The first Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Langkawi, Malaysia, has touched down at Langkawi International Airport.

The new service to Langkawi will be operated by the airline’s state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, featuring 22 seats in business class and 232 seats in economy class, with spacious cabins and specially-designed interiors.

Qatar Airways Group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “Langkawi marks the eighth new destination added to Qatar Airways’ rapidly expanding network in 2019.

“With its forested hills, stunning white-sand beaches and glimmering turquoise waters, Langkawi is fast becoming one of South East Asia’s most highly sought-after destinations and the reason why we knew we had to launch our flights here.

“Beginning with a four-times-weekly service that will grow to five-times-weekly from October 27th, we look forward to welcoming business and leisure travellers alike on board so that they may experience the ‘Jewel of Kedah’.” 

The flag-carrier of Qatar has launched a host of new destinations in 2019, including Lisbon, Portugal; Malta; Rabat, Morocco; Davao, Philippines; Izmir, Turkey; and Mogadishu, Somalia; and will add Gaborone, Botswana to its extensive network in December with Luanda, Angola; and Osaka, Japan, following in 2020.

Chief operating officer of Malaysia Airports, Dato’ Mohd Shukrie Mohd Salleh, said: “I would like to welcome Qatar Airways to Langkawi International Airport, the first middle eastern airline to fly to this beautiful island.

“The inclusion of a new international airline to Langkawi will definitely spur our Visit Malaysia 2020 campaign by increasing the number of tourists into Langkawi.”