Press Release
QATAR AIRWAYS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT WEST MIDLANDERS ARE READY TO TAKE TO THE SKIES
Almost two thirds of respondents said they would be more likely to use a local West Midlands airport if it had better long-haul connections
Love is in the air across the West Midlands with almost half of respondents preferring to jet off with just their partner
While traditional beach holidays are still popular, cultural trips top the list for West Midlanders
Almost two thirds of respondents said they would be more likely to use a local West Midlands airport if it had better long-haul connections
Love is in the air across the West Midlands with almost half of respondents preferring to jet off with just their partner
While traditional beach holidays are still popular, cultural trips top the list for West Midlanders
For further information and images please contact Paul Charles / Philip Allport / Gordon Smith / Katie Moine / Alana Fogarty
+44 (0)20 7792 8884
qatarairways@verypcc.com
Qatar Airways has uncovered the travel habits of West Midlanders ahead of their inaugural flight in March, connecting Birmingham with over 150 global destinations.
The findings, based on interviews with 1,000 people in the region, show a massive 65% of respondents would be more likely to use a local West Midlands airport if it had better long-haul connections.
The survey also confirmed that West Midlanders are romantics at heart, with 49% of respondents saying they prefer going on holiday with just their partner, compared to only 9% who would rather travel solo. Qatar Airways’ new ‘Going Places Together’ campaign, launched in December 2015, highlights the magic of jetting off with that special someone, with an award-winning service guaranteed to make every journey memorable.
While the classic beach break is still popular – with 30% of respondents naming it as their favourite type of holiday – the top choice for travellers in the West Midlands is a cultural trip (35%). Travellers looking to combine the two need look no further than one of Qatar Airways’ newest destinations, Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates. A beautifully tranquil new holiday-spot which is sure to delight both thrill seekers and those who simply want to relax and indulge in five-star luxury, flights to Ras al-Khaimah from Birmingham via Doha start at just £330 return.
Elsewhere, the Qatar Airways figures also show that West Midlanders love to travel far and wide, with one in ten in the region likely to plan a trip Down Under within the next two years. This year Qatar Airways will help bring the West Midlands and Australia closer than ever with new services to Sydney on March 1, and Adelaide on May 2, complementing the airline’s well-established routes to Perth and Melbourne.
The results prove that travellers in the West Midlands are keen to fly from a local airport if it offers a choice of long-haul destinations to rival those available elsewhere. With eight flights a week, including two flights on Saturdays, Qatar Airways passengers travelling from Birmingham will have access to the world’s most exciting destinations, all within one convenient and seamless transfer at the airline’s state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport.
Qatar Airways Country Manager, UK & Ireland, Richard Oliver said: “The results from our survey clearly illustrate a demand for long-haul travel from the West Midlands that Qatar Airways is delighted to meet. To be launching our new service from Birmingham with eight flights a week shows confidence in the city and the wider West Midlands as a place to visit and do business.”
Birmingham Airport Aviation Development Director, William Pearson said: “In 2015, we experienced over 20% growth in long-haul passengers alone, so this survey supports the trend that we are seeing at Birmingham Airport. Qatar Airways will give Midlanders world class customer service offering daily connectivity across the globe through its state-of-the-art hub in Doha and we look forward to welcoming this in March.”
The route will be operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in a two-cabin configuration, comprising of 22 seats in Business Class and 232 Economy Class seats. All seats include individual television screens, with Economy Class customers benefitting from a screen 10.6-inches wide, offering the latest inflight entertainment comprised of up to 2,000 options while experiencing the airline’s award-winning service. Every seat is an aisle seat in Business Class where passengers can catch up on sleep in a fully-flat bed or make productive use of their time utilising the large work surface area. Passengers can also stay connected while travelling with the option of Wi-Fi which is available throughout the aircraft.
As of 30 March 2016:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday:
Birmingham (BHX) to Doha (DOH) departure 09.15 arrival 18.05
Doha (DOH) to Birmingham (BHX) departure 01.25 arrival 06.45
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday:
Birmingham (BHX) to Doha (DOH) departure 15.00 arrival 23.50
Doha (DOH) to Birmingham (BHX) departure 07.30 arrival 12.50
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:
Survey methodology:
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1,000 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 19th - 23rd January 2016. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all adults in the West Midlands (aged 18+).
Notes to Editors:
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Now in its 19th year of operations, Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of 176 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. Qatar Airways won Airline of the Year, Best Business Class Airline Seat and Best Airline in the Middle East at the 2015 Skytrax Awards. This is the third time the airline won the accolade of Airline of the Year.
Qatar Airways is a member of the oneworld global alliance. The award-winning alliance was named the World’s Best Airline Alliance 2015 by Skytrax for the third year running. Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries, with 14,250 daily departures.
Qatar Airways launched Oryx One in 2015, an enhanced interface for its inflight entertainment system, increasing the number of movies and TV shows on board from 950 to up to 2,000. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 as well as select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the five-star airline’s on-board WiFi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest cargo carrier, serves more than 40 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally on 176 aircraft. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet now includes seven Airbus 330, eight Boeing 777 freighters and one Boeing 747 freighter.
For more information, visit our homepage www.qatarairways.com or our sites on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, and YouTube.
For Qatar Airways corporate images, please click here: http://www.qatarairways.com/corporateimages