Qatar Airways plans to introduce the first intra-Gulf 'shuttle' service as part of the airline's ambitious relaunch.
Qatar intends to launch a minimum of four daily turboprop services from Doha to Dubai and Abu Dhabi by the end of 1998. If successful, Qatar will extend the 'shuttle' concept to Dhahran and Kuwait as well as additional intra-Gulf routes, says Qatar's manager revenue optimisation Jonathan Hinkles.
The turboprop service would act as a feeder at the airline's nascent Doha hub for long-haul flights. These are now operated by two A300s, which replaced the two B747s in January 1997.
Alongside the turboprops, Qatar would retain two of its four Boeing 727s to operate peak-time intra-Gulf flights as well as medium-haul flights, says Qatar's chairman Akbar Al Baker. These B727s may then be replaced by B737-800s or A321s.
But Qatar's former chief executive, Sheik Hamad Bin Ali Bin Jabor Al Thani, is sceptical that the shuttle service will succeed as 'people here are very nervous about turboprops; they prefer jets'.
The shuttle service also faces potential bilateral limitations. Frequencies to Dhahran and Kuwait, for example, are currently limited to only three per week.
The airline's expansion plans include new routes to Jeddah and Dhahran which are due to start up this month, along with a codeshare agreement with British Midland on UK sectors beyond London/Heathrow. The carrier plans further codeshares with United Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and American Airlines. The government plans to privatise the carrier once it is profitable in 1998/99, according to Al Baker.
Lois Jones
Source: Airline Business
