Qatar Airways continues its network expansion with the announcement of scheduled flights to Najaf, its third route in Iraq effective Jan. 23.
The southern city of Najaf, home to the Imam Ali mosque, joins Baghdad and northern city of Erbil, two routes launched earlier this year.
The addition of Najaf takes Qatar Airways’ frequency to Iraq from eight flights to 12 services a week.
The Doha-based airline will operate four-flights-a-week non-stop to Najaf, offering travelers a greater choice of travel options to morethan 100 destinations around the world served by the airline via its hub.
The Najaf route will be operated with an Airbus A320 in a two-class configuration of 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy.
Situated 160 km from Baghdad, Najaf receives millions of pilgrims annually who travel to visit the Imam Ali shrine, one of the most revered holy Islamic sites.
With many upcoming construction projects, Najaf has become a model for other provinces in Iraq offering an early sign of huge investment opportunities in the country.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker said he was delighted the airline was boosting services to Iraq, a market where the carrier this year alone had launched services to two prime cities.
“Iraq is proving to be an important market for Qatar Airways; we currently operate four-flights-a-week between Doha and the cities of Baghdad and Erbil. We are confident that Najaf will prove to be a popular destination for our passengers, especially those from the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific and those returning to visit their homeland,” he said.
Over the next few months, Qatar Airways will launch services to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Yangon, Myanmar (Oct. 3); Maputo, Mozambique (Oct. 31); Belgrade, Serbia (Nov. 20); Warsaw, Poland (Dec. 5), Qassim (Jan. 7); and Chicago, (April 10).
Qatar Airways to extend footprint in Iraq
