Qatar Airways shrugs off row over terror

Qatar Airways says it is on the way to becoming an “aviation powerhouse” as it sought to shrug off a diplomatic row with its Gulf neighbours.

That row, over alleged terrorism funding, has forced the airline to cancel flights, hitting sales.

For the year to March, before the row began, sales rose 10% to 39 billion Qatari riyal (£8 billion). Profit jumped 21% to 2 billion riyal, largely thanks to asset sales.

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said the results “reflect the success of our expansion and growth strategy” that has seen it grow from “a small regional airline into an aviation powerhouse over two decades”.

Qatar has ambitious expansion plans for its airline. It has taken stakes in other national carriers, including a 20% stake in IAG, owner of British Airways.

Last week Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt suspended ties with Qatar, claiming it supports terror.

Those countries have closed road, sea and air access to and from Qatar. The airline said it “continues to operate to the rest of its network as per its published schedules with day-to-day adjustments for operational and commercial efficiencies”.