Qatar Airways Nearly Doubles The Number Of Global Destinations Accessible To Philadelphia Passengers

Qatar Airways adjusts departure time of daily Philadelphia flight to Doha to expand connections to an additional 25 locations across India, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe as of February 1^st, 2018.

In response to growing demand from customers, Qatar Airways daily flights departing from Philadelphia will be retimed to connect passengers to an additional 25 destinations around the world starting February 1^st, 2018; nearly doubling Philadelphians’ access to Qatar Airways global network. The later departing flight from Philadelphia will enable passengers to access a multitude of coveted destinations in Thailand, Vietnam, Armenia and many more. In addition, the updated service will connect Qatar Airways award-wining hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport with over 13 destinations across India; opening up the subcontinent to both leisure and business travelers. 

Qatar Airways Vice President for the Americas, Günter Saurwein, said: “Qatar Airways is intent on guaranteeing the best quality service to our dedicated passengers, which includes ensuring our flights fit the needs of our customers in each gateway. Philadelphia has embraced our services in their market for the past three years and we, in return, are happy to support the local businesses and community by responding to their needs. As the city of Philadelphia and the surrounding region continue to flourish in such areas as Pharmaceuticals, Consulting, IT and more, we are confident this new departure time will support their growth as well as meet the needs of leisure travelers alike.”

The updated DOHA-PHILADELPHIA daily schedule effective February 1^st, 2018:

QR728 Philadelphia (PHL) to Doha (DOH) departs 20:15 arrives 16:35 (next day)

QR727 Doha (DOH) to Philadelphia (PHL) departs 08:00 arrives 14:10

Qatar Airways has notified passengers on flights to and from Philadelphia after February 1^st, 2018, of the revised schedule. Any additional inquiries or questions concerning the new schedule can be addressed through Qatar Airways Customer Service Center at +1-877-777-2827.

While the new departure has expanded customer’s choice of destinations, the Qatar Airways flight will continue to connect the people of Philadelphia with existing service to its most desirable  locales; including the ever-popular choices of Bangkok, Phuket, Bali, Hong Kong, Singapore, to name but a few.

Qatar Airways operates daily, non-stop flight service to Doha from Philadelphia International Airport on its state-of-the-art Airbus A350. Qatar Airways was the launch customer for the A350 and debuted the fuel-efficient aircraft on January 1, 2016, to the Philadelphia market; making it Qatar Airways’ first A350 destination into the USA.

Earlier this year, Qatar Airways marked three years of daily, nonstop service between Philadelphia International Airport and Doha’s Hamad International Airport by donating hundreds of its beloved children’s amenity kits to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Plush infant toys Elefun and Mr. Potato Head, as well as classic favorites, such as Clue Junior, Guess Who and Monopoly, are amongst the toys provided in the children’s amenity kits; bringing some delight to children facing challenging medical obstacles.

One of the world’s fastest growing airlines, celebrating 20 years of operations globally and 10 years of service to the USA, Qatar Airways offers a network of more than 150 international destinations, with newly-launched additions to such desirable destinations as Chiang Mai, Thailand; Prague, Czech Republic; Sohar, Sultanate of Oman; Kiev, Ukraine and Auckland, New Zealand. Additionally, the airline has announced upcoming service to Canberra, Australia; Pattaya, Thailand; Penang, Malaysia; and many more. Qatar Airways serves 10 cities across the USA; including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.

The award-winning airline has received a number of accolades this year, including ‘Airline of the Year’ by the prestigious 2017 Skytrax World Airline Awards, which was held at the Paris Air Show. This is the fourth time that Qatar Airways has been given this global recognition. Qatar Airways also won a raft of other major awards at the ceremony, including Best Airline in the Middle East, World’s Best Business Class, and World’s Best First Class Airline Lounge.

5 Ways For Those With Food Allergies To Stay Safe At The Airport

AIRLINES & AIRPORTS | VANE AIRPORT MAGAZINE | 

Airports can be a tricky place for those of us with life-threatening food allergies! I am one of the approximately 15 million Americans with food allergies.

