Principal Sponsor: Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways: Principal Sponsor of the 2010 Qatar Airways Photographic Competition

Qatar Airways Company Q.C.S.C. (Arabic: القطرية‎) is the flag carrier airline for Qatar, based in Doha. It operates to over 80 international destinations with one of the most modern and youngest aircraft fleets in the world, and has won an extensive array of prestigious awards including best Economy Class, Best Business Class and best Airline Crew in the world. It is one of only six airlines in the world that have been awarded a 5-star rating by Skytrax.

As of December 2009 Qatar Airways now serves 85 destinations with Melbourne (Australia) now served by a daily new B777-300ER service (January 2010) from the UK via a 40 minute stopover in Doha, making it the fastest airline service to Australia from the UK.

Qatar Airways has also now announced that it will launch 6 new destinations during 2010, including Ankara, Bangalore, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Tokyo and Sydney. The introduction of these new destinations will bring the number of destinations Qatar Airways serves from 85 to 91 destinations worldwide.

All classes onboard Qatar Airways aircraft (except the A319 and some A320/A321) have video screens in every seat and live digital satellite television can be accessed on the new A330 and A340 aircraft. All long-haul fleet aircraft and some short-haul aircraft are equipped with on-demand IFE systems featuring movies, TV programmes, music, games, interactive maps, and a personal telephone.

First Class
Qatar Airways offers First Class passengers over 6.5 feet of legroom and seats that fold into flat beds with feather duvets. First Class seats are equipped with massage functions and an extensive entertainment system.

Business Class
Qatar Airways has also now introduced new flat-bed seats in its award winning Business Class (voted best Business Class in the World in 2009 by Skytrax) on its fleet of new Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 777-200LR aircraft.
Business Class passengers also have fully flat 180-degree horizontal beds in a 2-2-2 configuration onboard their fleet of new Boeing 777 aircraft. These 777 aircraft are used exclusively on flights to the USA and Australia (MEL) - and also on some routes throughout the Qatar Airways network including Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Jeddah and Kuala Lumpur. Business Class passengers onboard other long-haul aircraft have up to 172-degree recliner seats, with massage functions. Business Class passengers enjoy a selection of award winning menus and customers can choose their own fine wines and champagnes, including vintages exclusive to Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways has also now introduced new Business Class seats onboard its newly delivered A320 aircraft with IFE seat-back PTVs in every seat, and will introduce the new seats in each upcoming new A320 aircraft, as well as retrofitting 4 existing A321 and 2 A319LR aircraft.

Economy Class
Qatar Airways Economy Class was ALSO named best in the world in the 2009 Skytrax Awards as well as its Business Class. Economy Class passengers get a seat pitch of up to 34 inches, with passengers on A330/A340 aircraft offered individual seat-back TV screens and passengers on 777 aircraft have touch-screen TV's.

Qatar Airways has also taken delivery of new A320 aircraft with individual seat-back personal televisions in every seat in economy class. The IFE is equipped with the latest Thales entertainment system currently aboard the widebody fleet. A further 4 A321s and 2 A319LR will be equipped with the new IFE, as well as new upcoming A320 family aircraft deliveries.

Cabin crew
Qatar Airways cabin crew was ALSO voted World's Best Cabin Crew for the fourth consecutive year at the 2009 Skytrax airline awards.

Privilege Club - Frequent Flyer Loyalty Club
Qatar Airways' Privilege Club loyalty programme has reciprocal agreements with BMI's 'Diamond Club', Lufthansa's 'Miles and More', Middle East Airlines' 'Cedar Miles', All Nippon Airways' Mileage Club, United Airlines' 'Mileage Plus', and US Airways' 'Dividend Miles' frequent flyer schemes. Privilege Club also has preferred rates with selected international hotel and car rental companies.

Qatar Airways Exclusive Premium Terminal
Qatar Airways' dedicated 'Premium Terminal' for First and Business Class passengers opened at Doha International Airport in 2006. Built in nine months at a cost of US$90million, the 10,000sqm Premium Terminal features facilities include check-in, duty-free shopping, conference rooms, nursery and play area, spa treatment rooms, sauna, jacuzzi and restaurants. The business class lounge has now undergone further renovation that has increased the seating capacity by more than 80%. CEO Akabar Al Bakar is also leading the development of the New Doha International Airport, which opens in phases from 2011.

Codeshare partners
All Nippon Airways (Star Alliance)
Asiana Airlines (Star Alliance)
bmi (Star Alliance)
Garuda Indonesia
Lufthansa (Star Alliance)
Malaysia Airlines
Middle East Airlines
Philippine Airlines
United Airlines (Star Alliance)
US Airways (Star Alliance)
Safi airways

Natural gas to liquid fuel demonstration
On 12 October 2009, a Qatar Airways Airbus A340-600 conducted the world's first commercial passenger flight using a mixture of kerosene and synthetic Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) fuel, produced from natural gas, on its flight from London's Gatwick Airport to Doha. The experiment's purpose was to demonstrate the viability of jet fuel made from a source not subject to rapidly fluctuating oil prices. In addition, positioning natural gas in particular as an alternative source of jet fuel is in the interests of the Qatari government; Qatar is the world's leading exporter of natural gas.

(data source: Wikopedia)