DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it now services the Atlanta market with its ultra-modern Airbus A350-900, bringing a new level of aerodynamics, design and advanced technology to international travellers in Atlanta. Skytrax’s reigning “Airline of the Year” has marked the occasion with a water canon salute and special celebration at the airport for its passengers in celebration of the inaugural service, which included surprising passengers with a celebratory Qatar Airways-themed cake and refreshments as well as complimentary in-flight Wi-Fi.
The airline operates daily flights from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and is the only carrier to offer nonstop flights between Atlanta and Qatar, connecting corporate and leisure travellers in the Atlanta market to more than 150 destinations worldwide via the airline’s home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha, Qatar.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are exceptionally proud to deploy the state-of-the-art A350 aircraft on our popular Atlanta-Doha route. Since our arrival in Atlanta in 2016, we’ve been honoured to provide the utmost travel experience to the local community, as Atlanta has been and continues to be a key route for business and leisure traffic. With our extensive network and Doha-based hub, we offer geographic advantages other airlines cannot; conveniently connecting passengers to the Far East, Africa and the Middle East. With our A350 arrival, Atlantans will continue to enjoy unprecedented levels of comfort and innovation that will meet their long-haul demands.”
Qatar Airways was the global launch customer of the Airbus A350 in December 2014, and debuted the ultra-modern aircraft in the United States in January 2016 to Philadelphia. Just last month, the award-winning airline welcomed Airbus’ newest twin-aisle jet, the Airbus A350-1000, for which it is the global launch customer once again.
The state-of-the-art aircraft features 36 seats in Business Class in a spacious 1-2-1 configuration, featuring 80-inch fully flat horizontal beds and a 247 seating capacity in Economy Class in a 3-3-3 layout. In addition to being Wi-Fi enabled, passengers in all classes can enjoy more than 4,000 entertainment options on Qatar Airways’ award-winning Oryx One in-flight entertainment system. Encompassing a host of eco-efficiency features, the aircraft is equipped with LED mood lighting that help reduce the effect of jetlag and maximize passenger comfort. Further, passengers will experience less fatigue upon arrival thanks to the aircraft’s optimal air management system, which filters the air every few minutes and controls the humidity level onboard.
As part of its continued expansion plans, the airline recently launched services to Chiang Mai and Pattaya, Thailand; Penang, Malaysia; Canberra, Australia, and plans a host of exciting route launches for 2018-19, including London Gatwick and Cardiff, United Kingdom; Lisbon, Portugal; Tallinn, Estonia; Valletta, Malta; Cebu and Davao, Philippines; Langkawi, Malaysia; Da Nang, Vietnam; Bodrum, Antalya and Hatay, Turkey; Mykonos and Thessaloniki, Greece and Málaga, Spain.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was recently named ‘Airline of the Year’ by the 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards, which was held at the Paris Air Show. The airline has also been recently awarded the APEX Passenger Choice award™ for ‘Best Overall Airline: Middle East’; ‘Best Food and Beverage: Middle East'; 'Best Cabin Service: Middle East’; and ‘Best Seat Comfort: Middle East’ by the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX).