NEWS FLASH
Qatar Airways will deploy its widebody Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft on two rotations between Doha and Belgrade in May. The carrier will operate the 254-seat jet, featuring 22 seats in business class and 232 in economy, on May 2 and May 10. It will coincide in what is expected to be a busy travel week from the Serbian capital, during the May Day and Easter public holidays, as well as the spring school holidays. The Qatari carrier, which usually utilises a 144-seat Airbus A320 aircraft on the route, last deployed a B787 to Belgrade on November 20 of last year. This marks the first time the airline will use a widebody to the Serbian capital this year, while last year a total of five flights were performed by twin-aisle jets, all of which with the B787-8. Last minute equipment swaps remain possible.
 |
| Qatar Airways B787-8 business class |
 |
| Qatar Airways B787-8 economy class |
Nice I am hoping we start to see more wide bodies at Belgrade airport. Hopefully this becomes a more regular thing.
ReplyDeleteTheir A320 has only 144 seats? I assume it has dedicated business class seats (how many?) and economy with a better pitch?
ReplyDeleteOf course it has dedicated business class with 3 rows of 2x2. Google Qatar Airways business class A320 and you will see photos. There are two variants used to Belgrade , one with lie flat seats in business and the other with recliners. The recliners are used to BEG on majority of flights. The planes with lieflats in business have 132 seats in total.
DeleteI took the one with 144 and business class is very good, but for a 4.5 hours flight I am not sure the cost justifies the need to fly business
DeleteThe cost of operating the A320 is lower with a better yield per pax. The bigger 787 doesn’t have enough premium demand. 2x2 business in 3 rows they are not able to completely fill, doing a 787 with 22 seats at higher fares for a better product would be even harder to fill. Until the market is not mature enough to sustain the need, they will keep sending narrow body aircraft. To be honest I’d rather have 3x narrow body than 1-2x wide body. You’ll have more connecting options onward on their network this way as well.
DeleteFinally some good news for BEG.
ReplyDeleteOf course it has dedicated business class .... Why answer a question without some attitude? Good thing that there are so many experts about the aviation industry on this site. I guess the rest of us are just dummies that ask stupid questions!
ReplyDeleteYes
DeleteCome on - everybody at least knows that Qatar isn't some LCC or Euro airline that has eurobusiness (eco seats for BC).
DeleteHopefully by June we'll have 787 everyday or at least A330.
ReplyDeleteQatar has been occasionally sending widebodies like A330 or 787 to Belgrade for the past decade but have been unable to grow the number of passengers on this line to justify regular widebody service, not even during peak season. Compare that to growth of Air Serbia widebody service to the US. Or Turkish passenger growth between IST and BEG.
DeleteAgreed, but it's weird to see that Budapest for example has 787 daily from 1st May, while we're stuck on A320.. And recliner A320 in BC at that regularly. Flatbed A320s used to be much more regular last year at this time.. Now we have only recliners.
DeleteTo add to my 15:37 comment, even ZAG has flatbeds, while SOF, BEG, OTP are stuck on recliner A320s.
DeleteRecliners planes are used because they have greater capacity which is needed on these routes. Remember before Covid Qatar Airways was operating a daily A321 on this route.
DeleteFor people talking about demand, as someone who actually has some insight into QR ops. their loads to/from BEG are excellent actually. Problem with QR is with fleeting which has been ongoing for 4 years and to some extent yields during some periods of the year despite strong loads.
As for anon 15:37, it is not at all odd that BUD has B787. Budapest is a big tourist destination and is very popular with Asian travelers who use Qatar Airways and more recently with Indian travelers too.
DeleteHopefully next year when A321neos start arriving BEG will be one of the first routes to get them - would be a great addition instead of a widebody.
Delete@15:46 Agree - I fly to most ME countries via DOH from BEG (as I have QR FF status & therefore it's the best option for me) and BEG-DOH loads are quite good - hope to see more 787-8 on this route. It was really nice to have 1-2-1 lie flat BC in September last year.
DeleteLooks great! :)
ReplyDelete