São Paulo – Yesterday (24th), Qatar Airways had its first flight from Doha to São Paulo, thus becoming the second airline in the Arab world to have a direct route to Brazil. The other one is Emirates Airline, based in Dubai. The company’s Boeing 777-200 aircraft landed at the International Airport of São Paulo, aka Cumbica airport, in the municipality of Guarulhos, shortly after 04:00 pm.
A ceremony was held at Gate 18 of the airport’s Terminal 2 to mark the line’s inauguration. IN attendance were the company’s CEO, Akbar Al Baker, the Brazilian ambassador to Doha, Ânuar Nahes, and the Argentinean ambassador in the Qatari capital, Rubén Caro, who travelled on the aircraft.
The meeting was also attended by the president of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, Salim Taufic Schahin, the organization’s secretary general, Michel Alaby, the vice president for the Americas at Qatar Airways, Tony Hughes, the airline’s manager for Brazil, Antonio Bandeira, representatives of government organizations, sectorial organizations, and tourism professionals.
According to Alaby, company representatives informed that the occupancy rate in the first flight was 75%. After the ceremony, the aircraft headed to Buenos Aires, complementing the route. In addition to selling the São Paulo-Doha route, the company is also going to sell tickets from Brazil to the Argentinean capital. Flights operate daily.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
