Qatar Airways Buys into British Airways IAG Group

Qatar Airways has announced that it has bought a 9.99% stake in the shares of International Consolidated Airlines group SA (IAG), the owner of British Airways and Iberia.

Qatar Airways says that having recently joined the oneworld alliance, the stake in IAG further enhances its operational and commercial ties.

The company states that it does not intend to increase its stake in IAG in the short term, but does not rule it out in the future.

To read more click here.

Qatar Airways plane

First commercial flight of Airbus A350 coming up

Thursday 15 January sees the inaugural commercial flight of the new Airbus A350 long range mid-size aircraft from Frankfurt to Doha with Qatar Airways.

Using modern materials the new aircraft is lighter and more fuel efficient compared to earlier planes of similar size.

Qatar Airways has placed an order for a total of 80 of the new Airbus, and is the only carrier in the world to operate every every family of Airbus's modern aircraft portfolio. It will be the only airline operating the new A350 in the short term.

Click here to read the Qatar Airways press release from last week's media event ahead of the first flight.

Qatar Airways Airbus A350

Qatar Airways joins Interpol scheme

Last Thursday Interpol announced that Qatar Airways has become the first full-service airline to sign up to its I-Checkit system to screen passports against Interpol's Stolen and Lost Travel Documents Database

This further enhances Qatar Airway's commitment to the safety of its passengers.

The SLTD database contains information on more than 43 million lost or stolen travel documents from 168 countries.

Airline Air Asia piloted the I-Checkit initiative that allows selected partners in the travel, hotel and banking industries to scan their customers documents against the databse.

To read more click here.