Qatar Airways plans to boost passenger numbers through to the end of the year by giving away 100,000 free roundtrip tickets to healthcare professionals from around the world. Many healthcare workers who have been on the frontlines of battling the COVID-19 pandemic, however, may be questioning whether encouraging even more people to fly when a deadly virus is still actively circulating would be the wisest of ideas.
The free ticket offer will be open to healthcare workers from every country with each country receiving a daily allocation of tickets. The allocation for each country will vary depending on population size and will be staggered over a seven day period between May 12 and May 18. Those who are eligible to take part in this offer can register here and tickets will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
Healthcare professionals who do score the free tickets will be able to book two Economy class return tickets – one for themselves and one for a companion – anywhere across the Qatar Airways route network (whatever that looks like depending on travel restrictions at the time). Tickets must be booked before November 26 and flights flown by December 10, 2020.
“United in dedication, we share our gratitude. Now it is our turn to give something back to those on the healthcare frontline,” commented Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker.
“There are no words or gestures that are enough to repay these brave men and women but we hope that our small offer of a complimentary return flight on Qatar Airways will allow them to enjoy a well-deserved holiday, visit family and friends or explore a destination they have always dreamed of, as travel restrictions start to ease,” he continued.
Qatar Airways announced last week that it intends to resume flights to over 50 destinations by the end of May and is seeking to build its network up to as many as 80 destinations in as little as two months time. Despite its ambitious target to reopen so many routes in such a short timeframe, Qatar Airways will make significant numbers of staff redundant over the coming months, including a rumoured 5,000 cabin crew alone.
