Phuket Air Links From Doha With Qatar Going Direct from October

PHUKET: Qatar Airways will boost services to Thailand with the introduction of non-stop flights to Phuket, effective October 26. The airline currently serves the Doha-Phuket route daily via a linked service through the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: ''The start of non-stop services from Doha to Phuket offers travellers from around the world access to the popular tourist destination in a reduced time, from across our expanding global network.

''With the upcoming winter holidays, this is a great opportunity for travellers from the Middle East, Europe, Africa and the Americas to plan their break with a beach vacation to Phuket.

''Visitor numbers to Phuket are on the rise and Qatar Airways will look to take advantage of the non-stop connections to the city in the days to come,'' he said.

The direct flights to Phuket will be operated with an Airbus A330 in a two class-configuration of 24 seats in Business Class and 236 in Economy.

Passengers can look forward to exceptional levels of comfort and Qatar Airways' renowned award-winning Five Star hospitality.

Qatar Airways started operations in Thailand more than 14 years ago with non-stop flights linking Doha with Bangkok. The carrier now serves the Thai capital three-times-daily and will increase that to four-times-daily from December 16.

Qatar Airways launched daily flights from Doha to Phuket via Kuala Lumpur in 2010. The new non-stop service from October 26 will facilitate shorter travel times for the growing number of tourists to Phuket and for those heading out of Thailand.

Europe is a particularly strong growth visitor market for Phuket with the UK, Russia, Germany, France and Italy among the top five feeder markets.

This makes Doha a strategic linking point for long-haul trips, thanks to the opening of the world's newest aviation hub, the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport.

Passengers travelling from European cities to Phuket can relax, unwind, and freshen up in the modern world-class facility before they connect to Phuket.

''A dedicated non-stop Phuket service will help meet the growing demand the airline has for this particular destination. Moreover, Europe is an extremely popular destination for a number of Thailand-based locals as well.

''We are therefore very pleased to be able to continue to offer more options to those looking to travel with us and enjoy our award-winning five-star service,'' added Mr. Al Baker.

Qatar Airways, the State of Qatar's national airline, has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation, to the point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 135 aircraft to 144 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.

The Doha (DOH)-Phuket (HKT) Daily Flight Schedule Commencing October 26 (all times local):

Depart Doha (DOH) QR840 at 0700 hrs, Arrive Phuket (HKT) at 1740 hrs

Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays
Depart Phuket (HKT) QR841 at 1930 hrs, Arrive Doha (DOH) at 2250 hrs

Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays
Depart Phuket (HKT) QR841 at 1905 hrs, Arrive Doha (DOH) at 2225 hrs