Qatar Airways is continuing its steady expansion plan for the coming year and has followed up on the recent announcements on new routes to Dallas, Edinburgh and Istanbul with confirmation that it will introduce flights to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus in summer 2014. The carrier will launch a four times weekly link between Doha and Larnaca from April 29, 2014 using an Airbus A320, configured in a two-class arrangement with 12 seats in Business Class and 132 in Economy Class.

Known for its waterfronts, scenic vistas and stunning beaches, Larnaca is located on Cyprus' southernmost coast and is the third largest city in the country. Larnaca International Airport, managed by the Vantage Airport Group, is located on the edge of the city and provides central access to all amenities on the popular holiday island.

"Larnaca is a destination that Qatar Airways is pleased to be providing regular scheduled service to. We are continually striving to provide customers with more options of unique destinations to visit, and the Mediterranean city of Larnaca is a welcomed new addition to the airline’s route map,” said a spokesperson for Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways is the last of the big three Middle East hub carriers to introduce scheduled flights to Cyprus. Emirates Airline has served the island continuously from Dubai for the past ten years and operates an up to daily service using a Boeing 777-200ER. Etihad Airways launched its own flights from Abu Dhabi in June 2009 and offers three rotations per week using an Airbus A320.

There is already relatively strong connectivity between Cyprus and the Middle East. According to MIDT data, an estimated 330,000 bi-directional O&D passengers flew between Cyprus and points across the Middle East. Alongside the three hub carriers, Cyprus Airways, El Al, Gulf Air, Middle East Airlines and Royal Jordanian provide scheduled links to other capitals across the region.