Doha, Qatar: Akasa Air became the 47th foreign airline to land at Hamad International Airport (HIA) when it arrived in Doha, from Mumbai, India, recently.
Sharing a picture of the inaugural flight at HIA on March 28, 2024, the airport stated, "Welcome to Hamad International Airport Akasa Air."
It further added, "With four non-stop flights per week, India's fastest-growing airline has started operating from Doha to Mumbai."
Commenting on the occassion Sujata Suri, Senior Vice President of Finance and Procurement at Hamad International Airport, said, "We are thrilled to extend a warm welcome to Akasa Air as they embark on their inaugural international journey to Doha. Their decision highlights the robust partnership between our nations and underscores the prowess of Qatar's aviation sector, with Hamad International Airport serving as a premier hub in the region. With the vast potential of the Indian market, Akasa Air's entry not only fulfills existing demand but also expands passenger choices significantly. The new route between Doha and Mumbai holds immense promise, appealing to both the sizable Indian community residing in Qatar and Indian travelers visiting the nation. We are fully committed to ensuring a seamless launch of operations and providing Akasa Air's passengers with a welcoming and exceptional travel experience."
The maiden flight received a warm welcome at Hamad International Airport where its arrival was graced by HE Vipul, the Ambassador of India to Qatar, HE Mohammed Hassan Jabir Al-Jabir, the Ambassador of Qatar to India, among other dignitaries as well as the presence of Akasa Air’s and Hamad International Airport’s leadership team to commemorate the occasion.
Commenting on the occasion, Neelu Khatri, Co Founder and SVP International, Akasa Air said, "The commencement of operations from Doha marks a milestone moment in Akasa’s journey as we enter a phase of rapid global expansion.The launch of direct flights connecting Doha with Mumbai, will provide momentum to the growing demand for air travel between India and Qatar. Enhanced cargo capacity will also support the growth of bilateral trade between the two countries. Built on a solid foundation of the highest standards of safety and reliability in global aviation, and providing service excellence that is second to none, we hope to become the airline of choice on the route.”
"We are thankful to Hamad International Airport for their support in establishing this connection”, she added.
The Civil Aviation Authority in an infograph about this update on its social media added that Akasa Air is the 47th foreign airline at Hamad International Airport.
Qatar is the first international destination for the Indian domestic airline, which has established its presence across 20 cities since its launch.
The airlines will operate four non-stop flights in a week on Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The Doha-Mumbai flight, QP71 is scheduled to depart from Qatar at 8:40pm, local time, landing in India at 2:45am the next day. Meanwhile, the Mumbai-Doha flight, QP70, will take off at 5:45pm arriving in Doha at 7:40pm.
According to Indian media reports, the airline plans to broaden its horizons and commence flights to Kuwait, Riyadh, and Jeddah.
