Qatar Airways Adds Code To IAG Transatlantic Routes

Qatar Airways has placed its code on a host of routes operated by two International Airlines Group (IAG) carriers to the Americas, extending its transatlantic reach.

The new codeshare flights expand Qatar Airways’ existing relationship with Aer Lingus and adds its code to services operated by Spanish carrier Level, restarting a codeshare relationship that had been paused. The Qatari carrier is the largest shareholder in IAG with a 26.5% stake in the London-based group.

Qatar Airways is placing its QR code on Aer Lingus services from Dublin Airport (DUB) to U.S. cities Boston, Cleveland, Hartford, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, Nashville, Newark, Orlando and Philadelphia. The QR code will additionally “soon” be added to DUB-Las Vegas flights operated by Aer Lingus, according to Qatar Airways.

The Gulf carrier currently operates 9,282 two-way weekly seats between Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) and DUB, with plans to ramp up to 10,238 weekly two-way seats in December, according to OAG Schedules Analyzer data.

Qatar Airways and Aer Lingus began codesharing last year, with the QR code placed on the Irish carrier’s flights from DUB, London Heathrow Airport and Manchester Airport to Aberdeen and Glasgow in Scotland, Cork in Ireland and Belfast in Northern Ireland. 

“Aer Lingus has significantly grown its North American network in recent years, with a number of routes flying on our brand-new Airbus A321XLR aircraft,” Aer Lingus CCO Susanne Carberry says. “Customers flying with Aer Lingus to North America can also avail of Dublin Airport’s U.S. pre-clearance facility, allowing them to conveniently clear U.S. immigration before leaving Dublin and arrive in the U.S. as domestic passengers.”

Qatar Airways has also added its code on transatlantic routes operated by Level from Barcelona (BCN) to Boston, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Miami, New York John F. Kennedy and San Francisco. Qatar Airways said the QR code will “soon” also be added on Level flights between BCN and Santiago, Chile.

Qatar Airways offers 13,062 two-way weekly seats between DOH and BCN, according to OAG Schedules Analyzer data.