Qatar Airways to start flights to Hangzhou

Qatar's national carrier Qatar Airways (QA) Tuesday announced it will begin flights to Hangzhou, China from December 20. The non-stop service from Doha to Hangzhou, the capital city of Zhejiang Province, will fly four-times-weekly, QA said in a media statement Tuesday . Commenting on the launch of the new route, QA CEO Akbar Al Baker said, "This year we celebrate 10 years of flying to China. The addition of our seventh route in China will provide additional connectivity for business and leisure travellers connecting from Asia, the Middle East and GCC countries. Just two months after the launch of the Chengdu service, we are able to offer our passengers even more options for flying into China with the addition of Hangzhou." QA will operate an Airbus A330 on the Doha–Hangzhou route. The aircraft will feature 260 seats with 24 seats in Business Class and 236 seats in Economy. Selected aircraft will feature seatback TV screens, providing passengers with the next generation interactive on board entertainment system, featuring a choice of more than 800 audio and video on-demand options. QA began operations to China in 2003 with the launch non-stop flights to Shanghai, with the airline further expanding its portfolio over the past decade with the addition of Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Chongqing and Chengdu. Hangzhou, which is the fourth-largest metropolitan area in China, is known for its rich history and picturesque scenery. The city, one of the top tourist sites in China, is also referred to as 'Paradise on Earth', 'Home of Silk' and 'Tea Capital'. In 2013, Qatar Airways has launched seven destinations to date – Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Najaf (Iraq), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Chicago (USA), Salalah (Oman), Basra (Iraq), Sulaymaniyah (Iraq), Chengdu (China), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Ta’if (Saudi Arabia) and most recently Clark Manila International Airport (Philippines). QA will begin operations to and from Hangzhou (HGH) as per the schedule below effective December 20, 2013 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays QR868 Departs DOH 02:30 hrs Arrives HGH 15:40 hrs Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays QR869 Departs HGH 23:00 hrs Arrives DOH 04:30+1 hrs.