As someone who is constantly on the move and spent years flying and traveling most weekends to new destinations, I can easily say I have spent my share of time in airports — and I can definitely tell you how difficult it can be at the airport with food allergies.

Having a plan and being prepared before heading out the door are essentials to surviving your time spent at the airport. As lines continue to grow at airline check-ins and airport security, the necessity to be there longer than in the past is also something new to consider.

So for those of us at the airport with food allergies, how can we make our time easier?

Tip 1: Plan Ahead

How long are you traveling for? Do you have multiple flights? These questions should be answered and taken into consideration when preparing for your trip. Since finding safe food can be such a challenge, it means it is essential to do your research ahead of time. Make sure you also have plenty of medication and store it in your carry-on luggage. In some airports, you can now find travel size medications, but rarely are there pharmacies that can supply you with extra Epi-pens!

Tip 2: Eat a Big Meal Before You Leave

Are you leaving for the airport at 4 a.m.? It doesn’t matter what time of day you’re leaving. Eating a warm and satisfying meal before you leave helps being at the airport with food allergies go much more smoothly. You can’t always predict airport delays and flight cancellations! If you only have snacks to munch on and nothing healthy and filling to start the journey, it could be a long, “hangry” day ahead! Eat accordingly.

READ MORE: 5 Things To Do at 6 am at Philadelphia Airport

Tip 3: Pack Food

What allergy-safe snacks do you enjoy? Make sure to pack plenty of them! Leaving it up to the airport and taking the time to try to scout out snack options is not a reliable plan of action. I would always rather over-pack safe snacks than not have enough. I know sometimes it’s difficult to avoid feeling weighed down with all the extras. It may end up worth your while though and save you the stress of finding something safe and satisfying. Travel often means flexibility, which is why being over-prepared is usually better!

Tip 4: Thirsty yet? The ONE necessary purchase

Once I get through security, I always buy a bottle of water. That is the one essential I can’t bring with me and always need. I’d rather have my own with a cap, than use the plastic cups on the airplane. Maybe it is just me, but I ALWAYS fall asleep right after they pass out drinks, which basically guarantees that I will spill my plastic cup of water all over myself and my seat-mates. Why risk it? No spilling and no allergy concerns when you bring your own. Bottles are just better in this case!

Tip 5: Finding an Allergen-Free Hang Out Spot

With many more airports trying to cater to healthier living, there have also been a greater number of peanut and tree nut stands popping up in airport terminals. These stands are filled with a large selection, from sugar coated, to plain, to spicy. Travelers are stopping at these stands on the way to their gate to buy bags of what some may consider a healthier option. To others like me, it could cause life-threatening reactions and raises anxiety levels.

I suggest trying to find a spot far away from these stands, food courts and restaurants to wait for your flight. Look for spaces near your gate that are clean from food. Use hand wipes to wash off the area, then relax and enjoy some down time before boarding!

This blog originally appeared on Vane's website.

PHL Gets New $35 Million Terminal F Baggage-Claim Building

CLEM MURRAY / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

“It’s bright and cheerful,” Betty Jane Livingston (right) said of the new space as she helped sister Kathleen Israel get her luggage.

by Linda Loyd, Staff Writer, Philly.Com  @LoydLinda

The last phase of a $161 million expansion and makeover of Philadelphia International Airport's busy Terminal F has opened: an ultra-modern glass and light-filled baggage-claim building on the arrivals roadway.

Since late 2013, 20,000 square feet of retail offerings, including a food court, as well as more passenger seating and a larger shuttle-bus stop have opened in Terminal F. There's a new ticket counter and a larger security screening area. A pedestrian walkway was positioned behind security connecting Terminals E and F. Passengers, for the first time, can walk the entire 1.25-mile stretch of terminals between F and international Terminal A-West within the secured area.

American Airlines, which has about 210 daily departures from Terminal F, was project manager for the improvements, financed mainly by rates and charges paid by the airlines.

