A welcoming arc of water pumped by two fi retrucks welcomes the fi rst daily Doha-Clark fl ights
of Qatar Airways at Clark freeport, Pampanga.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CIAC
CLARK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT – At half hour past 9 a.m. on Monday, Qatar Airways’ Flight QR 930 from Doha touched down in a historic landing here amid the applause of guests including Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Abdulla Jasisim A. Al Obaidli and Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Crescente R. Relacion.
The launching of Qatar Airways’ non-stop daily flights here complemented Emirates Airlines, another Middle Eastern airlines, which started its non-stop daily flights here on October 1.
Qatar’s A-330 Airbus, with about 100 passengers taxied its way on the tarmac to the traditional water cannon salute shortly after touch- down.
A ceremony followed which was attended by airport and government officials as well as members of the local business community, travel trade and the media. Qatar Airways Senior Vice President for Commercial Operations Woo Yew Seong was joined by Relacion during the ninehour inaugural flight from Doha to Clark which also included Gulf Times reporter Joey Aguilar, former editor of Punto! who is now based in Doha.
“Qatar Airways has reached yet another key milestone in the Philippines with the launch of additional daily flights to this fast-growing country,” said Woo upon arrival here. “With our new offering, business and leisure travellers to the Luzon area have great connections via Doha from many popular destinations, including Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait, Muscat, Dammam, Riyadh, Montreal, New York, London and Paris,” he added.
Woo said a complimentary bus service will be available to take passengers to and from Trinoma Mall in Quezon City and Resorts World in Manila. He said as an inaugural offer, Qatar is slashing its rate by 25 percent and passengers are also entitled to exceptional baggage allowance of up to 40 kilos which is valid until January 31, 2014.
For his part, Clark International Airport Corp. (CIAC) President-CEO Victor Jose “Chichos” Luciano said: “The touchdown of Qatar Airways Flight QR930 will now be forever etched in the life and history of Clark International Airport, a milestone to what we pledged to be an unbreakable bridge between Clark and Doha.”
Luciano said “Clark is blessed as the world’s five star airlines Qatar Airways has selected Clark as its second destination in the Philippines, thus opening a broad venue of opportunities in travel, tourism and investments for the people of Central and Northern Luzon… 23 million people are once more given a beautiful option of connecting to the rest of the globe with the coming of Qatar Airways to Clark.”
Department of Tourism (DOT) Cordillera Administrative Region Director Purifi cacion Molintas also expressed excitement over Qatar Airways’ arrival in Clark “because it gives more opportunities for us in North Luzon not only for travel but it also opens a lot of windows for the agricultural produce of northern Luzon.”
DOT Central Luzon Regional Director Ronnie Tiotuico also welcomed Qatar Airways non-stop daily flights from Doha saying particularly that OFWs from the region will be benefitted with more convenience in landing here which is closer to home and a convenient gateway for the region.
Qatar Airways Clark destination is the airlines 133rd worldwide. The airline has a modern fleet of 129 aircraft.
