The airline, during the period, carried more than 41.8 million passengers, maintaining extensive global connectivity through its main hub Hamad International Airport.

The cargo division, on the other hand, transported more than 1.43 million tonnes of chargeable weight, further consolidating its position as the world’s largest air freight carrier with a 12% global market share.

“The airline also maintained industry‑leading punctuality, achieving an 86% on‑time performance, placing it firmly among the top five most punctual carriers worldwide, and securing the most coveted recognition in global airline operations benchmarking, the Cirium Platinum Award for Operational Excellence,” said the Qatar Airways Group.

Hamad Al-Khater, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), said, “It is not often that a single financial year asks an organisation to demonstrate both the best of what it can achieve and the depth of what it can withstand. The 2025/26 financial year did both, and the Qatar Airways Group rose to each in turn. These results speak to the strength of this group across every measure that matters — a strong balance sheet, industry-leading operations, partnerships of real depth, and people who maintained the standards this group is known for, even under the most demanding conditions.”

“Behind every result are 57,800 people, working across more than 90 countries. In the final weeks of the financial year, many of them were managing an active crisis with a standard of professionalism that defines this organisation as much as any financial metric, and it deserves to be recognised. We are actively rebuilding our global network with the confidence that comes from a balance sheet that has never been stronger, partnerships that proved their depth when we needed them most, and an organisation that has demonstrated, under genuine pressure, exactly what it is capable of,” the senior official added further.

Among the key achievements of the 2025/26 financial year, Qatar Airways Group signed landmark agreements with Boeing and GE Aerospace for the acquisition and servicing of up to 210 aircraft and 400 engines. The deal emerged as one of the most significant fleet commitments in commercial aviation’s history.

The venture got rewarded as the “World’s Best Airline 2025” by Skytrax, an unprecedented recognition that, for the record ninth time, cemented the carrier’s excellence in global aviation. The Cirium Platinum Award for Operational Excellence, on the other hand, recognising the airline’s 86% on-time performance and elite operational standards, placing it among the world’s top five most punctual carriers.

As of May 2026, Qatar Airways operates the world’s first and largest Starlink-equipped widebody fleet, with high-speed in-flight connectivity live across Boeing 777, Airbus A350, and Boeing 787-8 aircraft, bringing seamless and free in-flight internet to passengers on various routes worldwide, including long-haul and ultra-long-haul.

The carrier’s hub, Hamad International Airport, also got rewarded last year. For the 11th consecutive year, Skytrax recognised the facility as the “Best Airport in the Middle East”, underlining it as the region’s premier aviation gateway.

Qatar Duty Free, one of the salient services offered by Hamad International Airport, also got awarded as the “Best Airport Shopping” globally by Skytrax for the third successive year, reflecting continued investment in the passenger retail and hospitality experience at the hub.

However, the carrier has flagged progress in rebuilding its global schedule as it navigates the impact of the Iran war, with the temporary airspace closures in the Middle East forcing thousands of ⁠cancellations since the conflict started at the end of February 2026.

As per Al-Khater, despite the headwinds, the Gulf carrier aims to expand its network to reach more than 160 destinations by this summer.

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The case is being fought in a Qatar High Court. Airbus has acknowledged some flaws in the aircraft but reiterated that these jets are safe.

However, out of 53 jets, Qatar Airways has grounded some 28 aircraft. Airbus has even revoked the remaining A350 orders from the airline.

Qatar Airlines has asked Airbus to return deposits worth tens of millions of dollars. The plane maker countered it with the claims of pending credit payments from Qatar Airlines. It even asked the airline to pay $405 million as compensation.

Airbus has informed the court that it was seeking reimbursement, while Qatar Airways has accused the plane maker of trying to bring European regulators into the play. Boeing has now entered a legal battle.

Airbus revoked a deal with the airline for delivering 50 A321neo jets. While Qatar opted for Boeing 737 MAX, Boeing’s rival informed the court the MAX was as good as the A321. Despite the court asking the airline to hand over a preliminary version of the MAX contract to Airbus, Boeing objected to it.

“The disclosure of pricing information, that is dynamite,” Boeing’s lawyer told the court.

The matter will most probably be heading toward a London trial in mid-2023 if the contesting parties won’t opt for an amicable settlement.

