Qatar Airways launches Singapore service

Doha's national flag carrier Qatar Airways' maiden non-stop flight to Singapore touched down at Changi Airport this morning.

A senior delegation of Qatar Airways officials led by Mr Mohammed Saleh Fakhri, General Manager Commercial; Mr Ali Al Rais, Regional Manager Gulf, Yemen, Iran and CIS, and Mr Fathi Al Shehab, Regional Manager for Qatar and Africa, was welcomed by the airline's Mr Marwan Koleilat, Regional Manager Far East.

"Singapore represents Qatar Airways' continuing commitment to introduce its high quality service into the very heart of the Far East," Mr Fakhri said following a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the start of the service.

"As we continue to build an international route network of 60 destinations during the next two years, Qatar Airways will offer the people of the Far East a greater choice of destination, the latest in-flight services, new aircraft and Qatar Airways' world-class premium service," he declared.

Mr Fakhri said Singapore is the airline's 47th destination and becomes part of a growing Qatar Airways network in the Far East that includes Seoul, Shanghai, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila and Cebu in the southern Philippines.

"We're excited that we can offer our passengers the choice of Singapore which remains the very heart of Asia and provides visitors with a wonderful flavour of Asia," said Mr Fakhri.

"Singapore is also a major commercial centre and transport hub in the Asia-Pacific rim, and we are pleased we can now offer the city and its business opportunities to our business clientele," said Mr Fakhri.

Non-stop flights to Singapore leave Doha on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 2230 hrs, arriving at Singapore's Changi Airport at 1100 hrs the following morning.

Return flights leave Singapore at 0715 hrs and arrive in Doha International Airport at 1015 hrs local time.

The aircraft used for the Singapore service will be the Airbus A300-600 in a business-economy configuration.