New independent data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) reaffirms Qatar Airways as the airline that worked diligently to take people home safely and reliably during this crisis. The airline’s over 1.3 billion revenue passenger kilometres (RPK) during the month of April accounted for 17.8% of the global market, over triple its nearest competitor and more than the next four airlines combined.

Qatar Airways Cargo also continues to lead its sector with more than 900 million cargo tonne kilometres (CTK) accounting for 7.2% of the global cargo market, ensuring much needed airfreight capacity to support global trade and the transportation of essential medical and aid supplies to impacted regions.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for the global aviation industry, the national carrier of Qatar has remained focused on its fundamental mission of taking people home. It has become the largest carrier in the world flying over 50 million kilometres to repatriate over 1.8 million passengers on over 15,000 flights during the crisis. The airline has also worked closely with governments, and companies around the world to operate over 220 charters and extra sector flights.

Qatar Airways group chief executive, Akbar Al Baker, said: “An unprecedented challenge needs an unprecedented response and we worked tirelessly to continue providing repatriation options to stranded passengers. Such was our commitment to this mission that our RPKs were greater than the next four airlines combined, a statistic without parallel in modern aviation.”