For the sixth year running, the Doha-based carrier retained the Leading Business Class Airline In Middle East title, as voted by travel industry professionals, at the World Travel Awards.

And the airline, now in its 14th year of operations, was honoured as the region’s Best Business Class by readers of the prestigious monthly magazine Business Traveller Middle East at its annual awards ceremony in Dubai.

Guests from across the regional and global travel, tourism and hospitality industries attended the ceremonies, held at The Jumeirah Zabeel Saray and Armani Hotels respectively.

Qatar Airways’ Dubai-based Country Manager UAE Mohammed El Emam collected both awards on behalf of the airline.

Voting was based on the strength of the airline’s inflight service, cabin comfort, ground hospitality and product offerings for travellers in Business Class. Superior seating with a pitch of up to 78 inches, above the industry norm, and fully flat beds are a hallmark of the airline’s Business Class cabin onboard its flagship long-haul aircraft, the Boeing 777.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the latest awards reflected continued achievements for the young airline in an historic year of milestones.

“Once again Qatar Airways has proved it is an airline being increasingly recognised for its high levels of service and outstanding products by travellers from around the world and by travel professionals,” Baker said.

Al Baker said Qatar Airways had come a long way since its inception in 1997, with a remarkable milestone of reaching 100 destinations recently and a fleet size set to pass 100 aircraft later this year.

Qatar Airways currently operates a modern fleet of 97 aircraft to 100 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. The airline’s 100th destination was to the Syrian city of Aleppo with the introduction of scheduled flights last month.

So far this year, Qatar Airways has added five destinations to its international map – Bucharest, Budapest, Brussels, Stuttgart and Aleppo – and is gearing up for more route expansion with a further 10 destinations being inducted into the airline’s global network by the end of 2011.

Qatar Airways’ June – November 2011 route expansion highlights are:-
New Routes:

· SHIRAZ, Iran: June 5 Twice-weekly flights – carrier’s third destination in Iran

· VENICE, Italy: June 15 Daily non-stop flights take Italian network up to three cities

· MEDINA, Saudi Arabia: July 14 4-flights-a-week – airline’s fourth Saudi Arabian gateway

· MONTREAL, Canada: June 29 Debut in Canada with introduction of thrice-weekly flights

· KOLKATA, India: July 27 Daily flights take airline’s Indian network up to 12 destinations

· SOFIA, Bulgaria: September 14: 4-flights-a-week strengthen Eastern European presence

· OSLO, Norway: October 5: 5-flights-a-week – airline’s third Scandinavian route

· ENTEBBE, Uganda: November 2: Daily non-stop flights

· BAKU, Azerbaijan: November 30: Daily non-stop flights

· TBILISI, Georgia, November 30: Daily via Baku