Qatar Airways is celebrating fifteen years of flying direct flights from Nairobi, Kenya’s capital and Doha.
The national carrier to the State of Qatar currently operates double-daily flights between Nairobi and Doha serviced by its modern fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner, featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.
“Over the past 15 years, Nairobi has demonstrated its importance as a business and leisure market becoming one of our most popular destinations with global travelers,” Qatar Airways Vice President Commercial Africa, Hendrik Du Preez, said at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport during the celebrations.
“Famed for its safaris and energetic nightlife, Nairobi offers visitors a truly memorable and authentic experience. Residents of Kenya have also benefited from Qatar Airways’ globally connected network and partnerships with local carriers, making us the airline of choice during their travels.”
Hendrik Du Preez says Qatar Airways is proud to have provided over a decade of quality international service for their valued travelers in Kenya, and “We are looking forward to serving this important gateway for many years to come.”
The award-winning airline began scheduled services from Nairobi on 15 November 2005 and Mombasa on 9 December 2018.
In 2006, Qatar Airways Cargo launched dedicated freighters, introducing significant freight capacity for Kenyan exports, especially perishables such as flowers, fruits, fish and vegetables which are transported mainly to Europe and Middle East.
Currently, the cargo carrier operates fourteen belly-hold flights and six freighters every week, offering more than 600 tonnes of combined cargo capacity each way.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar Airways Cargo continued operating its scheduled twice-weekly with A330 freighters and four times weekly with Boeing 777 freighters to Nairobi along with freight charters.
By the end of 2020, Qatar Airways will operate to 19 destinations in Africa, including Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Durban, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Kigali, Kilimanjaro, Lagos, Luanda, Maputo, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Seychelles, Tunis, and Zanzibar.
In celebration of more than 100 aircraft being fitted with Super Wi-Fi, the airline is currently offering all passengers free on-board Wi-Fi connectivity until 2 January 2021.
Qatar Airways now offers the largest number of aircraft equipped with high-speed broadband connectivity in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
By the end of the IATA Winter Season, Qatar Airways plans to rebuild its network to 126 destinations including 20 in Africa, 11 in the Americas, 42 in Asia-Pacific, 38 in Europe, and 15 in the Middle East. Many cities will be served with a strong schedule with daily or more frequencies.
