Qatar Airways’ first flight from Doha to Rabat landed on Wednesday at Rabat–Salé Airport, marking the airline’s third gateway to Morocco, it was announced on Thursday.
Qatar Airways flight QR 1463, on a Boeing 787, was welcomed with a celebratory water cannon salute upon arrival in the Moroccan capital.
Present on board the inaugural flight to Rabat was Qatar Airways senior vice-president for Middle East, Africa and Pakistan, Ehab Amin.
VIPs present to greet the flight included Qatar’s ambassador to Morocco Abdulla Falah al-Dosari, minister plenipotentiary Khaled Mohamed al-Dosari, Morocco’s Civil Aviation Authority general manager Zakaria Belghazi, Air Transport Morocco general manager Tarik Talibi, Rabat deputy mayor Khalid Moujaouir, and the president of Regional Tourism Council in Rabat, Hassan Bargach.
Services to Rabat will be served three times per week by a Boeing 787 aircraft, featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive HE Akbar al-Baker said: “We are delighted to launch services to Rabat, a beautiful coastal city and key business hub.
“This new gateway to Morocco will strengthen Qatar Airways’ already robust presence in the Moroccan market, while providing our passengers travelling from Morocco enhanced connectivity to our extensive global route map of more than 160 destinations.
“Rabat, the country’s capital, is also a major commercial and administrative centre, making it a key destination for business travellers, both from the region and internationally.”
Moroccan Airports Authority chief executive Zouhair Mohamed El Aoufir said: “We are pleased to welcome Qatar Airways as one of our airline partners operating flights to the Rabat-Salé airport.
“This new route continues to enrich the airport’s offers, and certainly opens further opportunities for Rabat, the city of lights.
“This new route, in addition to the existing Doha-Casablanca route, strengthens our ambition to developing long-haul flights to this airport, as well as reflecting the strong relationship and cooperation between our two countries.”
Visitors to Rabat can enjoy a wide variety of activities, including shopping for textiles, jewellery and crafts in the many traditional souqs in the city’s Old Medina.
Tourists can also visit the Andalusian Gardens, a tranquil oasis where visitors can wander and admire the many traditional Andalusian flowers and shrubs, including orange, lemon and banana trees.
Qatar Airways also operates daily flights to Casablanca on a Boeing 777.
Additionally, the carrier’s joint business agreement partner, Royal Air Maroc, provides five weekly flights from Casablanca to Doha.
Services to Rabat are operated three times weekly via Marrakech.
As well as enjoying the award-winning in-flight service on board, passengers travelling to Rabat will also have access to Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system, offering the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more.
A multiple-award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named “World’s Best Business Class” by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
It was also named “Best Business Class Seat”, “Best Airline in the Middle East”, and “World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge”.
Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport to more than 160 destinations worldwide.
The airline will add a number of new destinations to its extensive route network in 2019, including Malta, Davao in the Philippines, Lisbon, Mogadishu, and Langkawi in Malaysia.
The Doha-Rabat flight schedule until October 26, 2019 (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday): Doha (DOH) to Marrakech (RAK) QR1463 departs at 10.10am and arrives at 3.10pm; Marrakech (RAK) to Rabat (RBA) QR1463 departs at 4.30pm and arrives at 5.30pm; and Rabat (RBA) to Doha (DOH) QR1463 departs at 6.40pm and arrives at 4.25am the next day.
