Page 68 - World Airnews February Magazine Edition 2021

AIRLINES

QATAR FLIES THROUGH

SAUDI AIRSPACE

atar Airways has begun to
Qre-route fl ights through Saudi
airspace as authorised under the terms of
an agreement reached among members
of the Gulf co-operation council and Egypt

that eased the airspace restrictions they
imposed on Qatar in 2017.

The first flight left Doha for Johannes-
burg, South Africa and the airline said in a
tweet just ahead of a statement from the

International Civil Aviation Organisation

(ICAO) that welcomed the deal.
The agreement, brokered by the US and
Kuwait and reached during the GCC annual

summit, lifts the economic and diplomat-
ic boycott imposed on Qatar by Saudi

Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt
and Bahrain and allows Qatar Airways to aviation safety, security, and sustainability.”

resume normal flight operations over those Imposed ostensibly in response to cated access to Africa.

countries. Qatar’s alleged support of Islamic ex- For its part, ICAO established contingency

“This resolution to the former Gulf tremists and Iran, the restrictions forced routes through its regional office in Cairo to

airspace restrictions will help assure that the Qatari flag carrier to reroute flights ensure safe and regular international flights
the important socio-economic benefits of to many of its international destinations in and out of the gas-rich Gulf state.

international air connectivity can be better through Iranian airspace, often resulting “We were grateful to fulfil this important

optimised among all the countries con- in significant increases in block time and role when called upon and to help assure

cerned,” said council president Salvatore fuel consumption. On flights to points that international air transport in the af-
Sciacchitano. east and south of Doha, the airline had fected areas remained as safe, secure, and

“ICAO's role is to work with and among to make minor detours over the Strait of efficient as possible while the restrictions
sovereign states to ensure more open skies Hormuz to avoid UAE airspace, while the were in force,” said ICAO secretary general
globally, and continuously improving levels of inability to fly over Saudi Arabia compli- Fang Liu. Q

NEWS
A TRIO OF 777
FREIGHTERS
Qatar Airways Cargo now operates 24 like Qatar Airways Cargo as fewer stops
of this airplane models along with two reduce landing fees, congestion, cargo

hree Boeing 777 freighters 747-8 Freighters. handling costs and delivery times.

Thave been delivered to Qatar "These new freighters inject more Ihssane Mounir, senior vice president,

Airways Cargo – marking the 200th 777 capacity in the market and enables us to commercial sales and marketing, The

Freighter to be delivered. support the logistics around the COVID-19 Boeing Company, said "We deeply ap-

The triple delivery comes as air vaccination," said Qatar Airways group preciate our long-standing partnership

freight is playing a pivotal role amid the chief executive Akbar Al Baker. with Qatar Airways and their confidence

COVID-19 pandemic – including trans- The 777 Freighter can fly 4,970 nau- in the 777 freighters as the backbone

porting newly approved vaccines – and tical miles (9,200 kms) and carry a pay- of their expansive global air cargo

is projected to increase more than 4% load of 224,900 pounds (102,010 kg). operations."
over the next two decades. The airplane's long range translates The 777 Freighter is now Boeing's top

With the arrival of the trio means into significant savings for operators selling freighter. Q
World Airnews | February 2021
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