Qatar Airways: No plans for budget carrier

1:07 PM, Nov 17, 2012   |    comments
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Instead, CEO Akbar al-Baker says Qatar Airways will concentrate on enlarging its global network as part of rivalries with Gulf carriers Emirates and Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways.

Al-Baker is quoted Saturday by the Dubai-based Khaleej Times as saying there are no current plans to create a budget airline to challenge the growing market share of government-backed flydubai, which began service in 2009 and now serves more than 50 destinations.

But al-Baker said Qatar Airways keeps "options open" on all future plans.

Al-Baker made the comments earlier this week in Seattle after he took delivery of the airline's first Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)