Qatar Airways starts flying to Almaty

Qatar Airways launches commercial flights to Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan. An inaugural flight from Doha to Almaty was made on Friday, November 19. It's worth to note that this is the first airline's Central Asia destination.

First flight and schedule

The Qatar Airways Airbus A320 was used for the first flight, departing Hamad International airport on Friday night and arriving at Almaty at 08:10 AM local time, bound for the airline's newest destination. The plane partly painted in the colors of the Qatar flag was welcomed by high-ranking officials including the Qatar Ambassador to Kazakhstan, His Excellency Mr. Abdulaziz Sultan Al-Rumaihi, Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Eastern Regions, the president of Almaty International Airport, and others.

The Doha-based airline deploys an Airbus A320 jet offering 120 economy and 12 business class seats. The service will be available twice a week on Mondays and Fridays and operated according to the following schedule:

departing Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) at 12:55 AM and arriving at 8:15 AM at Almaty International Airport (ALA), flight tagged as QR391
return flight QR392 departs Almaty International Airport at 09:55 PM on the same day and arrives at Doha Hamad International Airport at 12:10 AM the next day

Who would benefit?

Commenting on the new route launch Qatar Airways Group CEO Mr. Akbar Al Baker said:

"We are delighted to launch direct services to Almaty, which reflects the close relationship between the State of Qatar and Kazakhstan. Almaty is continuing to grow in popularity with our passengers for business and leisure purposes, attracting travelers who wish to enjoy its rich culture, cuisine, and natural scenery".

I guess business and regular customers will benefit from Doha - Almaty flight connection. Kazakhstan is a rich mineral resources country with big business potential, so it obviously attracts investors from Qatar and other Gulf countries. Almaty's surroundings are the perfect destination for active tourism like mountain hiking and skiing. It's worth to mention that Almaty is situated close to the border with Kyrgyzstan, another Middle East country and its people often choose Almaty airport for international travel because it is a lot larger transport hub. Kazakh travelers will have the possibility to travel to more than 140 destinations with a 5-star airline experiencing award-winning service and industry-leading products.

What do you think of the new Qatar Airways route? Let us know in the comments below.

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