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| ANA and Qatar Airways to Code-share on new Osaka-Doha and Domestic Japan Routes - Expansion of Cooperation also includes more code-share flights on Bangkok-Doha - |
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| TOKYO February ,10 2005 - ANA (All Nippon Airways) and Qatar Airways will expand their partnership from the start of the summer schedule, 2005. ANA will place its two letter code, NH, on Qatar Airways’ operated four weekly flights between the Qatari capital, Doha, and Japan’s commercial centre, Osaka (Kansai) from March 31, the day of the inauguration of the new service linking the two cities. The service not only covers passenger traffic, but also cargo and mail services. This will mark the first time Qatar Airways flies directly to Japan. | ||||
| The expanded arrangements also include more code-share flights on the Bangkok-Doha route. Since February 1, the two airlines have been code-sharing on three of seven weekly flights operated by Qatar Airways between Bangkok and Doha. From March 27, this will increase to a daily code-share service. | ||||
| In another first, Qatar Airways will also place its QR flight code on ANA operated domestic flights within Japan, between Osaka Kansai and Tokyo Haneda, Fukuoka and Sapporo. The domestic code-share flights will come into operation on April 1. | ||||
| “This is the latest development in ties between ANA and Qatar Airways, which began with a reciprocal Frequent Flyer Programme agreement on December 1 last year,” said Katsuhiko Kitabayashi, ANA’s Senior Vice President Alliances. “With direct code-share flights to Doha from Osaka linking in to the ANA domestic network, we are bringing the dynamic and growing state of Qatar nearer to Japan, making life easier for customers who can now travel under the flight code which is most familiar to them.” | ||||
| Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker added: “This code-share is a significant development for Qatar Airways as we prepare to launch dedicated non-stop flights between Doha and Osaka.“ We are extremely pleased to be working with Japan’s premier airline to help boost traffic between our two countries and look forward to developing our partnership over time.” | ||||
| About Qatar Airways Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world with an average age of under three years old. Formed in 1994 and relaunched in 1997, Qatar Airways operates to 59 destinations worldwide with a fleet of 40 modern all-Airbus aircraft from its operational hub in Doha, capital of the State of Qatar in the Arabian Gulf. Its global network covers Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian subcontinent and the Far East. By the end of 2005, the airline plans to serve at least 70 destinations worldwide. Qatar Airways is one of only three airlines to be awarded the prestigious Five Star ranking by Skytrax for high levels of service and excellence. Skytrax is the independent aviation industry monitoring agency. |
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| About ANA ANA came into existence in 1952, and over 50 years later is now one of the 10 largest airlines in the world, carrying with its sister companies almost 50 million passengers every year to 49 destinations in Japan, and to 22 overseas cities in Asia, Europe, the United States and the Pacific. As a member of Star Alliance, the world's foremost airline alliance, ANA passengers enjoy access to a network of over 770 airport destinations in 133 countries, and reciprocal benefits such as mileage accrual and redemption, and lounge access. |
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| Details of code-share flights covered by the agreement | ||||
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