ANTALYA, Turkey: Qatar Airways made a “substantial” loss in its last financial year because of a regional dispute that has banned the airline from four Arab countries, its chief executive said on Wednesday without revealing the extent of the losses.
Qatar Airways has been blocked from flying to 18 cities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt since June when those countries cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Doha denies the charges.
“We have increased our operating costs. We had to also take a hit on revenues so we don’t think that our results for the last financial year will be very good,” Chief Executive Akbar Al-Baker told reporters at the Eurasia Airshow in Antalya, Turkey.
“I don’t want to say the size of the loss but it was substantial.”
Other parts of the business were profitable though that was not enough to make up for the airline loss, Baker said.
Qatar Airways has several subsidiaries including airport ground handling services and catering units.
The airline had warned of the loss for several months.
The state-owned airline will need another eight weeks to finalize its books and make adjustments before it announces its financial results for the year to March 31, Baker said.
Qatar Airways made 1.97 billion Qatari riyals ($541 million) profit in its previous fiscal year.
Neighboring Saudi Arabia and the UAE were popular routes for Qatar Airways, which has also been banned from the airspace of the four boycotting states.
Qatar Airways confirms ‘substantial’ annual loss, blames row with regional neighbors
Qatar Airways confirms ‘substantial’ annual loss, blames row with regional neighbors
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Lloyd’s market engaging with US government over Gulf maritime plan, officials say
LONDON: The Lloyd’s of London market is engaging with the US government’s International Development Finance Corporation over a plan to provide political risk insurance and guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf, Lloyd’s market officials said on Thursday.
“Lloyd’s is engaging constructively with the US Development Finance Corporation and relevant stakeholders, with a clear focus on ensuring that the Lloyd’s market continues to lead as the global center of excellence for war risk insurance,” a Lloyd’s spokesperson said.
The Lloyd’s Market Association, which represents the interests of all underwriting businesses in the Lloyd’s market, welcomed the engagement of US President Donald Trump, its CEO Sheila Cameron said separately in a statement on Thursday.
“Since Sunday 1 March, there have been at least 40 transits of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. There remain approximately 1,000 vessels, approximately half of which are oil and gas tankers, with an aggregate hull value exceeding $25 billion in the Persian/Arabian Gulf and surrounding waters,” Cameron said, citing data.
Cameron added that the vast majority of these vessels were insured in the London market and insurance “currently remains in place.”
Insurance broker Marsh said on Wednesday it had met with US officials to explore solutions for restoring maritime trade.
The US Navy could begin escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary, Trump said on Tuesday, adding he had ordered the International Development Finance Corporation to provide political risk insurance guarantees for maritime trade in the Gulf.
Earlier this week, London’s marine insurance market widened the area in the Gulf it deems as high risk as the conflict in the Middle East escalates.
