Qatar Airways

[Bcn_boy]

With today’s flight, any idea of loads inbound? Outbound much later obviously.

 

[Bcn_boy]

With today’s flight, any idea of loads inbound? Outbound much later obviously.

 

[Jerry]

Qatars boss Al Baker is holding a press conference presumbly in Cardiff this morning.

Will be interesting to see what he says!

 

[Jerry]

With today’s flight, any idea of loads inbound? Outbound much later obviously.

According to a passenger on the flight the load was roughly 50% but he said he was surprised about how many business class passengers there were in a positive way. Also he said he was surprised by how many from Australia and Asia there were on board as well. It's only been 2 days but from what i've seen online there does seem a positivity about the service. It's obviously early days it does look like it's got off to a decent start.

 

[Jerry]

Nice little timelapse video from the airports channel.

 

[Bcn_boy]

According to a passenger on the flight the load was roughly 50% but he said he was surprised about how many business class passengers there were in a positive way. Also he said he was surprised by how many from Australia and Asia there were on board as well. It's only been 2 days but from what i've seen online there does seem a positivity about the service. It's obviously early days it does look like it's got off to a decent start.

That’s quite impressive for Day 2, especially if the Business Class is holding up. Any cargo on today’s?

 

[Jerry]

That’s quite impressive for Day 2, especially if the Business Class is holding up. Any cargo on today’s?

Yeah, i've no doubt the load will go up and down in both cabins and that some days the cargo will be more than others i read somewhere they would average 10 tonnes a day.

 

[Cardiffbay]

Will be interesting to see what he says!

So after today’s press meeting the big news is Qatar Airways want to build a hotel in Cardiff. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...e-star-14606980.amp?__twitter_impression=true

 

[aviatorconcorde]

So after today’s press meeting the big news is Qatar Airways want to build a hotel in Cardiff. https://www.walesonline.co.uk/busin...e-star-14606980.amp?__twitter_impression=true

Good news, hopefully this eventually does happen. Hopefully this shows they are in it for the long run.

I was under the impression st davids hotel in the bay was 5* ?

 

[Cardiffbay]

Good news, hopefully this eventually does happen. Hopefully this shows they are in it for the long run.

I was under the impression st davids hotel in the bay was 5* ?

Yes. I think they are trying to say no 5* in the center. As we said before there seems a lot more politics behind this route then anybody knows about.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Yes. I think they are trying to say no 5* in the center. As we said before there seems a lot more politics behind this route then anybody knows about.

Ahh I see. Well there probably is a gap in the market for one for when the celebs come to stay. Usually i expect it's st davids or celtic manor.

 

[Jerry]

I read an article that he also mentioned that there was an opportunity to expand the cargo operations and dedicated frieghter flights were mentioned and that freight was a big part of the Master plan due out in the summer. There is also a very promotional video in the article including the shots of the A350 landing and the water canon salute by the helicopter. They also said that the airline isn't interested in investing in the airport but that he can't speak for the soveriegn wealth fund. Interesting comment about Bristol in there as well.
https://www.aviationwales.com/qatar-airways-is-in-cardiff-for-the-long-haul/

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Yes. I think they are trying to say no 5* in the center. As we said before there seems a lot more politics behind this route then anybody knows about.

I've been suggesting this for a while and I came back to the subject this week in the BRS Route Development thread. I said that whatever size BRS airport was physically I did not think it had a chance of picking that particular plum (ie Qatar).

When asked why I gave my reasons, with the chief one being the government to government contacts that enabled a relationship to be forged between Wales and Qatar. The comments from the Qatar CEO reinforces this view. Potentially, a fruitful (sorry!) relationship is in prospect between Qatar, Wales, Qatar Airways and CWL.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Someone onboard the flight yesterday said:

QR324 was a great flight but quite lightly loaded - J was not much over half full, didn't venture back to Y but it didn't look full on the seat map either. I gave the check-in staff a bit of a challenge (72 hour TWOV on their first flight!). The new J class lounge got very busy before the flight so if the flight is ever full it'll be a bit of a tight squeeze in there. Nice local spirits and very friendly staff in the lounge but otherwise clearly a world away from the LHR/CDG lounges. Bit of a mini-gate party with food, drinks, baloons, etc., and I believe everyone was given a QR baseball cap, a mini travel kit and some Welsh chocolate to commemorate the flight. We left on time and had a nice group of waving ground staff assembled to say goodbye to us and one or two plane spotters to say the least. Amusingly, CWL didn't manage to attach the expensive new air bridge they've built to the aircraft (is it not A350 compatible?) so we boarded via the tarmac instead. J menu on board had a special commemorative cover but had been catered out of DOH / was largely dishes I'd had before. Pretty uneventful flight otherwise, I'd say - they managed to run out of both rose champagne and ice by the end of the flight though.

 

[vickersviscount]

Good piece on the Ian King live program sky news tonight at 18.30.The opening trailer for the program had the Qatar Airbus taxiing past the Cardiff Teminal building to its stand.Later Ian King interviewed Debra Barber and she gave a good account of her self and the Airport.I believe the program is available on catch-up on sky tv,worth a watch.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Paloma Faith performing at the Qatar Airways launch event in Cardiff tonight.

The CEO has certainly shown his face around in the launch of this route. Not many people tend to like him!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Paloma Faith performing at the Qatar Airways launch event in Cardiff tonight.

The CEO has certainly shown his face around in the launch of this route. Not many people tend to like him!

I was going to ask who is Paloma Faith, but I've self-educated myself instead. (I must sound like a High Court judge of the 1950s: "What is a televison set?"). Google is a marvellous educator.

Where is the launch event being held in the city?

 

[Jerry]

Where is the launch event being held in the city?

There was an event at the St Davids Hotel this morning. It's possible they used that again or maybe the City Hall.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

There was an event at the St Davids Hotel this morning. It's possible they used that again or maybe the City Hall.

Thank you. Incidentally, Mrs Yokel said there was an advert tonight for Qatar at CWL on ITV (channel 3), so it was beamed to the West Country. I wonder how far afield it went. She was aware of the route as it was one we considered for our next Oz trip. Ordinarily, an aeroplane is something with wings that people fly in, which she is not terribly keen on and still less interested in.

 

[Jerry]

Thank you. Incidentally, Mrs Yokel said there was an advert tonight for Qatar at CWL on ITV (channel 3), so it was beamed to the West Country.

Yeah there was one on ITV Wales as well, think it was during Coronation Street break, it's good that they are advertising over the bridge and I doubt advertising slots near a programme like Corrie are cheap!