Qatar Airways will spare no effort to develop cooperation with EU

DOHA: Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker has said the illegal blockade imposed on the State of Qatar had reduced the number of daily flights to the country’s national carrier from 600 to 440, or 27 percent per day.

Qatar Airways offices were closed by force and without prior notice by local authorities in the blockading states. These actions, perpetrated without warning and justification, imposed significant human hardship on the families separated as a result, with 18 air corridors immediately reduced to just two corridors. Elaborate measures were necessary to assure safe operations into and out of Qatar, Al Baker said.

He added that Qatar Airways will spare no effort to develop cooperation with the concerned parties in the European Union with the application of an open and fair aviation system, supported by good governance and the rule of law around the world.

Al Baker marked a world first by becoming the first airline leader outside of the European Union to personally address the European Parliaments Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN).

Qatar Airways has a strong economic footprint in the European Union and provides direct employment to 1,100 residents, while contracts with manufacturer Airbus are valued at almost €27bn.

The airline currently flies to 31 destinations across 21 member countries of the European Union, connecting passengers to its network of more than 150 global gateways, he said.

Last month, the European Union and the State of Qatar concluded the fourth successful round of negotiations for a Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement, with both sides reaching agreement on 70 percent of the provisions, including those on safety, security and air traffic management.

This follows a 2017 Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority and the European Safety Agency, with a view to creating a joint framework on regulatory and aviation safety issues.