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Satyendra Pathak
Doha
The proposed 48-hour strike by airport workers in the United Kingdom (UK) in the run-up to Christmas has no visible impact on the business of travel agencies in Qatar as a large number of Qatari nationals are booking tickets to London on the eve of the New Year.
According to Mannai Air Travel Holiday Manager Dyan Andredo, the proposed strike has had litte impact on ticket bookings to London and other destinations in UK from Qatar.
"Many people are not even aware of the proposed strike. Even those who are aware, they are going ahead with their plans. In fact, London is more in demand this year," Andredo said.
Andredo, however, said that the number of Qatari travellers going abroad including the UK for New Year celebrations has decreased compared to last year due to the absence of promotional fares by Qatar Airways this time.
Qatar Airways is not offering any discount on tickets this year as part of its Qatar National Day promotional fares following the country's decision to cancel National Day celebrations in solidarity with the people of Aleppo.
"Many Qatari nationals and residents, who were waiting for discounts on tickets by Qatar Airways, cancelled their plans to visit London and other destinations. Such travellers generally prefer to wait for other promotional fares than to flying at higher prices," Andredo said.
Dana Travels Supervisor Smile also said there was hardly any impact of the proposed UK strike on the plans of Qatari travellers to London.
"We are booking a number of air tickets and hotels for our customers travelling to London on a regular basis. Not many people are aware of the proposed strike. Even those who are aware believe the UK authorities would handle it amicably," Smile said.
Echoing the same view, a manager at Ali Bin Ali Travel said that ticket bookings for London were not affected due to the planned strike by airport staff in the UK.
"We might be witnessing fewer number of travellers this year due the withdrawal of promotional fares by Qatar Airways, but we are yet to come across any traveller who has withdrawn from travelling to London due to the proposed strike," the manager said.
According to earlier reports, passengers flying by Qatar Airways to and from London Heathrow may face disruption due to a planned strike by airport staff.
Around 1,500 employees of Swissport, which handles check-in and baggage handling for the airline at Heathrow, have called a strike on December 23-24, targeting the busy pre-Christmas travel period following a dispute over pay and conditions.
A Heathrow spokesman has been quoted as saying that minimal impact for passengers is expected due to the strike.
Meanwhile, Gulf-based airlines like Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways have said they were monitoring the implications of the proposed strike by airport workers in the UK.
Qatar Airways is yet to make any comment on the strike's possible impact on customers.
