Since the COVID-19 pandemic began to escalate globally in mid-February, Qatar Airways has successfully repatriated over one million stranded travelers to date through scheduled and chartered services; including flights to new destinations, such as Brisbane, Christchurch and Toronto.
While overall demand for passenger air travel has plummeted worldwide, Qatar Airways has striven to maintain operations wherever possible to get people home and transport essential supplies.
Over the past several weeks, the State of Qatar's national carrier has flown over 100,000 customers back home to the United Kingdom, 70,000 passengers home to Germany and over 45,000 passengers back to France. Over 90 charters and extra sector flights were also coordinated to repatriate a further 26,000 travelers.
Even amid the unprecedented challenges posed by the pandemic, Qatar Airways continues to operate approximately 60 flights per day to roughly 40 destinations, and is partnering with embassies around the world to arrange repatriation flights for their stranded citizens.
Over the same period, Qatar Airways Cargo has worked closely with governments and NGOs to transport over 70,000 tons of medical equipment and disaster-relief provisions to impacted regions around the globe (approximately equivalent to 500-fully loaded Boeing 777 freighters).
Given the world's diminishing air-freight capacity, Qatar Airways is working hard to ensure that global trade is able to continue, and essential medical and relief aid supplies can be delivered. To meet continued demand, the carrier has increased its cargo schedule, operating almost 100 flights daily, and is also repurposing passenger aircraft for freight-only flights to destinations in Europe, China, India and the Middle East.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: "The entire team at Qatar Airways has worked incredibly hard to take people home over the past few weeks. We have built a strong level of trust with our passengers, governments, travel trade and cargo businesses as a reliable partner when we were needed the most, and we continue to offer a schedule where possible and allowed by governments."
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