Qatar Airways offers BBC World news on-board all flights

BBC World, the BBC's 24-hour international news and information channel, and Qatar Airways have signed a new distribution agreement making BBC World News programmes available as part of the airline's in-flight entertainment service. Qatar Airways' operates flights from its hub airport in Doha to 38 destinations worldwide.

The new service will offer passengers BBC World News presented daily from London and featuring reports from BBC's unparalleled network of global correspondents.

"In keeping with our aim to offer the highest levels of hospitality, Qatar Airways is committed to giving our passengers the best in-flight services," said Qatar Airways' Chief Executive Officer Mr Akbar Al Baker.

"Qatar Airways is delighted to provide its passengers with a new offering in the form of BBC World news which will help them keep informed about the latest events around the world.

"This is the age of information and Qatar Airways has now put the world at its passengers' finger tips," Mr Al Baker added.

Commenting on the new distribution, Zina Neophytou, Travel Distribution Manager, BBC World said, " We are really delighted to have completed this agreement with Qatar Airways enabling more air passengers around the world to tune into BBC World while they are travelling.

"It builds on our existing distribution on airlines, in hotels and airports, in the Gulf region and is in line with a global trend to offering people news they can trust wherever they are."

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world. The airline currently has a fleet of 19 Airbus aircraft and flies to 38 destinations. In the past year they have added seven new destinations to their network and aim to have expanded to 50 by the year 2005.

BBC World, the BBC's commercially funded international 24-hour news and information channel, is owned and operated by BBC World Ltd, a member of the BBC's commercial group of companies. Reaching 241 million homes and 870,000 hotel rooms in over 200 countries and territories worldwide (96 million 24-hour homes), BBC World launched in its present format in 1995 and is funded by advertising and subscription.