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Launched in 2020 by IATA, the Aviation Carbon Exchange (ACE) will also support local communities, protect wildlife, and contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

ACE is a centralised marketplace where airlines can identify, select, and transact voluntary carbon credits or CORSIA eligible emissions units using a secure electronic interface.

Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways told the media, “We welcome the use of the IATA Aviation Carbon Exchange (ACE), as it enables airlines to invest in CORSIA eligible emission reduction units, further supporting Qatar Airways’ commitment to invest in a low-carbon future, while reducing our financial risk.”

Recently, Qatar Airways and British Airways announced the next milestone in their Joint Business Partnership. British Airways have relaunched its daily services to Doha, with the airline’s first flight taking off from Gatwick last week.

In this regard, Mr. Akbar Al Baker told the media, “Expanding our Joint Business with our strategic airline partner, British Airways, is an important milestone in our ambition of providing customers access to the most extensive route network and unrivalled product.”

Now British Airways’ customers will have access to Qatar Airways’ expansive global network with connections from Doha to over 100 destinations across the world.

Qatar Airways recently started proceedings in a UK court against Airbus in a bid to resolve a dispute over skin flaws on A350 passenger jets.

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Qatar Airways Group chief executive Mr. Akbar Al Baker told the media, “We have been operating to Ukraine since August 2017 and our launch to Odesa marks a milestone in our history with the country. Odesa is rightly known as the pearl of the Black Sea and we look forward to bringing visitors from around the world to explore its rich cultural history as well as further afield along the coast and inland in the Southwest of Ukraine.”

Last month, Qatar Airways reported that it suffered losses of around $4 billion in revenues over the last fiscal year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The losses were attributed to the grounding of its Airbus A380 and A330 wide-body aircraft due to the travel restrictions and lockdown measures introduced to curb the spread of the virus.

The state-owned carrier also resumed its services to Sharjah in July. It was reported in June that the carrier will fly its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Sharjah on a daily basis starting from July 1st. Qatar Airways cancelled its services to Sharjah in 2017 due to diplomatic reasons.

During that period, Qatar Airways also announced flights to Khartoum, Mykonos, Málaga, Atlanta, and Phuket. The airline has also launched its inaugural flights to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.

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He said during a live event, “We’re looking at increasing it [the fleet]. As I mentioned right now, our focus is on surviving this whole mess. So, we’re leaving it as it is for now but in the coming years, we will be expanding.

“We’re looking at a five-year plan. And we are looking at increasing our fleets, close to doubling our fleet, in the next five years, but again, that’s based on what’s happening. We have to relook at the plans as things unfold. It’s pretty difficult to plan right now, but that’s the current plan but we have been constantly revisiting it based on what’s happening in the market.”

Currently, Rwandair’s fleet consists of 11 aircraft. The African carrier flies two A330s, a -200 and a -300, five 737 NGs, two CRJs and a couple of Dash 8s.

Earlier this month, Rwandair announced that it has entered into a partnership with Qatar’s flag carrier Qatar Airways. According to the new agreement, the two carriers will link their loyalty programmes, which will allow their respective customers to earn and spend the points of their respective carrier’s programme with the other.

In this regard, HE Mr. Akbar Al Baker, chief executive, Qatar Airways Group told the media, “Our partnership with RwandAir opens up a world of possibilities for the customers of both airlines, allowing them to discover exciting destinations.”

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According to Qatar Airways, the new flights will enable passengers flying from and to Sharjah to benefit from Qatar Airway’s extensive international network. The carrier said its flight QR1036 will depart Doha daily at 14:35 and touch down in Sharjah in the next two hours. The return flight, QR1037, will push back from Sharjah at 17:55 and arrive back in Doha at 18:05.

Qatar Airways also announced flights to Khartoum, Mykonos, Málaga, Atlanta, and Phuket. The airline has also launched its inaugural flights to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire.

According to Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker the carrier remains interested in acquiring a stake in India’s largest domestic carrier, IndiGo Airlines. The Doha-based carrier currently has a codeshare agreement with IndiGo.

This is not the first time Qatar Airways is indicating interest in IndiGo. Previously, the carrier showed similar interest back in 2019, however, nothing much materialise back then. According to Al Baker, it was not the right time.
Mr. Al Baker told the media, “Profitability, and efficiency are main criteria of our investment. IndiGo is the largest and most efficient Indian airline, which is why we are interested in them. And India remains strategically an important market for Qatar Airways.”

