This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
On August 6, 2020, Qatar Airways resumed 14 weekly flights to Nairobi, Kenya's capital, marking a significant milestone in the airline's efforts to maintain connectivity during the pandemic.
According to Bennet Stephens, Qatar Airways' Acting Vice-President, Middle East, Africa & Pakistan, the airline has continued to operate a steady schedule, never dropping below 30 destinations, even during the pandemic.
Qatar Airways connects passengers seamlessly via its award-winning home and hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA), to key destinations in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific via Doha.
The airline began scheduled services from Nairobi on November 17, 2005, and from Mombasa on December 11, 2018. It has recently resumed flights to key destinations in Africa, including Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, Djibouti, Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar, and Tunis.
"We are delighted to resume flights to Nairobi, totalling our flights to 33 weekly flights to Africa with eight destinations," said Bennet Stephens.
Qatar Airways continues to maintain an expanding schedule with over 500 weekly flights to over 75 destinations. The airline has implemented advanced safety and hygiene measures onboard its aircraft and at Hamad International Airport, which was recently voted the Best Airport in the Middle East for the sixth year in a row.
During the pandemic, Qatar Airways Cargo continued to operate scheduled flights to Nairobi, providing much-needed capacity for exporters and importers and bringing in essential medical supplies.
With the resumption of passenger flights to Nairobi, the cargo carrier will operate 20 flights in total, offering over 700 tonnes of cargo capacity each week, each way.
Qatar Airways has also enhanced its onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew by introducing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and a modified service that reduces interactions between passengers and crew.
Passengers traveling with Qatar Airways will receive a complimentary protective kit, which includes a single-use surgical face mask, disposable gloves, and an alcohol-based hand sanitizer gel.
The airline has also introduced disposable face shields for adults and children, which will be distributed at check-in counters or boarding gates, depending on the destination.
Qatar Airways has extended its booking policies to offer passengers more flexibility, allowing unlimited date changes and destination changes within 5,000 miles of the original destination.
