SINGAPORE: Qatar Airways has begun a major expansion of its online operations in South East Asia including boosting frequency and upgrading aircraft equipment.

The recent addition of four flights a week to the airline’s daily services from Kuala Lumpur to Doha takes the total to 11 flights a week while Bali has moved to a daily operation via Singapore, up from four weekly flights previously served through Kuala Lumpur.

The airline’s flights

from Jakarta to Doha have been de-linked from

Singapore and the airline now operates a dedicated non-stop service between the Indonesian and Qatari capital cities.

Flights from Singapore, Bali and selected services from Kuala Lumpur

have been upgraded to aircraft from the airline’s growing Boeing 777 fleet. Qatar Airways’ Boeing 777s feature 42 horizontal flat-bed seats in Business Class and up to 293 seats in Economy Class.

Qatar Airways’ South East Asian expansion comes following Qatar Airways’ announcement that it will add five new routes to its network in the first half of 2010 in what is shaping up to being one of the airline’s busiest years yet.

Speaking at the Singapore Air Show, Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al-Bakr said: “Qatar Airways’ strategy is to expand its international network to key global destinations, served through our operational hub in Doha while enhancing our existing services with more frequency and more capacity. The airline recognises the growth potential in the Far East and we are confident of making further inroads into the market by growing these existing operations.”

Qatar Airways senior vice-president East Asia and South West Pacific Marwan Koleilat said Asia remains a key growth market. “We are happy to start 2010 in South East Asia with such a positive message for the travelling public. We are receiving an excellent response in terms of forward bookings.”