Airline continues its robust expansion in Europe, with services to Prague, Kyiv, Skopje, and St. Petersburg launched in 2017-2018

To celebrate the launch of Qatar Airways’ new direct service to Gothenburg, Sweden, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, hosted a press conference today at the Clarion Post Hotel in Gothenburg.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker highlighted the award-winning airline’s robust expansion plans, as well as its commitment to bringing more visitors to Sweden and to connecting Gothenburg to its extensive global network via the award-winning Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are tremendously pleased to launch our new direct service to Gothenburg, our second gateway into Sweden. Gothenburg is both an important business centre and a growing tourist destination which is becoming increasingly popular with visitors. This new gateway will offer our Swedish passengers even more convenience and enhanced connectivity to an extensive choice of destinations on our global route network. We invite all to experience the unique charm of Gothenburg, and look forward to welcoming passengers on board.”

Swedavia President and Chief Executive Officer, Jonas Abrahamsson, said: “Sweden is Scandinavia’s largest economy and one of Europe’s strongest. New direct routes are an important contributing factor, as improved market connectivity is crucial for Sweden´s tourism, businesses, ability to attract investments and exchange of knowledge.

"We are very pleased to welcome Qatar Airways to Gothenburg, its second gateway into Sweden. We are also delighted that in five years, Qatar Airways has doubled traffic on the direct route between Doha and Stockholm, significantly increasing connectivity between Sweden and the rest of the world.”

Gothenburg, Sweden’s second-largest city, is set to grow by almost a third by the end of 2035. It is an important industrial and business centre, with the largest port in the Nordic countries.

As one of the world's leading international air cargo carriers, Qatar Airways Cargo already has a large presence in the Nordics region, operating belly-hold flights to and from Helsinki, Oslo, Copenhagen and Stockholm, along with four weekly freighters from Oslo. The five weekly wide-body belly-hold flights to and from Gothenburg will increase the overall tonnage to 1,000 tonnes per week from the Nordic region. Direct flights from Gothenburg will greatly benefit the automotive, pharma, high tech and general industries in Sweden, and offer efficient connections to Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand via the carrier's state-of-the-art hub in Doha.

Qatar Airways’ five weekly flights to Gothenburg are served with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.

Passengers travelling to Sweden in Business Class can look forward to relaxing in one of the most comfortable, fully-lie flat beds as well as enjoy its five-star food and beverage service, which is served ‘dine-on-demand’, enabling passengers to order what they like, when they like. Passengers can also take advantage of the airline’s award-winning in-flight entertainment system, Oryx One, offering up to 4,000 entertainment options.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) to more than 160 destinations worldwide.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Business Class Seat’, ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge’.

Qatar Airways has launched an array of exciting new destinations recently, including Mombasa, Kenya and Da Nang, Vietnam. The airline will add a number of exciting new destinations to its extensive route network in 2019, including Valletta, Malta and Isfahan, Iran, to name just a few.