Qatar gets all clear for Belgrade flights

Qatar Airways granted license for Belgrade flights
Qatar Airways has been granted a license to launch flights from Doha to Belgrade after the two countries signed a bilateral air traffic pact. In an e-mail sent yesterday, the Serbian Civil Aviation Directorate informed that the pact is similar to Europe’s Open Skies Agreement, allowing carriers from Qatar to operate as many flights as they wish to Serbia. Similarly, this also applies to Serbian based airlines wishing to launch flights to Qatar. “This is a very modern act that will lead to traffic liberalisation between Serbia and Qatar”, the Serbian Directorate says.

Qatar Airways is to inaugurate four weekly flights from Doha to Belgrade this September. The service is set to operate via the Turkish capital Ankara. The airline is now intent on receiving rights to carry passengers between Ankara and Belgrade and vice versa. However, Turkey is unlikely to grant such rights. Despite the trend towards liberalisation, there remain considerable government restrictions on airline operations to and from Turkey, according to a recent IATA report. Both Croatia and Serbia have had problems with Turkey prior to this year’s summer season when it came to agreeing on frequencies and granting licenses to charter airlines.

Last month, the Qatari national carrier launched daily flights from Doha to Zagreb via Budapest. The airline has been granted rights to sell tickets on flights between Hungary and Croatia. So far, Qatar Airways has had respectable loads on the route.

Comments

  1. Purger09:55

    Good for Belgrade. Trust me that is something the best you can get!

    I was flying business class on Qatar ZAG-BUD leg last week. Service in Qatar business class is incomparable with any other business class. I was flying business class in Lufthansa, KLM, ČSA, Austrian, Air France, Croatia Airlines and it is not even near to it.

    Congratulations Belgrade!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:48

      Thank you and dont pay attention to comments ;). I really think it would be a good addition to BEG, plus it will lower even more the prices to the far east ;).. Hellooo Thailand! ;)

      Delete
    2. Anonymous15:11

      al imas love da putujes tako kratku relaciju u biznis klasi

      Delete
    3. Anonymous16:57

      Thank you Purger!

      Delete
  2. Oh, Purger, we thought you paid your ticket only ~131€... How come the business class was so cheap? I wonder what distinctive high quality services were you able to get on the half-hour flight...
    PS: I didn't know Croatia Airlines has business class.

    PS2: "Purger" is a nickname for Zagreb citizen. It actually means just that - citizen - in broken German
    (buerger).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Purger12:15

      I paid ticket some 120 EUR, but I did get complimentary upgrade to business class from Qatar on gate.

      On 30 minute flights you get:

      - drink before take off (I choose fresh squeezed orange juice, one of the best I ever taste)
      - hot towel before take off
      - champagne
      - warm meal (you can choose one of meals from 7 options, I choose stuffed artichoke)
      - cake
      - drink as much as you want (they ask you at least 3-4 times if you want some more drink)
      - wine from very impressive wine list (including Bordeaux Chateau Monbousquet, Albert Bichot Meursault Chardonnay – in list of 100 worlds’ top wines, Hunters Mariborough Sauvignon Blanc, Dr.Loosen Erdener Treppchen...),
      - accessories including thick socks for walking inside plane, mask for eyes, earplugs, hairbrush, canvas bag,
      - blanket, huge pillow
      - personal 15” TV with several hundreds films, games... + complimentary headsets
      - 160 degrees flat bed (4 seats in row in A320)
      - newspaper
      - cabin craw that really makes you impression that they enjoy to serve you, several times they repeat “Please Sir, tell us anything you need we will be very glad to serve you. We are here for you”. It starts from very beginning where they escort you to your place, help you with your belongings till very end when they don’t aloud other passengers to exit before everyone from business class leave plane. After take off purser came to you to introduce himself and again tell you that you can ask him personally for anything you want. They always smile.

      Yes explanation for “Purger” is absolutely right. By old zagrebian statute Purger is citizen of Zagreb whose parents and grandparents was born or citizens of Zagreb (more than 40 year to live in city).

