Qatar’s national carrier has announced that it’s in talks to launch a new domestic airline in Saudi Arabia.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker is hoping to take advantage of the Kingdom’s new aviation liberalisation policy. He’s publicly voiced concerns, however, about what he calls “excessive” fuel costs in KSA, and the Kingdom’s policy of controlling domestic air fares. He says there needs to be a “fundamental re-think” before the airline invests in the Saudi aviation market. 

It’s not the first time Qatar Airways has mooted the idea of a new airline. Back in 2010, they announced they had contingency plans in place to launch a low-cost carrier in the region if market conditions changed. 

Given the airline’s current success and growth, it seems unlikely any such airline will be necessary in the near future. 

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Credit: Photo by Michael Renner