KATHMANDU, April 8: Qatar Airways has operated the world’s first fully COVID-19 vaccinated flight on Tuesday.
QR6421 departed Hamad International Airport at 11:00 AM carrying only vaccinated crew and passengers on board, with passengers also served by the fully vaccinated staff at check-in.
The special flight, which returned to Doha at 14:00, showcased all the measures the airline has put in place to ensure the highest standards of safety and hygiene on board, including its latest innovation, the world’s first ‘Zero-Touch’ in-flight entertainment technology.
Qatar Airlines in a press statement said the special service was operated by the airline’s most technologically advanced and sustainable aircraft, the Airbus A350-1000, with the flight also fully carbon offset in line with the carrier’s environmental responsibilities.
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Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker said that the special flight demonstrated the next stage in the recovery of international travel is not far away. “We are proud to continue leading the industry by operating the first flight with a fully vaccinated crew and passengers and providing a beacon of hope for the future of international aviation,” he said. “With aviation being a critical economic driver both globally and here in the State of Qatar, we are thankful for the support we have received from our government and local health authorities to vaccinate our staff, with over 1,000 vaccinations being administered per day.”
The statement said that it is in Qatar Airways DNA to be at the forefront, setting the highest standards of safety and customer service. Before the pandemic, Qatar Airways became the first and only airline to be awarded the Skytrax Airline of the Year five times. “When the pandemic hit its peak in early April, our airline continued flying to help repatriate millions of stranded passengers and transport essential medical supplies, while also implementing the latest innovations in bio-safety and hygiene,” he further said.
As the vaccine rollout begins to gather pace worldwide, Qatar Airways remains committed to being the airline passengers and travel partners can rely on, operating one of the largest global networks to provide the connectivity needed to reunite families and friends and support global trade.
“Qatar Airways Cargo has also played a vital role in maintaining a reliable schedule across our network of destinations. Since the onset of the pandemic, Qatar Airways has helped transport more than 500,000 tones of medical supplies and delivered close to 20,000,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccines to over 20 countries.”
