On March 31, JAL launched the Haneda – Doha route (JL59/50), the company’s first route to the Middle East.
This is the first time for a Japanese airline to operate scheduled flights to the Middle East, and JAL has been making preparations for the opening of the Doha Branch with a great deal of exploration. We interviewed Hiroki Saito, Branch Manager, about the Doha Branch.
Mr. Saito received his appointment as Doha Branch Manager in October 2023, and the date of the launch of the service was six months later. In the preparation stage, there was no one within the company who was familiar with the local culture, as this was an unprecedented Middle East branch, and he had to create his own know-how as he went along. For example, it is common practice to obtain a work visa before traveling to a foreign country to work, but in Qatar, the procedure is to first travel to the country and then apply for a work visa locally. The first hurdle was to research such detailed local conditions and develop the know-how.
It was at the end of December that Branch Manager Saito moved to Doha. More than three months have passed since he came to live there, and while there are of course the “desert” and “camels” that one generally associates with the Middle East, he says he was impressed by the surprisingly safe environment (as this reporter also found out) and the coexistence and cooperation between modern facilities and traditional culture.
When asked about JL59, which arrives early in the morning (4:40 a.m.), he said that depending on the time of year, it can get quite hot once the sun rises, so early in the morning is actually convenient for taking a walk along the coast and enjoying the cityscape. There are museums and art galleries in the city, as well as a huge shopping mall with a Las Vegas-like scale, so walking around the city seems to be a profoundly enjoyable experience.
Since arrival is in the morning, it is recommended to set up an early check-in option at your hotel to make your stay easier both physically and emotionally, but it is also recommended to just leave your luggage behind (before it gets too hot) and go out for the aforementioned activities. Desert Safari, one of Doha’s most popular sightseeing tours, is a 4WD ride through the desert, and is available not only during the daytime, but also for sunset and star gazing.
A late checkout on the last day of your itinerary is also an option. The Doha Hamad International Airport in particular has so much to offer that you may want a few hours just to shop, eat, and drink, and they have a swimming pool and a golf range. And if your return flight is business class, the airport lounge with showers, private napping areas, private spa, massage, fitness, and a sumptuous dining buffet will make you want to stay a few hours here, too. In any case, my return flight (JL50) departs at 7:15 a.m., so I need to check out at around 4:00 a.m. If that is the case, I should not stay at the hotel on the last day. If that is the case, you may choose not to stay at the hotel on the last day, but to spend plenty of time at the airport and sleep on the plane.
For Japanese people, it may have been difficult to imagine visiting the Middle East as a tourist destination, but “I want everyone to know more about the charms of the Middle East. I hope everyone will learn more about the charms of the Middle East. It is really interesting,” said Manager Saito. We hope that this service will be a breakthrough,” he said.
© Source travel watch
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