Qatar Airways to Start New Flights to London as it Gets TAROM Slots

LONDON- According to a slot swap request form from Airport Coordination Ltd, Romanian national carrier Tarom (RO) appears to be transferring its slot times at London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Qatar Airways (QR).

This transfer, set to take effect on October 27, 2024, marks the beginning of the winter season and represents a significant shift in both airlines’ operations at one of the world’s busiest airports.

Qatar Airways Gets Tarom London Slots

ACL records dated August 14 indicate a “permanent slot transfer” from Tarom to Qatar Airways. While the financial details remain undisclosed, the slots have reportedly been sold, highlighting their considerable value in the highly congested Heathrow market.

The document shows a proposed permanent slot transfer from Tarom (RO) to Qatar Airways (QR) for the Winter 2024 season at Heathrow (LHR). Specifically:

• Tarom’s flight 391 arriving at 1405 and flight 392 departing at 1450 are being swapped with Qatar Airways’ flight 109 arriving at 2300 and flight 110 departing at 2305.
• The swap affects operations from October 27, 2024, to March 29, 2025, covering the full winter season.
• Qatar Airways will use Boeing 777-300ER aircraft with 354 seats for these flights.
• Tarom’s flights were operating to/from Bucharest Otopeni (OTP), while Qatar Airways’ flights are to/from Doha (DOH).
• All flights are using Terminal 4 at Heathrow.

According to Planespotters.net Qatar Airways operates a fleet of 28 777-300ER which has 42 business class and 312 economy class seats.

This move comes amid Tarom’s ongoing restructuring efforts, which received approval from the European Commission earlier this year. The restructuring plan includes conditions that require Tarom to reduce its number of routes, potentially explaining the airline’s decision to relinquish its Heathrow slots.

The slot transfer could significantly impact connectivity between Romania and the UK, while simultaneously strengthening Qatar Airways’ presence in the lucrative London market. It also represents a shift in alliance representation at Heathrow, as Tarom is a SkyTeam member, while Qatar Airways belongs to the competing Oneworld alliance.

As of now, neither airline has updated its reservation systems to reflect this change, and Tarom has not yet commented on the transfer.

Strengthening its Presence at Heathrow

Qatar Airways plans to increase its London Heathrow (LHR) to Doha (DOH) service to eight daily flights following the acquisition of Tarom’s slots. Cirium data shows Qatar Airways had scheduled 49 weekly flights on this route for November.

The current schedule varies by day: seven flights on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays; six on Wednesdays; and eight on Saturdays. British Airways (BA) contributes an additional 14 weekly flights on the LHR-DOH route.

The total capacity for the LHR-DOH route in November was set at 63 weekly departures with 21,669 weekly seats. Qatar Airways also operates 10 weekly flights from London Gatwick (LGW) to DOH.

With the new daily flight, the combined London-Doha service will increase to 80 weekly departures, offering 26,687 weekly seats starting October 27.

Heathrow’s expansion plans for a third runway face ongoing opposition from local communities, hindering progress beyond the planning stage.

What are your thoughts on TAROM’s decision to sell its slots to Qatar Airways? Let us know in the comments.

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