GULF TODAY

Qatar Airways holds Dubai event to promote Houston flights
In the lead up to the much anticipated launch of daily flights to Houston, Qatar Airways on Sunday embarked on a GCC-wide promotional road show meeting key travel trade and industry partners to highlight the new route.
Led by Qatar Airways Executive Vice-President Commercial Ali Al Rais and a delegation of senior airline personnel, the first stop on the month-long tour is Dubai where media were briefed on details of the airline's first new route of 2009. A gala dinner for the corporate, travel trade and media has also been scheduled in Dubai.
Qatar Airways is poised to launch daily non-stop flights between Doha and Houston – the airline's third US gateway city – on March 30, using Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft. The route will offer passengers with convenient connections to and from Dubai.
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The GCC promotional road show travels to Kuwait City on January 14 followed by Bahrain on January 18, with Qatar Airways' Doha base the next port of call on January 25.
Three days later on January 28, the event moves onto Abu Dhabi, before concluding in Muscat two weeks later on February 10.
The new Houston link will be the Qatar national carrier's first foray into southern United States, connecting two significant global energy centres. Houston will complement Qatar Airways' popular existing US routes to New York and Washington DC, launched in mid-2007.
The airline currently offers daily non-stop flights between Doha and both New York's JFK International Airport and Washington Dulles.
The airline will fly daily to Houston's George Bush International Airport offering flexibility and convenience to business and leisure travellers flying to Houston and beyond.
At almost 17 hours flying time, the Doha – Houston route will be one of the longest non-stop flights in the world.