Airlines

Qatar Airways arrives in Toronto, marks a double milestone

By Bob Mowat

December 13, 2024

Qatar Airways marked two historic milestones on Dec. 12 — new flights to Toronto Canada, and more Starlink-enabled aircraft than ever before.

The carrier’s inaugural flight to Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) – a Starlink-enabled Boeing 777 – arrived yesterday (Dec. 12, 2024), and officially marked the launch of three weekly non-stop flights from Hamad International Airport (DOH).

Dignitaries and VIP travel trade types were on hand at the St. Regis Toronto to celebrate the occasion with Qatar Airways senior executives and its team.

In a statement issued before the event, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said that: “Qatar Airways extends a warm welcome to the vibrant and diverse city of Toronto as the latest destination to join our expansive network of more than 170 destinations. As our second gateway in Canada, this launch underscores our unwavering commitment to presenting Canadian travellers with unparalleled service and seamless connectivity.”

And he emphasized the fact that: “Toronto Pearson serves as a vital hub for global travel, and its role as a gateway for business, culture, and tourism makes it a fitting addition to our network. We are proud to bring our world-class service and award-winning hospitality to this dynamic city.”

In Toronto, Craig Thomas, VP Sales – Americas for Qatar Airways, welcomed the crowd and introduced Paul Starrs, Senior VP International Sales for Qatar Airways, who told his audience that the addition of Toronto was “an important milestone” for the airline, which now boasts a network of 170 destinations.

Starrs pointed out that Qatar Airways journey in Canada began in Montreal, a city it has been serving for the past seven years. Since it inaugurated its operations from Montreal-Trudeau International Airport (YUL) in 2011, the carrier has served over 1.6 million passengers, and 15% of those YUL passengers ended their journey in Toronto. And that, Starrs noted certainly bodes well for the airline’s newly launched Toronto flights.

As Qatar Airways’ second Canadian gateway and 14th gateway to the Americas, the Toronto service will provide travellers from Canada and beyond with seamless access to destinations across Qatar Airways’ extensive global network. It also comes as the airline surpasses its target of fitting Starlink to 12 Boeing 777 aircraft by the end of 2024, with 14 aircraft upgraded in under 55 days, bringing the total to 15.

As the largest global airline to offer complimentary Starlink on board, Qatar Airways is also the world’s first airline to operate Boeing 777 Starlink-equipped aircraft.

What that means is that passengers can now stay entertained and connected throughout their journey, streaming their favourite shows and live sports, enjoying online gaming, or working seamlessly at 35,000 feet.

And while flying on board one of Qatar Airways’15 Starlink-enabled aircraft, passengers will also be able to enjoy unparalleled service, whether it’s Business Class à la carte, or unlimited snacks and beverages in economy class, while enjoying 8,000 entertainment options.

In an earlier statement issued before the Toronto event, Deborah Flint, Chief Executive Officer and President of Toronto Pearson, said: “We are excited for Qatar Airways to begin service at Toronto Pearson. This highly anticipated route from Toronto Pearson unlocks an exciting range of destinations for passengers looking to fly to the Middle East, Asia and Africa.”

Flint continued: “Global connectivity is a strategic importance to Canada and to Pearson as the demand for international travel rapidly grows and this route adds to the variety of convenient and accessible flight options for our passengers.”