QR has something big to share on the 24th / shot at UA !
 

My first thread on the QR thread , so sorry if this is in the wrong place :rolleyes:

I was on face book a couple of minutes ago and noticed a post from Qatar. Qatar clearly indicate that they have some big news to share on the 24th , not sure what it could be , maybe a new first class or something less big like a new route ? It is also interesting to note the cheap shot they did at United in the advert ..... ;)

No shot is cheaper than United deserves.

Beautiful!

Globe Trotter Campaign 2017 ?

I absolutely love the shot they took at UA! ^^^ QR!

I'm guessing the news on 24th will be release of new app, that ties in with the Q Suite NFC features?

Would be nice to get the points for 2016 first

I might have heard that Qatar Airways is going live with its new website this month ;)

Is it a revolutionary website? I wonder how "big" could this be. :rolleyes:

Who remembers the revolutionary "Going Places Together" announcement in the US......a real damp squib!

Maybe QR is going to change the font of its logo? :D

:D

Or even a a damp squib :)

Could the 'something Big' be that that the 'big boss', ABB, is resigning allowing QR to move forwards and become a real force in Aviation instead of being known as the airline that picks petty squabbles with everything and everyone? :D

whoops! (Bloody auto spellcheck!)

Today is the day !

Not sure where on the planet you are, that it's currently 24th April!

M

QR probably made time travel possible and Flame3601 was their first passenger :D. AAB didn't like that Branson offers space flights and probably created QR Time in response to Virgin Galactic. :D

That was indeed announced on 24 April. :D

Forget the Etihad Residence , Nasa zoom which features a perk of getting to your destinations two days ahead of schedule :D ! Just kidding , don't go to ask Nasa where you can book. Yes my mistake :cool::rolleyes:

Only some new destinations announced, at least so far:

https://www.businesstraveller.com/bu...rdiff-flights/

"Qatar Airways has announced plans to fly to Cardiff, along with a raft of new destinations including San Francisco, Cardiff, Malaga, Lisbon, Chittagong, Kiev and Mombasa."

Cardiff :eek:

CARDIFF? :rolleyes:

OK, i'm watching intently. Don't think they even have transatlantic flights at the moment. I love the declaration of intent, but it's a couple of hours along the M4 to Heathrow so very surprised (but hopeful!).

This is really something big :D

I should buy a lotto ticket!

They have just shown a video on their Facebook page introducing their new Oryx One app.

QR won't be flying transatlantic from Cardiff, unless they have managed to obtain Fifth Freedom Rights from the British government...which I don't believe they have.

While Cardiff may not be convenient to those in London, neither is Mombasa!

Cardiff will be convenient for those in Wales, the Southwest, and take some of the strain from Bristol - which is a busy airport.

There is a lot of money on the Southwest Coast, and coupled with a good airport subsidy, I'm sure QR have found a way to make the route work.

M

Lisbon, woohoo! Can't wait for those awesome QR Sales from LIS! :D

No, obviously I wasn't suggesting QR would fly transatlantic, I just put a NYC flight as a more logical flight than a DOH one (albeit I imagine less than 2% of those flying CWL-DOH will actually get off at DOH).

But despite CWL having a smallish catchment area, once you add in Swansea, Neath, Newport, Bristol, it all starts adding up I guess.

Personally more surprised there is not a 2nd daily BHX, a return to LGW.

Don't tell me you're not surprised an ickle bit :)

Good luck to CWL & QR. Are we thinking a A319LR here?

Cardiff?! That's a surprise!
Would be excellent for me though with myself from Bristol and my wife from Swansea! It took my wife more than six hours to get to Swansea from Heathrow the other week due to an accident on the M4.

I can think of a big list of other bigger UK airports which you would have thought we would see before Cardiff! An extra flight to Birmingham (as mentioned) not to mention any flights to Gatwick! Also maybe Newcastle, Glasgow are other ones I think off.

Oh and think you can fly to Orlando from Cardiff, but that's about as far as you can go!

I thought CWL already had flights to MCO, BGI and a few other beach places?

If they do start to fly from Cardiff there might be some opportunities for some good sales if they can't fill the planes....

Could it be a "sheep run" fare CWL to AKL? Probably wishful thinking...

justatourist I think this is the third or fourth time LIS has been announced so don't get too excited just yet!

They announced a few other things, press release coming later this evening. One of the items announced is the rollout of Ka Band based high speed wifi on the 777 and A350 initially. The GX Aviation solution is significantly faster (50-100x more) and more reliable than what they have already, it's also faster and more reliable than existing Ku band solutions such as that on Etihad.

I know, I'm aware. But if I remember correctly Emirates has good numbers in Lisbon and is even considering starting Porto (OPO) so there is a market for QR.

The problem is LIS airport and the slots available, they are not that great...

OK, I also missed the other destinations. I'm trying to link to the ATF Press Conference - but Flyertalk appears not to want to post Facebook links.

Add /theodore.koumelis/posts/10154812982783303 to the Facebook website if you want to see the press conference (that's not me btw).

All in 2018 (latest, unless aircraft deliveries allow them to bring forward)

Utapao, Thailand (otherwise known as Pattaya)
Mykonos, Greece (Seasonal)
Málaga, Spain (Seasonal)

QR really going for the party destinations :D

Pattaya Airport has really grown in recent months, it must have at least, oh, 5 flights a day. (in all seriousness, I see Thai Air Asia have based a couple of planes for Macao / China / Phuket / Chiang Mai).

I guess Chiang Mai isn't happening now. But Pattaya really REALLY surprises me, would match them announcing Swansea instead of Cardiff.

Press conference .

So the new destinations will be for H1 2018 with some, like LIS, in Q1 2018. And if they get the A350 on time these can be launched in 2017.

Edit: looks like I cant post the press conference because it is a FB link.

Pattaya, That's amusing. I can just imagine the demographic at checkin and the looks from the checkin girls. Lets just say Pattaya has somewhat of a reputation.

*ahem* :D

well actually you would be surprised the path its been heading the last couple of years. much more family oriented destination, now don't get me wrong it's for sure not a place where i would want to take my family on vaccation......... , but nonetheless they're gearing towards that kind of tourism. lots of eastern european, as well as many middle to low high end range hotels & resorts opening....

So the "something big to share" was an app and some extra destinations? Pfft, give me some more Sake-like fares and I'll bat an eyelid. :D

I like the sound of Cardiff same distance away as BHX which is handy.

What's next in the UK then? Newquay?! Stornoway?