Qatar Airways

[Jerry]

According to the one mile at a time blog, CWL will be one of the first airports on their network to get the enhanced catering.

Enhanced how?

 

[Jerry]

According to the one mile at a time blog, CWL will be one of the first airports on their network to get the enhanced catering.

Found the tweet! Looks good!
https://onemileatatime.com/qatar-ai...tar Airways Improving Meal Service In Economy

 

[Jerry]

I'm going to do a guesstimate for April and I think Qatar Airways will be between 6000 and 6500 for the month!

 

[Jerry]

Qatar Airways is now daily!

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I'm going to do a guesstimate for April and I think Qatar Airways will be between 6000 and 6500 for the month!

CAA stats out today and you are way out, Jerry. I'll leave you to do the figures. I think you will be quite pleased.

 

[Jerry]

CAA stats out today and you are way out, Jerry. I'll leave you to do the figures. I think you will be quite pleased.

Yes much better than I was expecting!
7884 for the month. Average LF of 179 70%LF.
Hopefully May will be around 8500

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Not bad but still nothing to shout about. Bearing in mind Easter was in April.
8.5k would be good for May before the route goes back to daily where it needs a real boost (just under 16k seats available)

 

[Aviador]

Great figures and doesn't shout "ending soon" but more a case of work still to do to increase those passenger and freight numbers. Talking about freight, any word on how that's doing? Considering the UK economy is just plodding on I think Cardiff can be pleased with the way Qatar is performing. It's also especially good news for other UK regional airports seeking a piece of the middle east action, Leeds Bradford and East Midlands come to mind but probably a discussion for their respective forums.

 

[Jerry]

Great figures and doesn't shout "ending soon" but more a case of work still to do to increase those passenger and freight numbers. Talking about freight, any word on how that's doing? Considering the UK economy is just plodding on I think Cardiff can be pleased with the way Qatar is performing. It's also especially good news for other UK regional airports seeking a piece of the middle east action, Leeds Bradford and East Midlands come to mind but probably a discussion for their respective forums.

The freight figure for Cardiff for April was 115 tonnes.

 

[Jarvo]

So with April's figures, and my elementary mathematical skills, that would put the route at just over 81.5k for the year... Does that seem respectable for a new long haul route? Or will this be setting alarm bells ringing in QR HQ?

 

[Foxlimayankee]

I've been compiling the stats since the route started. The total number carried is 81,907.
The route does appear to be continuing to grow. In terms of LF, April 2019 is the second highest so far at 70%, with the highest being August 2018 at 74%.

In terms of passengers carried, April 2019 is the 4th highest month so far out of 12 months. The highest being Jul, Aug and Sep of last year. That in itself is a positive at the early start of the season.

As we hit the summer season, if May hits 9,000 that would be a healthy approx. 77% LF. With April topping all other lower months by over 1,200 passengers - January being next with 6,614.

The good thing about QR is they offer a top service that will impress anyone that's travelled with them, and word will continue to spread. I would say the peak summer months should be quite successful.

 

[Jerry]

Could we see the 797 at Cardiff in the future? Qatar Airways wants to be the launch customer.
https://simpleflying.com/qatar-797-launch-customer/amp/

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Could we see the 797 at Cardiff in the future? Qatar Airways wants to be the launch customer.
https://simpleflying.com/qatar-797-launch-customer/amp/

I’m stirring things here, but could we see it at Bristol? I gather the plane is lighter than the 787.

 

[Cardiffbay]

I’m stirring things here, but could we see it at Bristol? I gather the plane is lighter than the 787.

This plane at best is still a minimum of 5 years away. Who knows what will be in that time.

 

[Jerry]

I’m stirring things here, but could we see it at Bristol? I gather the plane is lighter than the 787.

Well it is a while away yet but from Qatar I doubt and I don't think any other ME3 have expressed an interest. The aircraft is essentially a replacement for the 767 so I'd have thought the lack of cargo facilities would still be a factor.
Obviously for Cardiff it would depend on the loads but a smaller aircraft able to take cargo might be more suitable especially in the winter.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

I’m stirring things here, but could we see it at Bristol? I gather the plane is lighter than the 787.

I wouldn't say it's out of the question, but its years away and the CWL route would be much more established by then so they might not need to switch

 

[TheLocalYokel]

I’m stirring things here, but could we see it at Bristol? I gather the plane is lighter than the 787.

If Qatar had wanted to operate from Bristol they would have done so. Why would they do so in the future against themselves at CWL?

The Qatar CEO gave a number of reasons for choosing CWL, one of which was operational capability although at BRS TUI operates its 787-8s much further non-stop (to Sanford, Florida) than Doha with a higher seating density and presumably more fuel weight.

The airline's CEO also cited CWL's cargo opportunities; the tendency of West Country travellers to use LHR for long haul (therefore they would not use Qatar at BRS in large numbers, but if that was the case would they use CWL?); that CWL has a larger catchment which he said was over six million which means he is also looking at large areas outside Wales including the West Country from where he himself asserted that people use LHR. The CEO also mentioned mutual opportunities between his government and the Welsh government which would benefit from the air route. Such opportunities would be less likely with local authorities in the West Country that don't have the clout (no first minister or Westminster secretary of state batting for them) or financial strength of a government.

All in all then I think it highly unlikely that Qatar would use BRS - in fact, a near certainty.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Qatar will be the host of the next two FIFA Club World Cups, in December 2019 and December 2020 prior to the World Cup in 2022. This should boost the figures a bit in those months. Liverpool will be playing in the tournament later this year.

http://welcomeqatar.com/news/world-news/qatar-to-host-next-two-fifa-club-world-cups/

 

[superking]

I watched the England game in the world cup yesterday (sunday). This world cup has Qatar sponsorship.

 

[Jerry]

For May 2019 Qatar Airways saw 4997 passengers use the route which was up 69% on 2018, 118 passengers per flight, 46.4% LF.
For the year May 2018 to May 2019 the route saw 86,904 passengers use it. Average passengers per flight 137, 54%LF.
I may be wrong but was the target 90,000 passengers for the first year?