Qatar Airways and United Airlines (UA) have implemented their code share agreement.

Under the agreement, Qatar Airways significantly expands its presence in the US, a market it entered in June with scheduled flights from Doha to New York (Newark). In July, Qatar Airways added daily non-stop scheduled services between Doha and Washington DC, said an official spokesman.

Qatar Airways’ QR flight code is now placed on selected services operated by United Airlines, giving the Doha-based carrier access to a number of domestic cities across the United States from Washington DC, and on flights from key European gateways to the US.

United Airlines’ UA flight code is also placed on Qatar Airways’ flights between Doha and Washington DC and Newark, as well as a number of routes operated by Qatar Airways across its network from the Qatari capital.

As part of the agreement, Qatar Airways has applied its QR flight code on: Flights operated by United Airlines from Washington DC to more than 50 cities across the US; flights operated by United Airlines from London Heathrow, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome and Munich to one or all of the following cities – Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington DC and Chicago.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said that passenger feedback had been extremely positive since the airline launched flights to the United States this summer.

“We are delighted with the strong passenger response to our New York and Washington DC flights – and the codeshare arrangement we have entered into with United Airlines will strengthen our position across the US,” he said.

Qatar Airways began its relationship with United Airlines in November 2005 when members of the airline’s Privilege Club frequent flyer programme were able to earn and redeem Qmiles on flights operated by United Airlines.

Both carriers have also enjoyed a strategic cargo partnership through which the airlines have carried more than 600,000 kilos (1.3 million pounds) of general freight and in excess of two million kilos (4 million pounds) of mail since its inception in early 2006.

Qatar Airways, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines, currently operates a modern fleet of 58 all-Airbus aircraft to 79 destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Far East, Indian subcontinent and North America.

The launch of the US flights was the highlight of Qatar Airways’ route expansion programme during 2007, which has already seen Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Bali, Ho Chi Minh City, Chennai, Geneva and Nagpur added to the carrier’s burgeoning network.

From November 27, Qatar Airways launches four-flights-a-week to the Swedish capital Stockholm. Daily scheduled services to the western Indian city of Ahmedabad are due to begin on December 12. – TradeArabia News Service