Qatar Airways Continues to Operate Weekly Flights to Athens

Photo source: Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways on Wednesday informed that it is currently the only Middle East Carrier flying to Athens and one of the few international flights that are currently flying, if not the only one, following the developments in air transport due to the worldwide spread of the Covid-19 virus.

“We need to inform consumers who need to fly home to their loved ones that Qatar Airways continues to operate four weekly flights to Athens,” the airline said in an announcement to its partners, underlining that the main reasons it continues to fly is to help to get people home to their loved ones, and transport essential medical suppliers to where they are needed to respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

The airline currently operates the four weekly flights to Athens from 70 origins, though the number may reduce as the government may introduce tighter restrictions.

Until March 31:
QR 203/ From Doha to Athens/ Departing 07:30am Arriving 12:10pm
QR 204/ From Athens to Doha/ Departing 13:35pm arriving 17:45pm

As of April 1:
QR 203/ From Doha to Athens/ Departing 02:00am Arriving 06:40am
QR 204/ From Athens to Doha/ Departing 12:20pm arriving 16:20pm

Photo source: Athens International Airport (AIA)

“Our state-of-the-art aircraft with their advanced air filter systems, combined with strict bio-security screening of our staff mean that we can continue operating a significant number of flights to reunite stranded passengers with their loved ones,” Qatar Airways said.

Since March 24, the airline has stepped up with 10,000 extra seats added to its network; the provision of charter services to Europe and the US from Asia; the addition of extra flights to Paris, Perth and Dublin from Doha; and upgrading services to Frankfurt, London Heathrow and Perth with the addition of the Airbus A380 on those routes.

The airline said that it has flown more than 100,000 passengers home in the last seven days while 72 percent of passengers carried on March 24 were nationals flying to their country of origin.

“Working with embassies around the world, the airline has operated one-off services from destinations such as Phnom Penh, Denpasar, Manila and Kuala Lumpur to Europe. More than 5,000 passengers were flown home by these services over the last week, a number that is expected to more than triple over the next week,” Qatar Airways said.