Qatar Airways Ltd. spent years in the shadow of Emirates Airline. An aggressive run at its rival during the pandemic has helped it eclipse Emirates as the world’s biggest long-haul carrier—for now.
Doha-based Qatar is flying planes that are often near-empty on routes around the globe to increase market share. It is using a downsizing at Emirates to hire staff. And while other airlines have reduced services to markets closed by Covid-19, state-backed Qatar is pursuing new landing rights to emerge stronger post pandemic.
In the past 12 months, Qatar has flown more seats further than any other airline on cross-border routes, according to data firm OAG. In the week starting Monday, the carrier is scheduled to fly more than twice the international capacity of
over two-thirds more than
Delta Air Lines Inc.
and over 13% more than Emirates. Across both domestic and long-haul travel,
remains the world’s largest flier.
Whether Qatar remains the world’s biggest long-haul carrier by capacity partly depends on how quickly other airlines restore schedules, and if it has built up enough goodwill with customers to start filling flights as the world resumes travel.
“We are ready for competition, we have never shied away from competition, we like competition,” Qatar Airways Chief Executive
Akbar Al Baker
said in an interview, in a veiled reference to Emirates.
Mr. Al Baker’s one-upmanship at times is more pointed. Emirates last month said it would operate the first flight with fully vaccinated crew and passengers. Seeking to outdo its Dubai-based rival, Qatar flew a similar vaccinated flight on April 6, four days before Emirates’ planned takeoff.
“If we’re smart, we’re grown up about it, then there are ways and means of…