Coronavirus: #Qatar Airways Still Operating a Third of Flights - Bloomberg

Coronavirus: Qatar Airways Still Operating a Third of Flights - Bloomberg:

Qatar Airways said it’s continuing to operate a third of its normal schedule while bulking up on cargo flights as the Mideast carrier seeks to ride out the coronavirus outbreak.

The second-biggest Gulf airline is still operating about 150 flights a day, serving European cities such as Frankfurt and Munich and more far-flung destinations in the U.S., Australia and parts of Asia, Thierry Antinori, its head of strategy, said Wednesday in an interview from Doha.

Qatar’s bid to maintain a reduced timetable contrasts with more drastic steps across the Middle East and Europe, where carriers have commonly grounded 90% of flights. In the neighboring United Arab Emirates, Etihad and Emirates ceased passenger operations entirely as of today amid a government ban. 

Antinori said Qatar’s more diverse fleet of small and large aircraft has provided flexibility in responding to demand swings, with the carrier focusing requirements on fuel-efficient Airbus SE A350 and Boeing Co. 787 wide-bodies, together with the smaller Airbus A320-series.