Qatar Airways to launch flights to Manchester

From April 2 Qatar Airways will launch four flights a week to Manchester, Britain's third largest airport, taking the carrier's schedule to the UK from 11 flights to 15 a week.

Qatar Airways will operate to Manchester from Dubai every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

On Tuesdays and Saturdays flight QR115 will leave Dubai International Airport at 23.45 arriving in Doha for the connecting non-stop flight to Manchester – QR041 – which leaves at 01.25 every Wednesday and Sunday  arriving in Manchester at 06.25.

On Mondays and Thursdays, flight QR101 departs Dubai International at 10.30am arriving in Doha for the connecting flight to Manchester – QR043 – which departs Doha International at 12.35 and arrives Manchester 17.55.

Qatar Airways service from Abu Dhabi to Manchester will operate four times a week. On Mondays and Thursdays, flight QR125 will leave Abu Dhabi International at 10.55am for the flight to Doha and the connecting QR043 service to Manchester.

On Saturdays and Tuesdays, flight QR129 will leave Abu Dhabi at 23.40 for the connecting Doha-Manchester QR041.

"The flights to Manchester mean that Qatar Airways’ customers can now enter the UK via Heathrow or Manchester," said the airline's Regional Manager for the Arabian Peninsula, Iran and the CIS, Mr Ali al Rais.

Qatar Airways will initially be using a twin-engined, wide-bodied Airbus A300-600R aircraft on its Doha-Manchester route, with 224 seats in a  three-class configuration. The service will have 12 seats in First Class, 18 in Business Class and 194 in Economy.

Now flying to 39 destinations in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Qatar Airways has chalked out an ambitious growth plan under the stewardship of its Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker. The plan aims to increase the carrier's number of destinations to over 50 and double its fleet strength within the next two years. Qatar Airways currently has a fleet of 21  Airbus aircraft, which will grow to 28 by the end of 2003.

Qatar Airways also includes a number of subsidiary companies, including Qatar Duty Free, Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Aircraft Catering Company, Qatar Airways Holidays and the Qatar Distribution Company.