Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker has held official talks with the Crown Prince of Bahrain, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa during a meeting in the Kingdom.Al Baker thanked the Crown Prince, also the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force, for helping promote trade links between Bahrain and Qatar. He also briefed the Crown Prince on Qatar Airways’ rapid expansion and developments at the New Doha International Airport, which is due to open in 2009.

The meeting was held at the Al Rafaa Palace on the eve of the three-day Bahrain International Travel Expo (BITE) travel trade show being held in Manama, the city’s capital. The Qatar Airways delegation at the meeting included General Manager Commercial, Mohamed Saleh Fakhri, Senior Manager Commercial Operations East, Ali Al Rais, and Senior Manager Marketing and Communications, Salam Al Shawa.

Qatar Airways currently operates a total of 37 scheduled flights a week between Bahrain and Doha with excellent onward connections for business and leisure travellers to destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Indian subcontinent and the Far East.

During BITE, which began today, Al Baker and Chairman of Qatar’s Civil Aviation Authority, Abdul Aziz Mohamed Al-Noami, greeted the Crown Prince and gave him a tour of Qatar Airways’ stand. Qatar Airways is exhibiting at the show to promote its award-winning Five Star service and latest routes.

Al Baker spoke of Qatar Airways’ meteoric rise as a key player in regional and global aviation with its current fleet of 46 aircraft set to more than double to 110 jets by 2015.

He also spoke of the revolutionary in-flight products being introduced by Qatar Airways this summer. This includes a First Class lounge on its new Airbus A340 long-haul aircraft and the opening of the world’s only dedicated First and Business Class terminal at Doha International Airport for exclusive use by Qatar Airways’ passengers travelling in the premium cabins.

BITE, which is taking place at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, attracts airlines, hotels, car rental companies, travel agents and tour operators from around the world.

Qatar Airways’ Doha - Bahrain route is currently operated with a mixture of A320s and A330s offering passengers the best levels of comfort and service, with excellent onward connections to many of the airline’s 70 destinations worldwide.
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