Business Travel Sector Focus The latest news from the sectors that matter to business Qatar Airways resumes flights
Qatar Airways – which operates flights from the Middle East to Birmingham – has resumed flights to a number of key destinations. They include Algiers, Kiev, Miami, Phuket, Seychelles,
Tbilisi and Warsaw. In addition, Qatar is launching flights to two new
destinations this month, to Luanda, Angola, and San Francisco. The airline said its investment in twin-engine, fuel-efficient aircraft had enabled it to continue flying throughout the crisis, and would position it to ‘lead the sustainable recovery of global travel’. Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker
said: “We are delighted to continue rebuilding our network, resuming routes and adding new destinations. We have made it our priority to not only restart most of our existing destinations as soon as possible but also to launch new routes. Our fleet of technologically advanced, sustainable aircraft has enabled us to lead the industry operating more frequencies to provide our passengers increased connectivity and the flexibility to travel when they want. “With more than 700 weekly flights currently to just
over 100 destinations, and plans to increase our network to more than 125 destinations by the end of the winter season, our passengers will enjoy more
Flying high: Qatar Airways has resumed flights to more of its destinations, and is launching two new services this month
options to travel when they want across the globe, safely and reliably.” Qatar’s fuel-efficient, twin-engine aircraft include the
largest fleet of Airbus A350 aircraft. Due to Covid’s impact on travel demand, the airline has grounded its fleet of larger Airbus A380s, as it is not environmentally justifiable to operate these in the current market. Qatar Airways has also recently launched a new
programme that enables passengers to voluntarily offset the carbon emissions associated with their journey at the point of booking.
Covid crisis damages international travel
Double boost for
aviation industry The aviation industry received a double boost with the announcement of a new Covid testing strategy to cut quarantine times and business rates relief for airports. The new ‘test-to-release’
strategy means passengers arriving in England are able to halve their quarantine period if they pay for a Covid test. The Government also unveiled a new financial package for English commercial airports and ground handlers, which will help them pay their business rates. Chamber chief executive Paul
Faulkner, said: “This announcement will hopefully go someway to shoring up confidence in the market. “We are also delighted to see
that the Chancellor intends to help organisations such as Birmingham Airport in helping them pay their business rates - hopefully this will go someway to safeguarding jobs.”
Sector Focus
Travel trade crisis (left to right): Andrew Guthrie, Jac Travel; Lana Bennett, Tours International; Joss Croft, UKinbound; Dirk Peltzer, All in Tours; Emmanuelle Spriet – Toussaint, E-voyages Ltd; Simon Maxwell, Harrison Maxwell
The collapse in international visitors due to the coronavirus crisis is costing the UK economy £457m a week, it is claimed. The figures are from travel trade association ‘UKinbound’, which is demanding urgent action from the Government to save the tourism sector. UKinbound says that the Covid
crisis has brought export industry inbound tourism to a near standstill. As a result, the UK economy is
projected to be losing £457m a week this year through the loss of visitor spending in the UK.
UK tour operators and
destination management companies (DMCs) are facing a precarious future, with just 17 per cent being confident about the next 12 months and 60 per cent fearing that they will be unable to survive.
UKinbound wants an “Inbound
Tourism Resilience Fund” and has submitted a proposal to the Treasury enabling tour operators and DMCs to apply for a capped grant award fund based on the level of turnover lost in 2020 and forecast operating costs.
December 2020/January 2021 CHAMBERLINK 63
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