News Broadcasting
Qatar airways voted best middle eastern airline for seventh consecutive year
MUMBAI: For the seventh year in a row, Qatar Airways was presented “Best Middle Eastern Airline” at the TTG Asia Travel Awards held in Thailand’s capital city of Bangkok, 3rd October.
The Doha-based airline was voted by readers of one of the most respected travel trade magazines in the Asia Pacific, TTG Asia. Readers based their voting on the strength of the airline’s customer service, its route network, services and its marketing and advertising programmes.
Qatar Airways’ Chief Commercial Officer Marwan Koleilat, who accepted the award on behalf of the airline, said that the honour demonstrated the airline’s continued popularity amongst passengers.
“Qatar Airways continues to consolidate its position as one of the world’s leading airlines by winning several awards year on year,” said Koleilat. “Winning the Best Middle Eastern Airline award reiterates the airline’s commitment to create superior travel experiences for its passengers and to offer them the best service levels.”
“We are very proud of this recognition from our esteemed customers who are true advocates of our product,” added Koleilat. “Asia Pacific is one of the most significant regions for Qatar Airways and we will continue to focus on delivering excellent customer service while, of course, expanding our operations in this region.”
New routes launched by Qatar Airways in the Asia Pacific region this year are Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia, and Chengdu in Western China. The airline has been operating daily flights to Phnom Penh International Airport since February this year and three-flights-a-week to Chengdu since 3rd September. Another significant addition will be three-flights-a-week to Clark Airport in the Philippines which will be launched on 27th October.
While launching new routes, the airline is also simultaneously increasing frequencies to its existing network in Asia Pacific. Yangon, which was re-launched last October with three flights a week, will be upgraded to a daily non-stop service from 27th October. Another popular route, Jakarta, recently saw an increase in capacity from 11 to 14 flights a week, resulting in double-daily flights to the Indonesian capital city.
Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 129 aircraft to 132 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.
In 2013, Qatar Airways has launched nine destinations to date – Gassim (Saudi Arabia), Najaf (Iraq), Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Chicago (USA), Salalah (Oman), Basra (Iraq), Sulaymaniyah (Iraq), Chengdu (China), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and most recently Ta’if (Saudi Arabia).
Over the next few weeks and months, the network will grow further with Clark Manila International Airport, Philippines (October 27) and Philadelphia, USA (April 2, 2014)
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Fury in the Gulf conclave on West Asia crisis
Three-hour summit to unpack geopolitical fallout and impact on India
MUMBAI: CNN-News18 is set to host a special three-hour broadcast, Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave, on April 7, aiming to decode the escalating West Asia crisis and its far-reaching implications for India.
Scheduled from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the conclave comes at a time when tensions between Iran and the United States are reshaping global geopolitics and triggering economic uncertainty. With India’s deep energy ties, trade links and large diaspora in the Gulf, the developments carry significant domestic relevance.
Built around the theme ‘Conflict, Consequences, and The Future,’ the programme will feature six curated sessions combining one-on-one interviews and panel discussions. The focus is to cut through the clutter and offer viewers a clearer understanding of the fast-evolving situation.
Key sessions include ‘Diplomacy in Times of War’ featuring Shashi Tharoor, and ‘World After the Iran Conflict’ with voices such as Ram Madhav, Reuven Azar, representatives from the European Union and the Iranian Deputy Envoy. Another session titled ‘Another Dunkirk?’ will bring together K. J. S. Dhillon and Jitin Prasada among others.
CNN-News18 editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar said, “In times of war, clarity becomes the most powerful tool. Fury in the Gulf – War Conclave brings together credible voices to address the questions and confusion that arise amid an overwhelming influx of information.”
He added that the initiative is aimed at delivering “facts, perspective, and insight” at a time when misinformation can easily cloud public understanding.
Echoing the sentiment, CNN-News18 CEO– English and business news Smriti Mehra said the conflict marks a defining global moment, with consequences that extend well beyond the region. She noted that the conclave seeks to present the crisis with “depth, nuance and responsibility” so audiences can better grasp its real-world impact.
As geopolitical tensions continue to dominate headlines, the conclave positions itself as an attempt to bring order to the noise, offering viewers a structured, insight-led look at a complex and rapidly shifting global situation.
