In a move set to bolster air connectivity between Qatar and China, China Southern Airlines inaugurated its new four-times-weekly service from Guangzhou to Doha on April 22, 2024. The launch follows a strategic agreement struck between the Chinese carrier and Qatar Airways in February.

The route, operated by a 203-seat Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, connects Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport with Hamad International Airport in Doha. This latest addition brings the total number of Chinese cities linked to the Qatari capital by Qatar Airways to eight, with existing services to Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Xiamen providing over 27,000 weekly seats.

“The introduction of China Southern’s Guangzhou service marks a significant milestone in our efforts to deepen ties with China, a key strategic partner,” said His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive. “With over 200 global destinations in its network, China Southern’s footprint at our âHamad International Airport hub will unlock new trade and tourism flows.”

For its part, China Southern cited passenger demand as the driving force behind the new Guangzhou-Doha sector. “As travel markets revive, we are witnessing robust appetite for links between China’s industrial heartlands and Qatar, a rising boutique destination,” a China Southern spokesperson stated.  

The Chinese carrier becomes the second mainland airline operating at Hamad International Airport after Xiamen Airlines. It also joins Akasa Air, Japan Airlines, and Garuda Indonesia as the fourth newcomer announced at the award-winning hub in 2024 alone.

As Qatar pursues its National Vision 2030 developmental roadmap, officials view Hamad International Airport’s growing route network as a catalyst for economic diversification. The airport’s expansion drive epitomizes the Gulf state’s innovative approach to aviation growth and ambitions to raise its global profile.