Qatar Airways’ inaugural flight landed at Larnaca International Airport in Cyprus yesterday, marking the airline’s 138th destination from Doha.

The inaugural flight signals the start of a four-time weekly service to Larnaca that will be operated by an Airbus A320, with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy.

The flight, which carried Qatar Airways dignitaries as well as commercial passengers, was greeted with a traditional water cannon salute. The CEO of Hermes Airports, Wes Porter, led the welcoming committee.

Marwan Koleilat, Qatar Airways chief commercial officer, said: “Cyprus is a fantastic destination and Qatar Airways is thrilled to be providing this new scheduled service to Larnaca. At Qatar Airways, we strive to provide our passengers with a strong global network of business and leisure destinations, and the city of Larnaca is a welcome new addition to our extensive route map.

“Scheduled flights between Cyprus and Qatar have long been an aspiration for the airline and we believe travellers will truly appreciate our five-star service, together with the enhanced network of flights to more than 135 destinations around the world.”

The new route is expected to become a popular choice for both business and leisure passengers, expanding bilateral relations between Cyprus and Qatar. The launch of the airline’s flights to Larnaca signals a strengthening connection between the two countries that opens up new opportunities for mutually beneficial relations, by promoting and expanding economic and trade relations.

“The arrival of Qatar Airways at Larnaca is an important milestone not only for Hermes Airports, but also for the Republic of Cyprus. This new route will not only promote and support tourism development between Cyprus and Qatar, but also improve the connectivity of Cyprus to the east,” said Porter.

“Likewise, it will be an excellent opportunity for Qatar Airways to develop its accessibility to Europe through Cyprus. This inaugural flight is an opportunity to acknowledge the excellent co-operation between Cyprus and Qatar and we are looking forward to seeing further development of our business relations.”

The Doha-Larnaca service, running four times a week, will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. The schedule is as follows: QR265 departing Doha at 8.10am and arriving in Larnaca at 12noon, and QR266 departing Larnaca at 2.10pm and arriving in Doha at 5:45pm.

Qatar Airways has recently taken advantage of its alliance network with the commencement of code shares with fellow oneworld member Cathay Pacific. The codeshare provides added benefits for passengers who are already able to take advantage of lounge access, increased connectivity and over 14,000 daily departures.