Qatar Airways announced the addition of two new cities to its network with plans to fly from its hub in Doha to Bogotá El Dorado International Airport (BOG) in Colombia, and then continue to Caracas Simon Bolivar International Airport (CCS) in Venezuela.
The flights are scheduled to operate 2x weekly on Wednesdays and Sundays beginning this summer and will be operated as a triangle route as the return flight from Caracas will operate non-stop to Doha.
The addition of the two new cities expands Qatar Airways’ network in the Americas to 16 cities, joining major destinations such as Dallas, New York City, Toronto, and São Paulo. This new service makes Qatar Airways the first and only airline to offer non-stop flights from the Middle East to Colombia and the only Middle Eastern carrier operating in Venezuela. This is the third major route update from the airline this month, following recently announced flights to Malta and Syria.
The total route spans 16,528 miles and will be operated by Boeing 777-200LR aircraft outfitted with 42 Business Class seats and 234 Economy Class seats. This new service will provide travelers from Colombia and Venezuela with convenient access to the Middle East and beyond thanks to Qatar Airways’ global route network.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said this about the new service:
“The launch of flights to Bogotá and Caracas marks a transformative moment for Qatar Airways and for travellers to South America. As the first airline to offer nonstop service from the Middle East to Colombia and the only Middle Eastern carrier flying to Venezuela, we are creating new opportunities to connect people, cultures, and commerce.”
While tickets for the route are not yet on sale, the press release makes no mention of the airline being allowed to carry passengers just on the Bogotá to Caracas segment. The airline has indicated that it expect the route to go on sale shortly.
Summary
Qatar Airways is adding two new destinations in the Americas with the launch of service to Bogotá, Colombia and Caracas, Venezuela. The new service will operate as a triangle route connecting Doha with the two South American nations 2x weekly. It will be interesting to see how this route performs and whether the airline will have the ability to fly passengers on just the Bogotá-Caracas portion of the route.
(Image courtesy Qatar Airways)