Pittsburgh airport seeking to attract Qatar Airways

Even as Qatar Airways continues to expand its footprint in the United States, there are possibilities of further expansion in the years ahead. Talks are presently underway to launch nonstop flights to Pittsburgh, which might take at least a decade.

Media reports recently quoted Christina Cassotis, Chief Executive Officer of Allegheny County Airport Authority, as saying that the plans to start nonstop flights services between Pittsburgh and Doha could become possible after 10 years from now. The talks with Qatar Airways officials are in a preliminary stage now.

Qatar Airways has earlier in May this year announced that it will be launching new flights services to three new markets in the United States. The airline said that it will start operating flights to Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta from Doha in 2016. The airline also indicated that it will increase its frequencies on Doha-New York JFK route to a daily service.

Cassotis ,however, said that presently the top priority for the airline is to expand its international network and launch more nonstop flights to European destinations within a couple of years. The name of the European airports where the airline wants to launch its operations has not been disclosed yet.

Though Cassotis said that as soon as the names of the European airport is finalized, it is highly likely that the airline would be offered incentive packages, such as waiving of terminal rental fees. She said that whenever the airline launches its operations at a new airport, offering incentives is a norm and it continues for a period of up to two years as per the FAA regulations.