Qatar Airways will increase its frequency to Bahrain with the addition of five flights a week, from June 1. The new early evening departures from the Bahraini capital Manama, will help offer connections via Qatar Airways operational hub of Doha to various cities across the airline's global network covering Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, the Indian subcontinent and North America. Flight QR1154 departs from Doha at 3.15pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays and arrives in Manama at 4 pm. The return flight, QR1155, leaves Bahrain at 5pm and arrives here at 5.45pm. Addressing media in Manama, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said: "The addition of five new flights each week increases capacity between the two Gulf capitals from 42 to 47 flights a week and ensures the route only goes from strength to strength." He said: "We currently operate six flights a day between Manama and Doha and with the new evening departures, Qatar Airways offers our customers greater choice and an excellent array of connecting destinations all over the world. The CEO was speaking at a press conference on the sidelines of the Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE), of which Qatar Airways was the Gold Sponsor. The four-day travel expo, was held at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, where Qatar Airways showcased its new-look exhibition stand, award-winning long-haul Business Class seat and promoted its three new routes for 2008 - Guangzhou in China, Kozhikode in India and Houston in the US Beginning June 15, Qatar Airways will launch daily services between Doha and Kozhikode (formerly known as Calicut). The south-Indian city will be the airline's ninth destination in India taking capacity across the country to 58 weekly services. From November 10, Qatar Airways will launch its third US destination with direct non-stop flights to Houston, initially with three services a week, which will be made a daily service in December. Al Baker discussed with media the airline's expansion plans over the next few years. The next lot of aircraft deliveries to Qatar Airways takes delivery of the first of its Long Range version Boeing 777-200 aircraft which will be introduced on the Doha-Houston route from November 10. © The Peninsula 2008

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