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This is not the first time Qatar Airways is indicating interest in IndiGo. Previously, the carrier showed similar interest back in 2019, however, nothing much materialise back then. According to Al Baker, it was not the right time.
Mr. Al Baker told the media, “Profitability, and efficiency are main criteria of our investment. IndiGo is the largest and most efficient Indian airline, which is why we are interested in them. And India remains strategically an important market for Qatar Airways.”

Earlier this year, Qatar Airways increased the frequency of flights to Sao Paulo and expanded its codeshare agreement with LATAM Airlines Brazil. It seeks to optimised connectivity for both airlines to and from Asian destinations.
Passengers of LATAM Airline Brazil will hugely benefit from Qatar Airways’ expansion to 10 weekly flights to and from Sao Paulo. Additionally, the passengers will be able to book eight Qatar Airways’ destinations. These destinations include Hong Kong, Bangkok, Maldives, Nairobi, Seoul and Tokyo. It is reported that there will also be additional flights to Baku, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

In January, Qatar Airways Cargo, which is one of the world’s leading air cargo carriers, took delivery of three new Boeing 777 Freighters last week. This will take the carrier’s total freighter fleet count to 30 freighters. Its fleet consists of two Boeing 747 freighters, 24 Boeing 777 Freighters and four Airbus A330 freighters.

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Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, told the media “South America is a strategically important market for Qatar Airways. We are proud to demonstrate our strong commitment to passengers travelling to and from South America by providing even more flexible travel options. By increasing Sao Paulo services to 10 weekly flights and expanding our codeshare agreement with LATAM Airlines Brazil, we will further cement our position as the airline of choice for customers travelling between Asia, the Middle East and South America.”

Passengers of LATAM Airline Brazil will hugely benefit from Qatar Airways’ expansion to 10 weekly flights to and from  Sao Paulo. Additionally, the passengers will be able to book eight Qatar Airways’ destinations. These destinations include Hong Kong, Bangkok, Maldives, Nairobi, Seoul and Tokyo. It is reported that there will also be additional flights to Baku, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. 

ATAM Brasil CEO Jerome Cadier, told the media “We are expanding connectivity and the choice of destinations for our customers. Even in a year as difficult as 2020, we are committed to offering our passengers more options to travel further with greater convenience and simplicity.”

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The 777 Freighter can fly 9,200 km and carry a payload of around 102,010 kilograms. The new aircraft are expected to boost Qatar Airways Cargo’s efficiency amid the COvid-19 pandemic. It will play a key role in operations including transportation of newly approved Covid-19 vaccines.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker told the media, “With the arrival of these new freighters, we are injecting more capacity in the market which is very much required during the pandemic. The added capacity will also enable us to support the logistics around the Covid-19 vaccination, which is projected to be one of the greatest logistical challenges for the industry. With our investments in innovation and fleet, we are able to fulfil our customers’ logistical requirements and facilitate the continuity of global trade.”

Last year, Qatar Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with Air Canada, media reports said. Sales have already started and the first codeshare flight will take off on December 15, 2020. Qatar Airways’ passengers can seamlessly travel to and from Canada. Air Canada passengers will also benefit from being able to book travel on Qatar Airways’ flights to Doha and onwards to more than 75 destinations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

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Now, Qatar Airways’ passengers can seamlessly travel to and from Canada. Air Canada passengers will also benefit from being able to book travel on Qatar Airways’ flights to Doha and onwards to more than 75 destinations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

With regard to the codeshare agreement with Air Canada, Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker told the media, “We are delighted to secure this strategic codeshare agreement with Air Canada to provide our travellers with a seamless journey to and from Toronto with excellence in state-of-the-art and sustainable aircraft, safety, comfort and onboard service.”

“The agreement will increase choices for thousands of passengers and allows for smooth connectivity to a significant number of new destinations – particularly throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East. By harnessing our complementary strengths, this agreement will also provide benefits to aid the recovery of international travel.”

Recently, Qatar Airways announced that it will fly its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft three times a week to Abuja, Nigeria via Lagos from November 27, 2020. By mid-December, Qatar Airways aims to fly 65 weekly flights to destinations across Africa, including Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Casablanca, Dar es Salaam, Durban, Entebbe, Johannesburg, Lagos, Mogadishu, Nairobi, Seychelles, Tunis, and Zanzibar.

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