newstodate.aero

Dec 14, 2022 (newstodate): The ongoing investigation into alleged corruption in EU officials' dealing with Qatar to promote Qatar's interests around the current football event may have implications also for the EU/Qatar aviation agreement.
   So far, Jakob Hanke, EU's Chair of the Parliament's Transport Committee, has warned that Qatar may have unduly influenced the Committee's internal process around the existing EU/Qatar Air Services Agreement that should also be scrutinized to verify if any illegal dealing, or corruption by Qatar, may have been involved.
   In March 2019, EU signed an aviation agreement with Qatar, the first such agreement between the EU and a partner from the Gulf region.  
   The agreement enabled Qatar Airways to establish new routes into EU destinations with the benefits of the carrier's low operational costs.  
   The EU/Qatar Air Services Agreement took effect from October 2021.
   In the Nordic markets, Qatar Airways launched services from Qatar to Scandinavia with Stockholm as its first destination from November 27, 2007, adding flights from Qatar to Copenhagen from March 30, 2010, and to Oslo from October 5, 2011, rounding off in the Nordic region with flights to Helsinki, Finland, from October 10, 2016.
   Qatar Airways Cargo is also a strong provider of freighter capacity serving the Norwegian seafood market, seasonally providing as many as 10-11 flights depending on market demands.
   In September 2022, oneworld partners Finnair and Qatar Airways entered "a long-term strategic cooperation" on flights between Helsinki, Stockholm and Copenhagen and Doha, Qatar.
   Under the agreement, Finnair will be operating seven weekly code-shared flights with Airbus A330-300 aircraft to Doha from Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki, offering connections to Qatar Airways' global network via Doha Airport.
   The two airlines have indicated that they are also exploring opening services between another, undisclosed European destination and Doha.