Qatar Airways increases flights to Melbourne!
Qatar Airways is to double the service it provides between Doha and Melbourne from once per day to double-daily in time for the FIFA Soccer World Cup in November. The expanded presence in Melbourne by the Doha-based carrier has been made possible by a ‘strategic agreement’ with the Victoria government as part of efforts to boost post-pandemic trade and tourism.
Melbourne was Qatar Airways’ first destination in Australia but the, until recently, the airline was severely constrained in how many flights it could operate to and from Australia due to a restrictive air services agreement between Australia and the state of Qatar
Up until the start of the pandemic, Qatar Airways was given a weekly allocation of just 21 flights to Australia. The cap was a major bone of contention for Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker who lashed out at the fact that UAE rivals Emirates and Etihad Airways had a bigger allocation.
The apparent disparity led to a dispute between Qatar Airways and Qantas because the Aussie flag carrier refused to support an increase in the number of weekly flights for the Qatari airline despite the fact both airlines were members of the Oneworld alliance.
Source: Paddleyourownkanoo.com
British Airways cancels summer flights!
British Airways has canceled an extra 10,300 short-haul flights after canceling a round of others earlier this week, struggling through a worker shortage.
According to Bloomberg, the airline has cut 13 percent of its entire schedule from April through October, totaling to 30,000 flights cut this summer.
The problem is staffing. British Airways, like many airlines in Europe and the U.S., both regions where air travel is being impacted the most, cut 10,000 workers during the worst part of the pandemic; these necessary workers haven’t been rehired as quickly as needed.
The staffing shortage isn’t just impacting flights: it’s also causing a serious luggage pileup at Heathrow International Airport. Photos show hundreds of bags left unattended without luggage handlers, completely covering luggage lanes.
Source: Travelpulse.com
