Qatar Airways' operations in China returns to pre-pandemic levels, boosted by strong bilateral ties: executive

Qatar Airways' operations in China have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with the strong bilateral relationships between China and Qatar cited as one of the driving forces behind the growth in aviation routes, a senior executive of Qatar Airways told the Global Times.

The remarks were made as the carrier recently celebrated two decades of operations in Beijing.

Since launching its inaugural service in 2004, the airline has carried over 2.7 million business and leisure passengers in and out of Beijing. The airline's cargo business has also transported an average of 1,300 tons of goods between Beijing and abroad each month in 2024, fostering strong cultural, economic, and trade ties between the two countries, according to the airline.

"Our capacity for China flights has surpassed pre-COVID-19 levels since October 2023, with the Xiamen Airlines codeshare partnership in place, amongst all the foreign carriers from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, we operate from the most gateways from China," Thierry Antinori, chief commercial officer of Qatar Airways told the Global Times.

Currently, the carrier operates 45 weekly flights connecting Doha with seven cities in China, the highest number among foreign carriers from the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.

Antinori attributed the recovery to the resurgence of both business and leisure travel demand, with key cities like Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou continuing to see strong demand, particularly in premium cabins.

Additionally, leisure travel from second-tier cities such as Chengdu, Chongqing, and Hangzhou continues to grow rapidly, as Chinese passengers increasingly seek unique and immersive travel experiences, he added.

Since the end of last year, China has implemented visa exemption policies for 38 countries. The easing of visa policies has facilitated travel to China and enhanced international exchange as foreign visitors are flocking to China.

From November, ports in Beijing have averaged over 7,000 foreign arrivals daily, with 43 percent of these entrants arriving on a visa-free basis.

Antinori highlighted the strong bilateral relationship between China and Qatar as a driving force behind the growth in aviation routes.

Qatar's involvement in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has further deepened economic and trade ties between the two countries, fostering an increase in both business and leisure travel.

China is the largest trading partner of many Arab countries, with whole trade volume between China and the region surging from $36.7 billion in 2004 to reach $431.4 billion dollars in 2022, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

To date, China has forged comprehensive strategic partnerships or strategic partnerships with 14 Arab countries and the Arab League. All the 22 Arab countries and the Arab League have signed deals with China on Belt and Road cooperation.

There has been an increasing demand for both business and leisure travel between China and the Middle East. Business travel has surged due to China's expanding trade and investment in energy, infrastructure, and construction projects in the region.

China is one of the top key markets in our APAC operations. The Chinese market represents a critical growth area for Qatar Airways, driven by a growing middle class and expanding outbound tourism, as well as China's increasing global economic influence.

Many European airlines now avoid Russian airspace, leading to increased costs. Antinori said their business have not been impacted by the ongoing regional conflicts.

"Thanks to Doha's strategic location as a global transit hub, we are uniquely positioned to maintain efficient and cost-effective operations across our network. This advantage allows us to meet the growing demand for international travel from Chinese passengers, even as some European airlines scale back their flights to China," he said.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for September 2024, showing that the total demand, measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK), was up 7.1 percent compared to September 2023, an all-time high for September.

The year's peak travel season ended with demand at an all-time high. This is good news not just for passengers but also for the global economy, said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General.