Qatar Airways has swapped the B787 aircraft serving its daily Doha-Edinburgh service for a larger A350-900, adding 406 weekly seats to the route.
CEO Akbar Al Baker said that the route had performed “exceptionally well” since launching in 2014, with the carrier gradually increasing frequency to daily, and now adding capacity with the new-generation Airbus aircraft.
Qatar Airways’ A350 is configured for a total of 283 seats – 36 in business class and 247 in ceconomy.
The move follows rival Gulf carrier Etihad’s decision to drop its Abu Dhabi-Edinburgh service from October 1, and Emirates’ plans for a new nonstop route between Dubai and the Scottish capital from the same date.
Qatar Airways will be the first carrier to offer a regular A350 service into Edinburgh, with the airport’s CEO Gordon Dewar stating that the route “has been one of our top performers since its introduction in 2014”.
“We have a fantastic relationship with Qatar Airways, and I am delighted to see that partnership continue,” said Dewar.
“We continue to connect Scotland to the world and now fly to more than 150 destinations, and by providing greater choice to passengers, we will be able to see continued growth at Scotland’s busiest airport.”
