British Airways and Qatar Airways have expanded their partnership adding 42 new countries to their shared network. The ‘Move Further Together’ initiative by the two airlines aims to offer global connectivity to more countries than any other airline joint business.
With the closure of the last phase of expansion between British Airways and Qatar, countries including Italy, the Maldives, Norway, Singapore, and Sweden are added to the network giving passengers enhanced access between destinations in Europe and the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Oceania. The codeshare will offer benefits like greater choices in prices and schedules with options for direct flights as well as connections via hubs in London and Doha.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “Travellers can now experience the best in quality and service as they travel across our joint network. The joint business between our airlines cements both Qatar Airways and British Airways as industry leaders, aiming to provide the utmost flexibility and unrivalled connectivity to our customers.”
Sean Doyle, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for British Airways, said: “This is a huge milestone in our long-standing relationship with Qatar Airways, an airline that shares our passion for customer service, choice and flexibility. From idyllic holiday hotspots such as the Maldives and Thailand to business hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong, we are pleased to open up the world as the travel industry continues to make steps towards its recovery.”
According to British Airways, expansion will enable seamless connecting journeys on single tickets through Doha and London, bringing the total number of destinations served by the two airlines to 185 across more than 60 countries.
Qatar claims that the customers will have more freedom to engage with both airlines’ loyalty programmes, earning and spending Avios, their common currency. Customers are able to link their Qatar Airways Privilege Club and British Airways Executive Club accounts to transfer Avios between the two and combine balances to claim rewards offered by each programme.