Qatar has maintained its supportive stance toward China in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak that has affected thousands of people in the East Asian country. 

Last week, in a telephonic conversation between His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Chinese President, Xi Jinping, Qatar expressed its confidence in China’s abilities to control the epidemic.

Qatar also affirmed its willingness to offer a helping hand to China to manage the situation.

In this regard, Qatar Airways (QA) said it is gearing up to send eight of its planes, containing medical supplies, to three Chinese cities.

"We are to send eight aircraft on the 21st of this month to China; two of them will go to Beijing, three will go to Shanghai and three aircraft will go to Guangzhou," Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council and GCEO of Qatar Airways, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker said, on the sidelines of a press conference, according to The Peninsula. 

The eight planes will take off for China on the same day, with an interval of four minutes each.

The medical supplies to be sent to China on QA aircraft have been donated by Chinese people, Chinese embassies, different countries and the government of Qatar and Qatar Airways, the top official said.

These supplies will be sent to China completely free of charge, HE Al Baker mentioned, adding that this makes Qatar Airways the only global airline to do so.

This move comes as a symbol of Qatar’s appreciation and support to the people of China, he highlighted.

Despite temporarily suspending its flights to and from Mainland China due to operational concerns, Qatar Airways did not stop its shipping operations to China, HE Al Baker said, according to Gulf Times. 

He mentioned that the flights to China were stopped due to entry restrictions on any cabin crew or pilot who had operated in China recently.

The limitations were such that these QA staff could not enter those countries for a period of 14 days, which resulted in a huge operational distraction for the airline, he said.

SOURCE: QATARLIVING