I don’t think this will come as a huge surprise to anyone, but Qatar Airways is increasing service to New York, as flagged by @IshrionA.
In this post:
Qatar Airways replaces American’s Doha to New York flight
American Airlines recently announced that it would discontinue its New York to Doha route, and instead transfer this service to Philadelphia. Not surprisingly, Qatar Airways is adding capacity where American dropped it.
As of October 30, 2023, Qatar Airways will operate three daily flights between Doha (DOH) and New York (JFK). The frequencies will operate with the following schedules:
QR701 Doha to New York departing 8:15AM arriving 4:05PM
QR702 New York to Doha departing 9:20PM arriving 4:45PM (+1 day)
QR703 Doha to New York departing 1:25AM arriving 9:15AM
QR704 New York to Doha departing 11:15AM arriving 6:40AM (+1 day)
QR705 Doha to New York departing 3:10PM arriving 11:00PM
QR706 New York to Doha departing 1:20AM arriving 8:45PM
For the winter season, all three frequencies will be served by Boeing 777-300ERs. By adding a third frequency, Qatar Airways is considerably improving aircraft utilization, as currently an aircraft sits on the ground in New York for roughly 12 hours.
Interestingly the frequency being added almost exactly corresponds to the time where American’s frequency has been operating (QR702/703).
Will Qatar Airways maintain Doha to Philadelphia service?
American Airlines’ new Philadelphia to Doha frequency almost exactly matches the timing of Qatar Airways’ frequency in the market. Many suggested that American would essentially be replacing Qatar Airways in the market. However, that was never my read on the situation:
- Keep in mind that while American and Qatar Airways have a strategic alliance, they don’t have antitrust immunity; this means they can’t coordinate their schedules, so American couldn’t coordinate this swap with Qatar Airways in advance
- Qatar Airways cares a lot about serving as many destinations as possible, and I can’t imagine the airline would be looking to drop service to a US market; the airline often markets how it serves X number of destinations, and I think it cares a lot about maintaining that
- My assumption all along has been that the flights are simply similarly timed because Doha is a heavily banked hub, and the flight timing is ideal for connections; the Philadelphia service is clearly largely about connections, rather than origin and destination traffic
Based on the latest schedule update (even after the third daily Doha to New York flight has been added), Qatar Airways is continuing to show its Doha to Philadelphia service for winter. I continue to believe that service will be maintained, though it’s certainly possible I could be wrong.
Meanwhile given the size of Qatar Airways’ fleet, I’m sure the airline had no issues reshuffling things to add an extra New York frequency fairly last minute. After all, that just takes one extra Boeing 777 frame, given how the airline was able to tweak the schedule to decrease ground time in New York for another frequency.
Bottom line
As of late October 2023, Qatar Airways will add a third daily flight between Doha and New York, replacing American’s flight. This now makes Doha to New York the most highly served nonstop market in the United States from any Gulf carrier.
As of now, Qatar Airways’ Doha to Philadelphia route continues to show as being for sale. My money is on that sticking, and Qatar Airways maintaining this route. However, others disagree with me, and I certainly could be wrong.
What do you make of Qatar Airways increasing Doha to New York flights? Do you think the airline will maintain Philadelphia service?
My wife and I had Qatar tickets from PHL through DOH in February and they re-booked us on the American codeshare yesterday. It appears that the Qatar flights are cancelled.
My award flight from Doha to PHL in June 2024 was canceled this morning.
I work at PHL on the QR flight and there’s a lot of rumors circulating that they’re leaving on October 29th. People are scared of losing work hours and panicking but management hasn’t given us any information. QR staff is pretending like everything is normal it’s not good.
Please go back and check your flight timings. Usually your material is spot on, but the math doesn’t work on the flight times you reference.
Hope QR don’t stop their service from Philadelphia!
The best part of this is that now passengers can pay a premium to book qsuites flights on the 777 and then get a "last minute" swap to QR's oldest configuration.
even worse... we got switched to American instead of Qatar
This should be - but won't be - a great embarrassment to every part of American Airlines, from its feckless management down to the cabin crew. AA provides an uncompetitive product and their solution is to retreat. At least we can say that New Yorkers are lucky to have Qatar provide services that American Airlines can't and won't, and this probably increases Aadvantage award opportunities all over the Subcontinent as well (but not to Asia...
This should be - but won't be - a great embarrassment to every part of American Airlines, from its feckless management down to the cabin crew. AA provides an uncompetitive product and their solution is to retreat. At least we can say that New Yorkers are lucky to have Qatar provide services that American Airlines can't and won't, and this probably increases Aadvantage award opportunities all over the Subcontinent as well (but not to Asia because AA won't let you redeem an award between North America and Asia going East - as if they are unaware that the world is round - and despite the fact that AA's Asian partners are on life support).
Not surprising ! Customers are not stupid (yes some) but fly Qatar and then fly AA. It is a no brainer. Better service over all and rather than bore you, EVERYTHING IS BETTER .
