Qatar Airways has announced the launch of direct flights from Doha to Da Nang, starting on 19 December 2018.

Da Nang will be the third Vietnamese destination on the award-winning airline’s rapidly expanding global network. This is also the only direct flight from Central Viet Nam to Qatar, and the Middle East region as a whole.

The four-times weekly flights will be served with a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, featuring 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.

As for the inaugural flight schedule for 19 December, the flight will depart from Doha at 2.30am, and arrive in Da Nang at 1.20pm (local time), whilst the return flight will take off at 7.15pm (local time) from Da Nang, and land in Doha at 11.45pm.

The regular flight schedule: Doha-Da Nang - Mondays and Saturdays: Departs Doha 7.15am, arrives Da Nang 6.05pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays: Departs Doha 8.15pm, arrives Da Nang 7.01am.

Da Nang-Doha - Mondays and Saturdays: Departs Da Nang 7.35pm, arrives Doha 12.05am. Wednesdays and Fridays: Departs Da Nang 8.30am, arrives Doha 1.00pm.

The new air route would help promote trade, investment, and tourism between the central region and the Middle East in the coming years.

Da Nang could promote tour exchanges between Doha and Vietnamese localities, including UNESCO-recognised world heritages Phong Nha-Ke Bang, Hue City, Hoi An, and My Son in Central Viet Nam.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, has said: “We are delighted to announce the launch of our newest gateway to Viet Nam, the beautiful city of Da Nang. This new direct route demonstrates our commitment to expanding our presence in the Far East, a highly-important market for Qatar Airways”.

Qatar Airways began direct services to Ho Chi Minh City in 2007, and launched its Ha Noi service in 2010. Currently, the airline provides twice-daily direct flights to Viet Nam’s capital city and 10 times weekly flights to Ho Chi Minh City.

In October 2017, Qatar Airways announced its interline partnership with Viet Nam-based Vietjet Air, allowing Qatar Airways’ passengers to travel to and from destinations in Viet Nam not served directly by Qatar Airways using a single reservation across both airlines’ networks.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Business Class’ by the 2018 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Business Class Seat’, ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, and ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.’