Qatar adds Bangkok to A380 flights

Qatar adds Bangkok to A380 flights

Qatar Airways plans to become the third airline to fly the A380 jet to Bangkok after rival Emirates and home carrier Thai Airways International.

Qatar Airways' A380 sits on the tarmac with the Doha metropolis in the backdrop.

The airline will start flying one of its newly delivered superjumbos from its base in Doha to Bangkok on Jan 5 next year.

Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group chief executive, said the decision to deploy the double-decker Airbus to Bangkok was due to high travel demand to and from the Thai capital.

"Bangkok is one of the most popular destinations for travellers in the world, and this move recognises that importance," he said in a statement.

Bangkok will be the third international port of call for Qatar's A380s after London and Paris. Additional A380s are progressively being delivered to the airline.

Qatar Airways said the launch of A380 services in Paris and Bangkok follows "the overwhelming success" of its inaugural A380 service to London Heathrow introduced on Oct 10.

Qatar executives noted revived travel demand to Bangkok, particularly from Europe in recent months, has allowed the airline to fill much of its aircraft capacity.

Demand is likely to surge in the coming months as Thailand enters the high travel season and the kingdom's political unrest has ended, they said.

By January Qatar will have four A380s in service. The airline ordered 13 of this type of aircraft from the European plane maker Airbus.

The A380 will fly on one of the four daily Bangkok-Doha flights operated now by the smaller Boeing 777-300ER.

Qatar's A380 features eight first-class suites, 48 business-class seats and 461 seats in economy class.

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