Qatar Airways Plans to Expand Flights this Month to 52 Cities

Doha (dpa) - Qatar Airways said on Wednesday it plans to resume flights on some suspended routes this month as it expects the relaxation of travel restrictions imposed around the world due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Qatar's state-owned carrier did not completely halt its operations, maintaining flights to 30 destinations while many countries closed their airports as part of measures aimed at containing the spread of Covid-19.

It plans to resume flights to around 52 destinations by the end of May, and to 80 cities in June.

"With entry restrictions constantly evolving, accurately predicting future travel is challenging," Qatar Airways said in a statement.

While short-haul travel will rebound first, the company expects travel between large global cities to pick up more gradually with business and family visits following months of lockdowns.

The company described the move as "a phased approach to expanding its network in line with passenger demand evolution and the expected relaxation of entry restrictions around the world."

Last month, Qatar airways said it is working on cutting costs and has temporarily reduced staff salaries.

Qatar has reported more than 17,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and 12 deaths.

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