Qatar Air sounds defiant note over sanctions, vows expansion

Qatar Airways CE Akbar Al Baker struck a defiant tone in the face of the continued sanctions against his country, calling them a “challenge to civilization” that has only strengthened his resolve to push for more growth and add destinations. Al Baker blasted the measures as an assault on his nation, saying “we’re not a grocery shop, we’re a sovereign country.” Rather than curb growth last year, the embargo had the opposite effect, the CE said as he announced higher frequencies to places like Barcelona and Madrid and a new twice-daily service to London Gatwick. At the same time the restrictions imposed by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt last June will push Qatar Air to a “very large loss” for the year ending April 1, the CE said, adding that the carrier will need to find new streams of financing to survive. <br/>