Qatar Airways hosted a glittering gala dinner in Amman, Jordan, on Monday under the patronage of Prince Ali bin al-Hussein.
The gala dinner was attended by Prince Ali, Princess Rym Ali, Prince Asem bin Nayef, Princess Sanaa Asem, Prince Mired bin Raad, Princess Dina Mired, Princess Najla bint Asem, Princess Salha bint Asem, Jordan's Minister of Transport Anmar Khasawneh, Jordan's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Majd Shweikeh, president of the Jordanian House of Representatives Atef al-Tarawneh, Qatar Airways Group chief executive HE Akbar al-Baker, charge d’affaires of Qatar in Jordan Abdulaziz al-Sada, and Jordan's Ambassador to Qatar Zaid al-Lozi.
The event marked the opening of the airline’s new office in Amman.
Speaking at the gala, HE al-Baker said: “For Qatar Airways, Jordan is a key market. We serve Amman with three daily flights on some of the world’s most modern wide-body aircraft, including the revolutionary Airbus A350.
“The opening of this new office comes as a response to the increase in demand, which proves we have become a carrier of preference for the Jordanian market. We are now keen to enhance our services and expand our offerings to the Jordanian people, and I am confident that the new office will enable us to achieve this objective.
“Qatari visitors to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan registered the biggest rise among all tourists in 2018. Last year 23,700 Qataris visited this beautiful country compared to 11,800 in 2017, a giant leap of over 100%.”
During the gala dinner, Prince Ali and HE al-Baker had a photograph taken holding 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar-themed jerseys alongside the guest of honour, Bayern Munich football legend Lothar Matthäus, the only outfield player in the world to compete in five World Cup tournaments.
Guests at the gala dinner were treated to a performance by the talented Qatari singer and record producer, Fahad al-Kubaisi, who dedicated a special song to the VIPs, guests and the people of Jordan, reflecting on the strong relationship between the two countries.
Additionally, globally renowned Jordanian singer Omar al-Abdallat also performed a line-up of his most popular songs.
Earlier in the day, the airline hosted a media roundtable and a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open its new office in Amman.
In a press statement on Tuesday, the national carrier of Qatar stressed that it actively participates in numerous corporate social responsibility initiatives in Jordan, most notably its support for the King Hussein Cancer Centre.
Representatives from Qatar Airways visit the centre regularly and the airline’s Kids Club mascots have made special appearances and entertained the young patients.
Moreover, Qatar Airways has taken part in relief food distribution for underprivileged families in Jordan, in co-operation with Jordan Hashemite Charity Organisation, Qatar Charity and Qatar Red Crescent Society.
Qatar Airways has also expressed its desire to attract more Jordanian talent in many fields, including engineering, air crew and operations.
Last year, Qatar announced the creation of 10,000 jobs for Jordanian nationals in Qatar.
Currently, Qatar Airways operates 21 weekly flights between Doha and Amman.
In 2015, Qatar Airways and Royal Jordanian launched a codeshare agreement, allowing passengers of both airlines to benefit from connectivity to the most popular routes.
Since then, the agreement has expanded to allow Royal Jordanian passengers to travel to the East through Qatar Airways’ hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA).Known for its unique blend of old and new, Amman is a bustling city filled with restaurants, art galleries, traditional coffee shops and historic landmarks, catering to both business and leisure travellers.
Amman also provides convenient access to Jordan’s many magnificent historic and natural sites, including Petra, Jerash, Wadi Rum, Aqaba and the Dead Sea.
Qatar Airways currently operates a fleet of more than 250 aircraft via HIA to more than 160 destinations worldwide.
The airline has recently launched an array of new destinations, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, the Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; and Mogadishu, Somalia, with Langkawi, Malaysia and Gaborone, Botswana, slated to be added to its extensive route network in October.
