Qatar's national carrier Qatar Airways looks forward to expanding its air transportation network to Russia, as the tourism industry, heavily hit by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, gradually recovers, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker told Sputnik on Monday
DOHA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 31st May, 2021) Qatar's national carrier Qatar Airways looks forward to expanding its air transportation network to Russia, as the tourism industry, heavily hit by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, gradually recovers, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker told Sputnik on Monday.
Representatives of the air company are among key participants of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), which will be held from June 2-5 in person at the ExpoForum Convention and Exhibition Centre.
"We would like to resume flights to St. Petersburg as soon as possible as well as look at increasing the frequency of our flights to Moscow. As the global recovery of travel continues, we will keep looking for further opportunities to expand in Russia for both our passenger and cargo operations," Al Baker said.
Among other things, the company's chief executive noted that Qatar Airways offers "a safe and smooth transit via our five-star award-winning hub" Hamad International Airport near Doha to such destinations as the Maldives, Seychelles, South Africa, Latin America, the United States and other ones within its extensive air network.
Additionally, Al Baker said that Qatar Executive, a business jet subsidiary of Qatar Airways, has a long history in the Russian market, with the division having operated many flights out of Russia just in the previous year.
"Qatar Executive, the private jet charter division of Qatar Airways Group, has a longstanding commitment to the Russian market operating many flights out of Russia in 2020 alone. Luxury jet services are available for worldwide charter on board the operator's wholly-owned business jet fleet. Qatar Executive is the largest commercial operator of the Gulfstream G650ER worldwide," the CEO said.
Al Baker also highlighted the importance of the continued partnership with Russia due to the almost 18-year cooperation with the nation, and added that Russia continues to be an extremely important market for the Gulf country.
The Rossiya Segodnya International Information Agency, the umbrella media organization that includes such brands as Sputnik, RIA Novosti, InoSMI, and Baltnews, among others, is an official media partner of the event.