      Delete
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    3. Anonymous16:18

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    4. Anonymous16:22

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    5. Anonymous16:51

      I will try to fly with qatar/emirates in business class to Australia, i have been flying with Singapore airlines from Adelaide via Singapore to Germany a couple of times and they are realy good especialy in business class BUT they are too expensive:)!.

      Delete
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      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    8. Anonymous02:39

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    9. Anonymous02:46

      This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    10. Purger09:10

      I was asked and I answered. Of course you know that I did not try it all, and what I try was because of writing to Aeronautika in same time. So, what is point of those comments?

      Delete
  3. Anonymous10:51

    already flydubai, now qatar, no chance for JAT to fly again DXB or Gulf... Good for pax to fly new A/Cs, but JAT crews are very sad! Those Gulf airlines are spreading everywhere they can! Unfair!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JATBEGMEL12:22

      The word goes that JAT sold its slots to DXB and that they are having difficulties getting them again. I dont think a JAT return to DXB is near but I do see FZ eventually going daily.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous11:21

    There were two AGX B737-900 flights to Antalya today! Impressive.

    In addition to that SU sent their A321.

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    1. JATBEGMEL12:30

      Thats correct. AGX has an agreement with Sky Airlines of Turkey for the usage of 2 B739's (TC-SKN and TC-SKP). It will remain in an all Y class configuration. Its interesting how AGX got 2 ac and JAT still nothing :D

      Delete
    2. Anonymous19:06

      These charter flights had nothing to do with Aviogenex. Simply Serbian CAD rejected Sky Airlines' request and has not issued them flying licence at first. But in the end Sky Airlines got the licence so in couple of days these flights will be ZY flights.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous11:49

    In vain Musicians.

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  6. Anonymous12:02

    I am very pessimistic regarding this connection due to poor connections of Qatar to Australia, primarily. There are very few Serbs, here in Qatar, mainly "baustelci" with no money, whatsoever. So, to count on them makes no sense at all.
    My forecast is, after few months this connection will be ceased.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:22

      My forecast for today is sunny and warm, my predictions are something else..

      Delete
    2. Anonymous13:20

      "Baustelci" do fly as well, but QR money is in East Asia - it is first viable alternative, both scheduling and price-wise to SU via SVO. China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore... and trust me, there is a lot of traffic from BEG to these places, definetely one of the reasons why SU keeps sending its A321 to BEG and why two daily flights are packed. Then, this is first "direct" line to Africa - people were flying via FRA and ZRH, sometimes FCO. Now this is something else, and again price-wise, they are the cheapest option.

      If they can attract Australia, great. But the line will work fine without it as well.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous17:45

      Please,
      dont tell me Serbian construction workers dont earn much money there!

      I know Indians and Pakistani workers get discriminated there but i dont think so about Europeans..

      Delete
  7. Anonymous13:32

    Official! Wizzair to fly to 6 new destinations from Skopje! Congratulations Skopje!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous15:20

    If you make a stopover or layover in Qatar -and you want a complete inside Qatar- don't forget to read about the dark side of Qatar:

    http://dohanews.co/post/24943734733/report-worker-exploitation-and-forced-labor-conditions


    http://www.hrw.org/reports/2012/06/12/building-better-world-cup-0

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  9. Anonymous15:58

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  10. Anonymous17:24

    Of course these new route will be not successful at the begin.
    It will be in the long term.
    People are used to fly via European hubs...
    it takes some time people change their attitude.
    Qatar Airways really has a very good product..
    i am sure people will love them!

    Btw i also flew with Flydubai.
    They are also a good airline..not perfect(well they are low cost!)
    but in every case better than Jat and a lot of other
    airlines which claim to be something better.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous22:54

    Jat's frequent flyer programme will be rolled out in three days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous16:45

      Just about twenty years after CTN.
      Better ever than never.
      Congrats

      Delete
  12. Hi,Companies set up in a specific free area can be completely possessed with Incorporation in Qatar by a non-Qatari person or persons, whereas a company set up outside a free area can only be 49 percent possessed by a non-Qatari.Thanks.....

    ReplyDelete

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