by Donald Wood
Last updated: 9:35 AM ET, Fri April 9, 2021
Qatar Airways announced it has operated the first fully vaccinated commercial flight on Tuesday.
Officials from Qatar Airways revealed that Flight QR6421 departed from Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar, and completed a 3.5-hour roundtrip that flew over the Persian Gulf and Oman.
Every passenger and crew member on the Airbus A350-1000 aircraft was fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Despite the widespread vaccines, the airline still implemented enhanced health and safety protocols, including mandatory facial coverings and socially distanced seating.
"We are proud to continue leading the industry by operating the first flight with a fully vaccinated crew and passengers and providing a beacon of hope for the future of international aviation," Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said.
On the flight, Qatar Airways introduced a Zero-Touch entertainment system that allows passengers to connect to TVs with their phones. Other perks included warm meals, special amenity kits and commemorative ticket holders and certificates stating they were on the world's first fully vaccinated plane.
"With aviation being a critical economic driver both globally and here in the State of Qatar, we are thankful for the support we have received from our government and local health authorities to vaccinate our staff, with over 1,000 vaccinations being administered per day," Al Baker said.
"As the vaccine rollout begins to gather pace worldwide, Qatar Airways remains committed to being the airline passengers and travel partners can rely on, operating one of the largest global networks to provide the connectivity needed to reunite families and friends and support global trade," Al Baker continued.
Last month, Delta Air Lines announced it was launching nonstop flights to Iceland from three cities in the United States for travelers who have received a complete COVID-19 vaccination.
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