AP interview: Qatar Air CEO sees growth despite Mideast spat

“It all depends on how quick we will be able to mature the new destinations that we are operating instead of the destinations that were taken away from us during the blockade,” al-Baker said.

“The world is not only these four blockading countries. The world is very large and we are always looking at new opportunities which we have been doing very successfully. We will grow everywhere, not only by … new destinations but also grow frequencies,” he added.

Qatar’s four neighbours have effectively cut their air, land and sea links, isolating it, though there is no military blockade.

U.S. President Donald Trump last year denounced Qatar for allegedly funding terrorism.

But al-Baker has ruled out any reputational damage for his airline or his country from that accusation of supporting extremists that led to the severing of Qatar’s links with its neighbours.

“Mr. Trump realizes that he was misinformed, misled by the blockading countries to believe that Qatar was a pariah in the region, which is not the case. We are a big supporter and an ally of the United States,” he said.

Al-Baker rejected reports last month from the Unites Arab Emirates, home of the world’s busiest airport in Dubai, that Qatari fighter jets had “intercepted” Emirati commercial airliners. The air forces of Qatar’s boycotting neighbours have never intercepted a Qatar Airways airliner, he said.

“This is false news just to increase the temperature and find ways to expand the conflict,” al-Baker said.

The United States and Qatar last month reached a deal to resolve a years-old quarrel over alleged airline subsidies.

The aviation agreement calls for Qatar Airways to open up its accounting books: U.S. airlines say the company receives billions of dollars in government payments that leave them at a competitive disadvantage. Qatar also made a loose commitment not to launch flights to the United States from Europe or other non-Qatari cities that would create yet more competition for U.S. carriers.

Al-Baker denied his airline was subsidized and said he had no interest in using “fifth freedom” rights to stop in other countries en route to the United States.

Al-Baker told reporters at a Kuwait air show last month that a U.S. start-up airline had offered Qatar Airways a 25 per cent stake.

The offer remains “under wraps,” al-Baker said Tuesday.

“But Qatar as a country and Qatar Airways are very keen to invest in the United States,” al-Baker said.

Rod McGuirk, The Associated Press

by Canadian Press

AP interview: Qatar Air CEO sees growth despite Mideast spat

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