Qatar Airways has announced the return of its direct service between the carrier’s hub, Hamad International (DOH), and Birmingham (BHX). The reintroduction of the service is scheduled for July 6th, just in time for the British Grand Prix in Silverstone on July 9th.
Qatar Airways’s Boeing 787 returns to Birmingham
After suspending the direct service to the UK’s second-largest city amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Qatar Airways has announced it will resume direct flights to the city in the British Midlands starting July 9th.
According to the airline, Qatar Airways will operate daily flights throughout the summer season. The tables below summarise the airline’s schedule to and from Birmingham.
| Flight Number | Operating Days | Scheduled Time of Departure (STD) from DOH (local time) | Scheduled Time of Arrival (STA) in BHX (local time) |
| QR33 | Mondays Wednesdays Fridays Sundays | 08:05 | 13:15 |
| QR35 | Tuesdays Thursdays Saturdays | 02:20 | 07:30 |
| Flight Number | Operating Days | Scheduled Time of Departure (STD) from BHX (local time) | Scheduled Time of Arrival (STA) in DOH (local time) |
| QR34 | Mondays Wednesdays Fridays Sundays | 14:45 | 23:40 |
| QR36 | Tuesdays Thursdays Saturdays | 09:00 | 17:55 |
The carrier has opted for the Boeing 787-8 to operate this service. Qatar’s Boeing 787 seats 22 passengers in business class and 232 in the economy section, translating into a total capacity of 254 seats per segment.
Significant sports events continue to drive airlines’ network planning
Network planning is at the very core of an airline’s business. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance for a carrier to carefully plan where to fly, with which frequency and equipment to try and match the supply with demand.
Among the countless factors affecting decisions regarding where an airline should fly, large sports events are one of the most significant. We are talking Olympics, the Super Bowl in the USA, football world cups, and so forth. In the case of Qatar Airways, the British Grand Prix in Silverstone has played a crucial role in the decision of the carrier to resume the direct service to Birmingham.
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Being the global partner and official airline of Formula One starting this season, Qatar Airways jumped on the occasion and scheduled the first flight just ahead of the British Grand Prix, which will take place at the well-known Silverstone circuit on July 9th. The circuit is located just one hour from Birmingham, making it the best international hub for those wishing to attend the much-awaited sports event.
Qatar Airways Holidays will leverage the Grand Prix
With the progressive success of budget airlines, legacy carriers have had to adapt to new ways of managing an airline business. For instance, the incumbents soon realized revenue had to be derived not just from the sale of tickets but from the so-called ancillary services as well. Consequently, progressively more airlines invested in divisions to cater to the needs of their leisure customers.
Middle Eastern airlines are no exception. Qatar Airways, for instance, relies on Qatar Airways Holidays to provide leisure services to its leisure mix of traffic. Sports events, like the British Grand Prix, are the perfect occasion for airlines’ holiday divisions to boost their revenues by developing ad hoc packages offering tailored experiences to the attending customers. Given how tough tickets have been to come by for this year, foreign visitors may be considering purchasing a package to remove the headache of sourcing tickets.
For instance, Qatar Airways Holidays has jumped on the occasion and developed a range of travel packages for those attending the British Grand Prix. These vary according to the customers’ desires and include flights, hotel stays, premium seats at the race, and gourmet experiences. For those who want to enjoy the experience to the fullest, Qatar Airways Holidays has developed premium travel packages, which include the Paddock Club Pit Lane Walk and an exclusive event featuring an F1 legend or driver.
Commenting on the re-opening of the direct service and the series of services offered by the Holidays division, Qatar Airways CEO, Mr. Akbar Al Baker, stated:
“As the Global Partner and Official Airline of Formula 1, Qatar Airways, is excited to provide fans with unique travel packages under the Ultimate F1 Experience to enjoy exclusive on-track activities at the British Grand Prix.
“The World’s Best Airline continues to be committed to its English market and strives to offer passengers with the best travel options available.”
Birmingham’s appeal beyond the British Grand Prix
The return of Qatar Airways to Birmingham will cater to a demand not confined to Formula One fans.
Indeed, the UK’s second-largest city is located in the heart of the country, meaning 90% of the UK can be reached within four hours. Besides being one of the country’s most significant industrial and commercial centers, Birmingham also offers many historic and uncommon attractions. For instance, the city is known for the silversmith profession, to the point that a whole quarter of the city, the Jewellery Quarter, is the birthplace of 40% of the UK’s jewelry.
Birmingham is also the perfect destination for a shopping gateway, with the Bullring being one of the largest shopping centers in Europe. Moreover, the city is home to the most significant event space in the UK, the National Exhibition Centre, attracting thousands of visitors every year. Additionally, considering that India and Pakistan represent the largest non-UK-born communities in the Midlands, Qatar Airways will also benefit from the Visiting Friends and Relatives (VFR) demand out of Birmingham to the destinations the carrier serves in these two countries via its hub in Doha.