Qatar Airways is the Official Airline Partner of the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019

Award-winning airline celebrates culture as a universal connection that brings people together 

Qatar Airways currently operates 102 weekly flights between Doha and 13 destinations in India

 DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways is pleased to announce that it is the Official Airline Partner for the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019, marking the beginning of a year-long collaboration that will see both nations jointly celebrate their unique cultural legacies.

Developed by Qatar Museums, the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019 will invite audiences in both Qatar and India to explore their cultural heritage through an exciting array of programmes, including a variety of Qatari-Indian exhibitions, musical performances, fashion, film and artistic events.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “We are delighted to be the Official Airline Partner of the Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019, taking place in both Qatar and India. As an airline, we believe that culture is a universal connector that brings people together, and this year-long event will enable both societies to share a mutual path of understanding and appreciation of each other.

“As the Official Airline Partner, Qatar Airways also looks forward to being the bridge between both countries by bringing more travellers from India to Doha, so that they can experience Qatar’s incredible hospitality and cultural heritage throughout the year.”

The Year of Culture programme, developed under the patronage of H.E. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, has continued to grow under her leadership each passing year, with the Qatar-Russia Year of Culture 2018 programme being the largest cultural collaboration to date.

Qatar Museums Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ahmad Al Namla, said: “Since its launch with the Qatar-Japan Year of Culture 2012, the Years of Culture programme has been building bridges between Qatar and the world, celebrating both our similarities as well as our differences. After several successful editions, we are pleased to launch Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019. Our two countries have long enjoyed a close partnership, one that extends beyond economic ties. Our aspiration is that the Year of Culture programme will further strengthen our existing ties, encourage new encounters, and spur creativity and curiosity among the new generations of both countries, so that they may feel inspired to achieve great things together.

“Throughout this year, we are going to see great works of art, international collaboration and beautiful showcases of the vibrant cultural history of our two countries. We are proud to partner with Qatar Airways as the Official Airline Partner for Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019, which is a testament to the close collaboration between our countries’ institutions.”

In Qatar, residents and visitors to the country will be able to enjoy the Year of Culture experience at the Doha International Book Fair 2019, where India will be the Guest of Honour. Other highlights include an exhibition by Raqs Media Collective, which makes contemporary art, edits books and curates exhibitions, and a ‘Festival of India’ event that will feature a range of visual arts and performances such as classical dance and music (both Indian and Western), as well as cinema and theatre. Key events to look forward to in India include ‘The Monsoon Wedding’ musical, and a contemporary Art Qatar Exhibition – a landmark exhibition showcasing Qatar’s rapid, social and urban transformation through the eyes of talented emerging artists from the country.

Qatar Airways currently operates 102 weekly flights between Doha and 13 destinations in India, including Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Goa, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata, Kozhikode, Mumbai, Nagpur and Thiruvananthapuram.

Qatar Airways introduced its revolutionary Qsuite Business Class experience on the Mumbai and Bengaluru routes in July 2018, both of which are served by a Boeing B777 aircraft. In February 2018, the award-winning airline introduced its state-of-the-art Airbus A350-900 on its Delhi route. Qatar Airways was the global launch customer for this aircraft, which features a two-class configuration of 283 seats in total, offering 36 in Business Class and 247 in Economy Class.

The airline’s cargo division, Qatar Airways Cargo, currently operates a total of 26 weekly freighters to seven destinations in India. The top three cargo destinations in India are Mumbai and Chennai, with seven weekly frequencies each, and Delhi with five weekly frequencies.

The national carrier of the State of Qatar is one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines, with a modern fleet of more than 200 aircraft flying to over 160 business and leisure destinations across six continents.

A multiple-award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Business Class Seat’, ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge’.