Philadelphia (PHL) will become Qatar Airways’ fifth U.S. gateway when the carrier launches once-daily nonstop service to Doha (DOH) beginning March 1.
“Philadelphia is one of the major hubs of the soon-to-be merged American Airlines/US Airways and will provide Qatar Airways’ customers with onward connections to over 100 cities,” said Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, during the opening day of a Middle East travel exhibition in Dubai.
From its hub in Doha, Qatar Airways serves 126 destinations worldwide. The new Philadelphia route will give travelers direct access to connections across the Middle East, Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. Incoming Qatar passengers will benefit from the extensive domestic network operated by US Airways and, following the carriers’ merger, by the expanded American Airlines network.
Currently, Qatar operates 24 weekly flights from U.S. gateways — New York (JFK), Washington, D.C. (IAD), Houston (IAH) and Chicago (ORD) — to Doha.
“Qatar is bucking the trend across the industry, demonstrating that we are resilient in times of global economic austerity,” Al Baker added. “While others are cutting back, we see opportunities to expand our global footprint.”
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