(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Qatar Airways announced yesterday expanded codeshare cooperation with Malaysia Airlines, starting from January 7. The new codeshare agreement will strengthen the two airlines' strategic partnership, first initiated in 2001.
With 10 Qatar Airways destinations covered by the airlines' current codeshare cooperation, the expanded agreement will allow Malaysia Airlines passengers to book travel to 20 additional Qatar Airways gateways in Europe, America, and Africa, said the airline in a press release yesterday.
In turn, Qatar Airways passengers will benefit from access to four exciting new destinations in South East Asia. They can now book travel on Malaysia Airlines' flights to Sibu, Malaysia; Alor Setar, Malaysia; Medan, Indonesia; and Surabaya, Indonesia. This brings the total number of codeshare routes in Malaysia Airlines' network to 24.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker, said: 'Since 2001, both airlines have witnessed the significant benefits codeshare cooperation have brought, providing passengers with unrivalled service and seamless connections. The expansion of codeshare cooperation between Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines is a natural next step in the strengthening of our partnership.
Malaysia Airlines Group Chief Executive, Izham Ismail, said: 'Malaysia Airlines is delighted to further develop and grow our relationship with Qatar Airways with this codeshare agreement. Through this cooperation, we will be able to provide travel options for our outbound travelers as well as inviting more travelers to experience the beauty Malaysia has to offer. We look forward to sharing our Malaysian hospitality further and provide a truly Malaysian experience for our passengers.
Sales for selected new codeshare destinations will open today, January 15, when Malaysia Airlines customers will be able to book travel on Qatar Airways flights from Doha to Vienna, Brussels, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Munich, Athens, Rome, Oslo, Barcelona, Madrid, Geneva, and Zurich. In turn, Qatar Airways passengers will be able to book Malaysia Airlines flights to Sibu, Alor Setar, Medan, and Surabaya.
Qatar Airways began flying to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 2001, now a triple daily service. Penang, Malaysia was launched in February 2018, initially with three weekly flights that increased to five weekly flights in October 2019. A five-time weekly service to Langkawi, via Penang, was launched in October 2019. In 2001, Qatar Airways and Malaysia Airlines announced their first codeshare agreement, which was expanded in 2018, to provide greater connectivity and new destinations to their passengers.
Qatar Airways was named ‘World's Best Airline' by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East', ‘World's Best Business Class', and ‘Best Business Class Seat', in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year' title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.
The world's fastest-growing airline added several new destinations to its network last year, including Rabat, Morocco; Izmir, Turkey; Malta; Davao, Philippines; Lisbon, Portugal; Mogadishu, Somalia; Langkawi, Malaysia; and Gaborone, Botswana.
Malaysia Airlines serves 59 destinations from its hub, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL). As oneworld alliance partners, customers of both airlines are ensured recognition of their frequent-flyer status and benefits including access to lounges worldwide, through check-in, extra baggage allowance, plus accrual and redemption of miles, priority check-in and boarding across the carriers' networks.
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