Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific in strategic deal; Cathay to debut Doha route on March 30

Under the new agreement, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways will each operate one flight between Hong Kong and Qatar daily.

Qatar Airways and Cathay Pacific, both Oneworld alliance members, have announced a “strategic agreement” on services operated by both the airlines between Hong Kong and Doha, from March 30.

Sales have commenced yesterday, the airlines said in a joint statement.

The agreement between the two airlines is expected to generate a wide range of benefits for customers.

Under the new agreement, Cathay Pacific and Qatar Airways will each operate one flight between Hong Kong and Qatar daily, offering “premium” products and services to passengers travelling to and from the two cities.

Cathay Pacific makes its debut on the Doha route on March 30, launching a daily service using Airbus A330-300 aircraft with a three-class configuration — business, premium economy and economy Class.

The new agreement will give customers of both airlines “more opportunities” to earn and redeem frequent flyer points or miles. Top-tier members from Cathay Pacific’s The Marco Polo Club and Qatar Airways’ The Privilege Club will enjoy reciprocal benefits when travelling on flights between Hong Kong and Qatar, including lounge access, extra baggage allowances, priority boarding and many other priority services.

Qatar Airways’ CEO Akbar al-Baker said: “Qatar Airways is delighted to extend our Oneworld partnership with Cathay Pacific with this new initiative as it will offer our passengers the opportunity to enjoy an even greater range of five-star benefits. The advantages of this agreement, such as premium lounge access and extra baggage allowances, reflect our ongoing commitment to ensure that we offer the highest standard of in-flight experience.”

Cathay Pacific chief executive John Slosar said: “Cathay Pacific has a strong commitment to serving the Middle East. We are pleased to enter into this agreement with Oneworld partner Qatar Airways, and at the same time launch our own new service to Doha. This exciting business opportunity will help us maximise the potential of the market between Qatar and Hong Kong and enable both airlines to create synergies that will improve the overall travel experience for our customers.”