Qatar Airways celebrates new Guangzhou flights

Dignitaries from Guangzhou were joined by airport officials and local and Qatar-based media to welcome Al Baker and his delegation from Doha for the official arrival ceremony.

A cake-cutting ceremony, together with speeches, marked the official celebrations.

The airline launched flights to the southern Chinese port city last month and has now embarked on a few days of activities in Guangzhou to promote the new route.

On arrival, Al Baker praised Chinese government and airport officials for making the airline's latest route a huge success.

Addressing the gathering, he said: 'On behalf of Qatar Airways, I would like to express my delight and pride to see yet another route added to our network in China.

'Just last week we inaugurated our services to Guangzhou and today we are officially celebrating the launch with this wonderful airport ceremony. I congratulate and applaud the authorities for welcoming Qatar Airways here with open arms.

'With Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong Kong already firmly established in our rapidly growing international network, the addition of Guangzhou only reinforces our commitment to the travelling public to and from China, and the Chinese economy as a whole.'

Al Baker added: 'Qatar Airways now flies 20 services a week non-stop between Doha and four cities across China. And I am delighted to say that in just a few weeks' time, beginning May 1, we will add another weekly flight on the Guangzhou route to give passengers more choice.'

Guangzhou is Qatar Airways' 82nd route - and 15th destination in the Far East. The route is operated with an Airbus A330 in a two-class configuration of up to 24 seats in Business Class and a maximum 248 seats in Economy.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 62 Airbus and Boeing aircraft to diverse and exciting cities across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Far East and North America. The airline has more than 200 aircraft on order worth over US$ 30 billion for delivery over the next few years.

Qatar Airways is one of an elite group of carriers with a Five Star ranking for service and excellence awarded by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry research company. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways' cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fifth year running in 2007 following a survey of more than 15 million passengers.