Officials from PHL and American Airlines, joined by a string quartet from the Philadelphia Orchestra, will celebrate the official opening of the two-story baggage-claim hall and the completion of Terminal F on Friday morning.

Terminal F's redesign "operationally improved how the gates work, and the passenger flows in the terminal," said Philadelphia airport CEO Chellie Cameron. Reconfiguring the retail space and the shuttle-bus stop allowed for more circulation space, she said.

The old baggage claim was near the ticket counter on the departures road -- not on the arrivals road, where families and friends expect to meet travelers. There were times when passengers were unable to connect with people picking them up, and had to grab their bags and run across five lanes of traffic. "This was a long-standing issue that we are really happy to fix," Cameron said. "We think it makes the airport operate a lot more intuitively to passengers, especially those who don't travel frequently."

The new $35 million, 34,000-square-foot Terminal F baggage claim, which meets LEED Gold certification standards for energy and environmental conservation, is next to the other baggage claims on the arrivals road, with a taxi stand and shuttle buses to rental cars and parking lots outside.

"The completion of the Terminal F project is a great day for American,” said Suzanne Boda, the airline's senior vice president of hubs and gateways. “This state-of-the-art LEED Gold-certified bag-claim facility, coupled with recent renovations to F Terminal, provides our travelers with a greater level of customer service while enhancing our focus on environmental stewardship.”

Baggage claims are often dark and dreary, confined to a lower level. The new Terminal F bag claim is airy, with artwork, plants, and glass everywhere.

"This is my second time through here. It's wonderful," said Fred Karl, who was walking with his wife, Betsey, through the area to catch a flight to Erie.

"It's bright and cheerful -- beautiful," said Betty Jane Livingston of East Falls, who met her sister Kathleen Israel, visiting from Indianapolis.

As she collected her checked bag, Israel noted that the walk from her gate was "much shorter and much more convenient" than in the past.

Shelley Lyman, of Flemington, N.J., arrived from a trip to Nashville with her parents, Priscilla and Dick Stothoff. They said they liked Terminal F because it was smaller than other airport terminals, quicker to get through security, and easy to get their luggage.

The terminal's redesign, which was completed in stages, was not part of a longer-term airport-expansion plan that calls for lengthening two runways, replacing current rental-car surface lots with a multistory consolidated rental-car building, and designing an automated "people mover" to transport passengers between terminals. Airlines at PHL, under terms of their lease, are expected to notify the city-owned airport by the end of this year which construction project, or projects, they want to do next.

Nearly 17 percent of PHL's 31.6 million annual passengers start or end trips in Terminal F, which was designed in the late 1990s for smaller, 30- and 50-seat planes.

When the $98 million terminal opened in 2001, US Airways flew 175 daily Express flights out of Terminal F. Today, American and merger partner US Airways operate 210 daily Express flights and use all 38 gates. Small Dash-8 turbo propeller planes are being phased out and replaced with 90-seat jets.

Icelandair Introduces Flights From Philadelphia And Tampa To Iceland, Connecting To More Than 25 European Destinations.

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American Airlines To Debut Luxury Lounge At Philadelphia International Airport

An American Airlines aircraft is on the ramp at Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport. REUTERS/Mike Stone

American Airlines will debut new luxury "Flagship" lounges for First- and Business- class international travelers at three airports, including Philadelphia International, Dallas Fort Worth, and Miami International.

American presently has four "Admirals" lounges for frequent fliers in Philadelphia at Terminals F, B-C, A-East, and A-West.

The fancier Flagship Lounge will be built in Terminal A-West where currently an Admirals club is located, the airline said. First- and Business- class travelers on qualifying international routes will have access.

The renovations will include more expansive spaces, modern furnishings, more power outlets to recharge personal devices, and "additional healthy cold and hot food and beverage options."

American, which operates 76 percent of the flights in Philadelphia, said the project is part of a $3 billion dollar investment in "the customer experience." The Admirals Club lounge at Philadelphia's Gate A-16 will also be renovated.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20160218_American_Airlines_to_debut_luxury_lounge_at_PHL.html#WktHZixo58Q278dZ.99