Qatar Airlines to fly Doha to CM from Dec 2016

[mamborobert]

Been covered in a few publications since March with flights to start in December.

Some say four fights, some say five, some say direct, some say via Bangkok etc, some say Qatar all the way, some say partnered etc etc. Still another option for those doing a Christmas run to Europe.

http://www.thailand-business-news.com/tourism/52836-qatar-airways-start-flights-chiang-mai-krabi-december.html

No update on Qatar web site yet but pleased to note that the White Temple is moving to Chiang Mai. Hope its not planned as one of the visual references as a pointer to the RVR when the haze is bad.

http://www.qatarairways.com/global/en/destinations/flights-to-chiang-mai.page

Just noticed similar topic posted before(with confusing post title)...but now confirmed dates in last week...but not direct it seems from most recent article...via Yangon???.

"Qatar Airways announced on May 24 it would launch five weekly flights from Doha to Chaing Mai on Dec 16 via Yangon. The airline will use an A330-200 on the route."

I suppose that could change again but I would have thought there would be a hell of a lot of discussions with Yangon, Thailand, and affected airports before making this announcement.

[stament]

stop at yangon but no need to change plane.

[Chicog]

The Doha-based airline’s Group Chief Executive, Mr. Akbar Al Baker made the announcement at the ITB Berlin, the world’s largest international travel fair, which was held during 9-13 March, 2016.

He said four flights per week will be launched from Doha to Krabi on 6 December and three flights per week from Doha to Chiang Mai also in December, with the exact date to be announced later.

[uptheos]

Apparently the flight schedule is going to be

Doha to Chiang Mai QR918 Departs: 02:30 Arrives: 14:55

Chiang Mai to Doha QR919 Departs: 16:45 Arrives: 22:15

[MESmith]

Apparently the flight schedule is going to be

Doha to Chiang Mai QR918 Departs: 02:30 Arrives: 14:55

Chiang Mai to Doha QR919 Departs: 16:45 Arrives: 22:15

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a 9 hrs 30 min flight? Not very direct....

[uptheos]

Apparently the flight schedule is going to be

Doha to Chiang Mai QR918 Departs: 02:30 Arrives: 14:55

Chiang Mai to Doha QR919 Departs: 16:45 Arrives: 22:15

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that a 9 hrs 30 min flight? Not very direct....

Someone said earlier that it's direct via Yangon

NB

Yup, 5 weekly flights from Doha to Chiang Mai on Dec 16 via Yangon.

Maybe you just stay on the plane?

Makes a sensible route, if the flights are not being filled to Yangon.

I guess going out it will be Yangon-Chiang Mai-Doha......direct

Oops, no it can't be if it ends in Chiang Mai it would still be via Yangon.

[Ricardo]

I look forward to the pre-launch special-offers, the current price of B37k CNX-LHR-CNX is several-to-ten thousand over-the-top IMO, given current prices out of Bangkok on several Gulf-based airlines.

[millwall_fan]

I look forward to the pre-launch special-offers, the current price of B37k CNX-LHR-CNX is several-to-ten thousand over-the-top IMO, given current prices out of Bangkok on several Gulf-based airlines.

Hopefully that's just a punt by the airline to score the early business, and that the price will come down to the low 30Ks quite soon.

9 hours 30 mins is not really any quicker than going via Swampy, but it is a start: this is the first time one of the Middle Eastern carriers has opened CM as a destination (except when the emergency government moved there) and hopefully the competition will follow - without the stopover in Yangon which takes up time.

This is really good news for CM residents