta Mani Wild
Accor Signs First Mövenpick Hotel in Queensland, Australia
Teleport Adds Dedicated Boeing 737-800 Freighter to Fleet
Hyatt Doubles Portfolio of Resorts with Acquisition of Apple Leisure Group
Mohammed Wazir Returns to Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara as GM
Lisa Baez Joins CWT as Senior Director Information Security
Emmanuel Calderon Joins Four Seasons Anguilla as Executive Chef
IATA Reports Moderate Rebound in Air Travel in September
Torsten van Dullemen Returns to London as GM and AVP for Mandarin Oriental
Air Cargo Demand Up 9.4% on Pre-COVID19 Levels in September
ATSG Signs Deal with Boeing for Four 767-300BCFs
Outrigger Thailand Appoints Manager, Executive Chef and Area Director of F&B
Mixed Opinions from WTM London on Whether Travel Prices will Rise in 2022
Japan Takes Delivery of First Boeing KC-46A Tanker
British Airways Continues to Retrofit New Business Class Seat on B777s
Korean Air Signs MOU with Insitu for Tactical UAV Co-Development
Marriott Opens W Hotel in Xiamen, China
Etihad Airways to Move Moscow Flights to Sheremetyevo Airport
48% of Senior Travel Pros Expect 2022 Bookings to Fall Short of 2019 Levels
Air France’s First A220-300 Enters Commercial Service
Emirates and TAP Air Portugal Expand Codeshare to 23 More Destinations
Whitbread Takes Premier Inn to New Heights
Maersk Orders Two Boeing 777 Freighters for Star Air
Saab Integrates TactiCall VCS into Remote Tower Solution
Thailand International Boat Show Confirms Dates for January 2022
Ascott Residence Trust to Buy UIUC Student Accommodation in Illinois, USA
100% of Cebu Pacific’s Active Flying Crew Now Fully Vaccinated
Air Astana to Launch Flights Between Almaty and Colombo, Sri Lanka
Huazhu Signs Expanded Distribution Agreement with Sabre
Airbus A319neo Begins Flight Tests Using 100% Sustainable Aviation Fuel
Etihad’s Most Sustainable Flight Uses Contrail-Avoidance to Reduce Emissions
Saudi Arabia to Host WTTC’s 22nd Global Summit
Dusit Expands Hospitality Education in Thailand with The Food School
Emirates Increases Flights to Australia
Ten Airlines Form Aviation Climate Taskforce
Ethiopian Airlines to Employ Ray, an Autonomous Aircraft Sanitization Robot
Ritz-Carlton Takes Luxury Hospitality to New Heights in Mexico City
airasia Super App Now Selling Tickets on 700+ Airlines to 3,000+ Destinations
United to Increase Flights to Airline’s Most Booked Int. Destination, London
Four Seasons L.A. at Beverly Hills Appoints Mitch Austin as Executive Chef
Six Senses Signs First Hotel in Saudi Arabia
The Reykjavik Edition to Open 9 November
WTACH Appoints Nigel Fell as President and CEO
Russia, Ukraine and CIS to Need 1,540 New Planes by 2040
Six Legends to be Inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame
Four Seasons Chicago Appoints Executive Chef and Director of F&B
Emirates Signs MOU with the Ministry of Tourism of Maldives
FAA Selects SITA’s FANS-1/A-Based Datalink Solution to Manage Oceanic Airspace
Radisson Opens Fifth Collection Hotel in China
Qantas to Lease Catalina Lounge at Darwin Airport
CWT Appoints Laura Wang as Director of Global Supplier Management – China
Singapore Airlines Operating 14 Flights Per Week to Melbourne, Australia
Breeze Airways to Take Delivery of First Airbus A220 in Coming Weeks
Aviation Industry CTOs Issue Joint Call to Action to Deliver Sustainable Plans
Delta to Add 100 Daily Departures from JFK and LaGuardia
Governments Urged to Deliver on Commitments to Restore Global Connectivity
British Airways to Expand Use of VeriFLY
Hong Kong Airport Extends Relief Package to End-November
Rosewood Opens Luxury Hotel in Madrid, Spain
Franck Loison Joins Oakwood Residence Hanoi as General Manager
Rolls-Royce 747 Completes Test Flight with 100% SAF in One Engine
Emirates Airline to Recruit 6,000 Employees
Thierry Papillier Moves to Kuwait as Executive Chef of Four Seasons
Lufthansa Technik Appoints G. Ouzounidis as VP Corporate Sales Americas
Singapore Airlines to Operate Flagship A380 on Flights to Sydney
Honeywell Publishes 30th Annual Global Business Aviation Outlook
Thai AirAsia to Resume Flights from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport
Minor Hotels Signs First Property in Egypt
Boeing Forecasts Africa’s Airlines to Need 1,030 New Airplanes by 2040
Scandinavian Airlines Expands Network as Travel Demand Increases
Air Montenegro Signs Pool Program Agreement with Embraer
Hilton Upgrading Digital Key Technology
BA Launches Quarantine-Free VTL Flights Between Singapore and LHR
Korean Air to Resume Hawaii Flights
AirAsia Malaysia to Resume Kuala Lumpur – Phuket Flights
Bangkok Airways to Resume Phuket – Hat Yai Flights; Reopen Lounges
Boeing Forecasts Middle East to Need 3,000 New Planes by 2040
Virgin Australia Renews Distribution Agreement with Amadeus
Finnair Signs Airbus’ First European Contract for A320 FHS
48-Suite Six Senses Fort Barwara Opens in Rajasthan, India
Cathay Pacific’s Passenger Numbers Increased 180% in September
Smiths Detection to Improve Cargo Screening in Tokyo and Kobe, Japan
Marriott Appoints Ty Breland as EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer
Korean Air’s KUS-FT UAV Recognized as Top Industrial Tech Achievement
Making Long-Haul Aviation Compatible with Net Zero Goals
Travellers Must be Fully Vaccinated to Fly with AirAsia Malaysia
HD Videos and Interviews
Podcasts from HD Video Interviews
RSS News Feed and Ticker
Travel Trade Shows
High-Res Picture Galleries
Travel News Asia – Latest Travel Industry News
