The inaugural flight marks a historic moment in Middle East aviation
1 April 2024
Doha, Qatar: Hamad International Airport (DOH) has announced the commencement of daily operations by Japan Airlines, linking Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) in Japan with Hamad International Airport in Qatar.
The inaugural flight, operated on 31 March 2024 by a Boeing 787-9 aircraft with a capacity of 203 seats, marks the first-ever flight to the Middle East by a Japanese airline – signifying a historic moment in the aviation industry.
Commenting on this historic partnership, Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President of Finance and Procurement at Hamad International Airport, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Japan Airlines to the Middle East through its renowned hub in Doha. The launch of Japan Airlines’ daily flights from Tokyo Haneda to Hamad International Airport is a landmark achievement and a testament to the flourishing partnership between both Qatar and Japan. Combining Japan Airlines’ latest launch with Qatar Airways’ recent resumption to Osaka, is projected to result in a 50% increase in weekly flight frequency between Qatar and Japan, which underscores Hamad International Airport’s commitment to advancing global travel and enhancing passenger experiences”.
“Our new Doha service is the first direct flight to the Middle East operated by a Japanese airline. It perfectly complements JAL’s global network and enables customers to seamlessly connect to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America through our partnership with Qatar Airways, a member of the same oneworld alliance as JAL,” said Ross Leggett, Japan Airlines Managing Executive Officer, Route Marketing Senior Vice President. “The demand for business and leisure travel from Doha to Asia continues to grow, and we are excited to offer JAL’s renowned five-star service and unique approach to hospitality to even more travellers,” Leggett added.
Qatar Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Thierry Antinori said: “We are very pleased to welcome our oneworld partner Japan Airlines to Doha and look forward to further building our successful relationship for the worldwide customers flying from and to Japan and North Asia. It is wonderful to see how our strategy to leverage Hamad International Airport’s position as a global five-star rated hub, continues to yield results and we hope to continue to attract even more partner airlines to this major gateway and stopover destination in the future.”
The inclusion of Japan Airlines as the 10th oneworld airline at Hamad International Airport further solidifies the airport’s status as a crucial oneworld hub – promising world-class services and connectivity to over 190 passenger destinations. The introduction of Japan Airlines’ direct flights to Doha is expected to stimulate travel demand and foster stronger trade ties between Qatar and Japan. By offering more travel options for Japanese passengers to major destinations in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East via Hamad International Airport, the service aims to promote increased cultural exchange and economic collaboration, benefiting passengers and industries alike.
Hamad International Airport’s recent partnerships continue to highlight Qatar’s commitment to enhancing its tourism offerings in alignment with Qatar’s National Vision 2030 – showcasing the importance of the airport’s innovative air service development strategy which has proven instrumental in facilitating numerous airlines’ seamless establishment of routes to and from the region.
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About Hamad International Airport:
Designed to meet and exceed the expectations of global travellers, Hamad International Airport is a diverse lifestyle destination of its own. Housed in one expansive terminal, the airport integrates contemporary shopping and dining options, entertainment and relaxation facilities, and a world-class art collection from internationally acclaimed artists.
Hamad International Airport’s excellence and commitment to passenger service led to the airport receiving the titles of” World’s Best Airport” for 2021 and 2022, “World’s Second-Best Airport” for 2023, “Best Airport 15 to 20 Million Passengers”, “World’s Best Airport for Shopping” 2023, “Cleanest Airport in the Middle East” 2023 and “Best Airport in the Middle East” for the 9th consecutive year at the SKYTRAX World Airport Awards 2023.
Hamad International Airport has successfully completed the first Phase of its airport expansion project, which has significantly increased capacity and enhanced its multi-dimensional offering. Delivering on its promise to be the ‘airport-of-the-future’, Hamad International Airport’s expansion features a refreshing environment of lush greenery, as well as contemporary retail and dining concepts among other leisure attractions and facilities.
The airport’s commercial and operation functions are managed by MATAR, the Qatar Company for Airports Management and Operation, and a corporate subsidiary of Qatar Airways Group.
For more information, visit Hamad International Airport’s website www.dohahamadairport.com and follow the airport’s latest news on Hamad International Airport’s social media channels:
X: @HIAQatar, Facebook: HIAQatar, Instagram: @HIAQatar, YouTube: @HIAQatar, TikTok: HIAQatar
About Japan Airlines: Japan Airlines (JAL), Japan’s first private aviation company, was established in 1951 and is a member of the oneworld® Alliance. The airline operates a fleet of 226 aircraft and began renewing its international long-haul aircraft with the Airbus A350-1000 starting 2023 Winter Schedule. Together with other JAL Group and partner airlines, JAL offers an extensive domestic and international network that serves 376 airports across 64 countries/regions. The airline has received numerous accolades for its exceptional service, including being recognized as a certified 5-Star Airline by Skytrax and being awarded the prestigious “World Class” Airline title by APEX, the Airline Passenger Experience Association. JAL takes great pride in its on-time performance and is regarded as one of the most punctual airlines globally. The airline is dedicated to ensuring the highest standards of flight safety and overall service quality, striving to be the most preferred airline by customers worldwide. The JAL Group recognizes that action to address climate change is a particularly important issue for the sustainability of society, and in June 2020, the group announced its commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