Sadly not true. If you've flown QR's "old" business class, which they regularly use on this route, you'd feel differently. At least on AA you're not sitting directly next to someone.
The more obvious answer is that American will say "Nevermind" and not even launch their PHL-DOH route or cancel within a few months. This has been the pattern just like their other "Nevermind" routes like DFW-TLV, SEA-BLR, PHL-CMN, etc.
MIA-TLV...
Nothing surprising indeed. Now we are just waiting for the announcement where QR terminates the Philly route.
Guys, this is an ongoing pattern, be it Iberia, Finnair, JAL... Those non-QR flights to Doha are essentially just wetleases.
Why not open a Newark flight instead of a 3rd flight to JFK.
They've served EWR before, and it remains the only US passenger market that they've tried then pulled out.
So apparently, an additional JFK just works better for their flows.
Qatar Airways dejará la ruta de Philadelphia a Doha. El último vuelo será el 29 de octubre
If you’re an economy/leisure traveler arriving at your destination at 6:00am is just brutal.
Keep in mind, a huge percentage of the passengers aren't terminating in DOH and are traveling onwards to Asia/Africa on QR. While I'm not certain what their schedule looks like in the morning, I'd be shocked if this flight is mostly O&D pax.
6am is about when most SQ flights from Europe arrive in Singapore, too (from where most passengers are then connecting onwards).
I love showing up at the 5 star hotel at 6:45am and being told my room isn’t ready. I tell them sure no problem and then pass out on the floor in the lobby. 2 minutes later I get a tap on the shoulder. Sir your room is ready.
QR is just going back to the 3 x daily frequency it had prior to AA flying JFK-DOH, which was launched in June 2022 and is being terminated, and moved to PHL at the end of October. QR was short wide-bodies and so AA was essentially operating the frequency. QR currently flies 1 x 77W and 1 x 359 and will go to an all 77W operation at JFK to DOH from 10/29.
As to...
QR is just going back to the 3 x daily frequency it had prior to AA flying JFK-DOH, which was launched in June 2022 and is being terminated, and moved to PHL at the end of October. QR was short wide-bodies and so AA was essentially operating the frequency. QR currently flies 1 x 77W and 1 x 359 and will go to an all 77W operation at JFK to DOH from 10/29.
As to PHL to DOH, it feels improbable that the route can support 2 x daily service, even with connectivity at PHL (and DOH). My sense is AA won't last on PHL-DOH, unless QR drops its flight.
I would love to have non stop flight from CLT to Dora so we all can reach AMD or BOM quickly without going thru northeast in winter.
QR needs to add Toronto and Vancouver to their north américaine routes.
Blame the protectionist policies of the Canadian Government for this, not Qatar. Witness the abuse that EK has sustained trying to build operations in Canada.
Why would Qatar stop servicing PHL ? Who in their right mind would choose to fly AA over cutter ?
Still think CLT would be a good destination to have a flight to DOH. I know they have all the data, but the Southeast is underserved by Asian/Middle East destinations and the AA connecting traffic would also help.
How many Asian/Middle Eastern people have ties to the Southeast? The region isn't exactly known for its ethnic diversity or contributions to artistic, intellectual, or economic output.
You’re underestimating the Atlanta and Research Triangle ties to South Asia
What an uninformed comment. There are suburbs of Raleigh that are almost entirely South Asian now.
Who can easily be served on one of the many RDU-PHL connecting flights.
it's lowkey funny watching AA and QR match each other's schedules. reminds me of those times when me and my friend would have the same answers but would pretend we never copied off each other in tests while our teacher interrogated us hahahah.
They should have start one more to Philadelphia instead of JFK as sometimes it feels non availability of seats to COK/TRV/MAA/CLT destinations
As an American Executive Platinum based in Phoenix I wish they would add a PHX to Doha Route
Need a route to CLT
"This now makes Doha to New York the most highly served nonstop market in the United States from any Gulf carrier."
In terms of frequency, this is true. However, Emirates operates 2x daily A380s to JFK nonstop from DXB. I wonder which airline has more seats?
Also, during the World Cup, QR operated 4x daily flights some days to DFW. 4 DAILY FREQUENCIES!!!
If you include the EK JFK-MXP-DXB route, and the fact that this is also served, for now, on the A380, EK would have more seats. The EK JFK-MXP-DXB route though is going to a 77W this winter.
Look at EK’s schedule JFK-DXB. They have removed the A380 on this route.
No they haven’t. Stop posting disinformation. Ben should ban idiots like you.
Look at Google flights on any date into next year and it’s 2x daily JFK-DXB and both flights are on A380’s.
Hilarious response!
You are right, I misspoke. I was looking at JFK-MXP today and it’s going out 777. Onward to DXB. I conflated the two and am sorta right, as MXP is a stop on the way to DXB from JFK.
Fantastic news for us based in NYC, hopefully award availability ticks up. The removal of the AS route makes it easier to search for Q suites space without the AA False positives, so it’s nice to have that without any loss in space.
of course, AA and QR execs never met in a bathroom stall at DOH to discuss this.