Qatar Airways has announced a new codeshare partnership with Xiamen Airlines, the first Chinese airline to operate non-stop passenger flights from Mainland China to Qatar.
Under the cooperation agreement, Xiamen Airlines will launch daily flights between Beijing’s Daxing International Airport and Hamad International Airport, the home of Qatar Airways with its modern and state-of-the art Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
The flights, which will commence on October 20, 2023, arrive in Doha at 22:45 and leave at 02:00 providing passengers optimal connections to key markets in Qatar Airways’ leading global network beyond Doha, in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
In addition to the flights from Beijing, Xiamen Airlines will also launch two weekly flights from Xiamen, the special economic zone of Fujian Sheng province, to Doha. The flights commence on October 31, 2023 and offer the same seamless connectivity to Qatar Airways’ network as the Beijing flights, arriving to Doha from Xiamen at 05:00 and departing in the evening at 19:30.
Qatar Airways will codeshare on these new flights, which will greatly enhance its presence in Mainland China, that comprises six destinations with a total of 31 weekly flights operated by Qatar Airways followed by double daily flights to Hong Kong.
As part of the new agreement, Xiamen Airlines will place its marketing code on Qatar Airways flights to and from Beijing.
Xiamen Airlines was founded in 1984 and is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance. The Five-Star airline has a reputation for its high service standards and operational excellence, offering customers a dense network of 105 destinations in China and around the world.
The new direct services from Beijing to Doha will be operated by a Boeing 787-9 that features a two-class configuration for 287 passengers, with 30 business class seats and 257 in economy class. The Xiamen-Doha-Xiamen service operated by a Boeing 787-8 will accommodate 237 passengers in three classes with four seats in first class, 18 in business class and 215 in economy class.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to announce this comprehensive cooperation and to welcome our new partner, Xiamen Airlines, to Hamad International Airport, our home in Qatar. We are proud and honoured that Xiamen Airlines has chosen Doha as a new destination in their network and their only destination in the Middle East. Their flights are perfectly connected to our unparalleled global network offering customers of both airlines, greater choice and seamless travel experiences.”
Zhao Dong, Chairman of Xiamen Airlines said: “Both Qatar Airways and Xiamen Airlines are the winners of APEX World Class Awards in 2022 showing our shared commitment to high quality service. The partnership of two Five-Star airlines will bring wonderful flying experiences to the customers worldwide.”
