The inaugural flight of Qatar Airways’ A380 touches down at London Heathrow.
Doha
Qatar Airways’ first A380 has commenced services on the Doha-London route, marking another major milestone for the airline.
The arrival of the world’s largest commercial airliner on the Doha-London service reinforces Qatar Airways’ presence in the UK, with six flights a day between the two cities in addition to direct services from Doha to Edinburgh and Manchester.
The airline will add a second A380 to the Doha-London route in December, it said in a statement.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said: “We are delighted to witness the beginning of the first Qatar Airways A380 commercial service.
“Qatar Airways is committed to offering our passengers the best possible experience when it comes to travelling with our airline, and this aircraft, with its customised interior, will set a new level of comfort for our passengers, who will also benefit from a smooth and pleasant passenger experience at the world’s newest airport, Hamad International Airport (HIA).”
Qatar Airways took delivery of its first A380 on September 17, with the inaugural flight to London taking off on October 10. The aircraft is the first of 13 on order and has commenced operations on the QR003 and QR004 London-Doha services.
Featuring a tri-class configuration of first, business and economy class seating over two decks, the Qatar Airways A380 is designed to offer the airline’s signature service. There are a total of 517 seats, with eight in first class, 48 in business and 461 in economy.
Qatar Airways is the first airline in the world to offer the next-generation Thales (AVANT 4th generation) in-flight system on the A380, the statement said. The Android-based system features a touchscreen handset, giving users a “second screen experience” where they can watch a movie on their main screen and follow the flight progress on the moving map on their handset.
Passengers travelling from Doha can experience world-class facilities at HIA, while first and business class passengers departing from London can avail themselves of the Qatar Airways Premium Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4.
