People with Passion
Eric Odone, Vice President Europe Qatar Airways
Eric Odone has been a passionate airliner for more than two decades. He has been responsible for important markets for Qatar Airways since 2018: first The Americas and for almost three years now he has been in charge of the airline's sales in Europe as Vice President Europe. He reveals what successes he has achieved, what highlights Qatar Airways still has in the pipeline, and what role Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays for him.
People with Passion
Eric Odone Vice President Europe Qatar Airways
Eric Odone has been a passionate airliner for more than two decades. He has been responsible for important markets for Qatar Airways since 2018: first The Americas and for almost three years now he has been in charge of the airline's sales in Europe as Vice President Europe. He reveals what successes he has achieved, what highlights Qatar Airways still has in the pipeline, and what role Artificial Intelligence (AI) plays for him.
On Positioning "Qatar Airways is by no means the only airline in the Gulf region. Our goal is not to have the biggest aircraft, but the best product. We focus on premium experiences, both in the cabin and during boarding. Our Q Suite is an outstanding product, the Dining on Demand concept allows guests to maintain their eating and sleeping rhythm on board. We also call our business class Business First, and deliver accordingly: with, for example, champagne that costs 300 euros per bottle."
On Stopover Business
"Our data shows that 15 to 20 percent of our passengers use Doha as a destination for a stopover. The city is ideal for this – especially for guests traveling in the luxury sector. Numerous new luxury hotels have opened, as well as restaurants. There are also many cultural and outdoor activities that can be privatized. Our DMC Discover Qatar offers corresponding packages, which has an agency login for travel agencies. Nevertheless, Doha with Hamad International Airport is a transfer destination for most travelers."
On AI on Board
"Qatar Airways is at the forefront of the successful synergy between technology and human relations – not only for the airline itself, but also for the industry. The second generation of our meta-human cabin crew, Sama 2.0, underscores our commitment to innovation and the value we place on our service and hospitality. Sama 2.0 answers questions in real time, and provides information about Qatar Airways' destinations as well as support and tips. When it comes to digital innovation, we focus on improving the experience of our passengers and employees. We also want to increase our efficiency through the use of technology."
On the Role of Travel Agencies "We can't do without them. Qatar Airways is very driven by its product. And since we don't have just any business class, but a particularly good one, travel advisors have to be trained accordingly. They know their clients best and know what suits them perfectly. We want to enable many travel agents to test our product – in both Economy and Business Class. We offer further training in the form of webinars via our agent portal and through fam trips."
On the Fleet "As the launch airline for the new Boeing B-777-900, we expect to receive the first aircraft at the beginning of 2025. Everything we have developed in terms of sustainability and technology over the past few years is currently going into this product. And: there will be a special feeling of space. For example, there will be even more space for the already fantastic Q Suite. A total of 50 B-777-900s have been ordered and we are also receiving 24 B-777-800s. Our fleet is constantly being renewed and the average age of the aircraft is five years."
On Growth
"Europe is currently a very important market for us. In addition to Berlin, Paris is getting four additional flights, and we are also adding Venice, Lisbon, Málaga, and Hamburg to our network. The conditions for growth in Europe are currently good, firstly due to fewer regulations and secondly because the route does not pass through war zones. In addition, the European markets are showing very stable demand. Last summer, for example, there were often load factors of 94 percent for Europe as a whole. We are also seeing that Europeans are increasingly choosing our airline because of the premium product."
Zur neuen Strecke
"Hamburg ist die zweitgrößte Stadt Deutschlands, da ist es nur natürlich, dass wir sie ins Streckennetz nehmen. Und die Entscheidung war richtig: Wir starten die Verbindung am 1. Juli und schon jetzt gibt es eine sehr starke Nachfrage. Für den Juli haben wir an vielen Tagen schon eine Auslastung von 70 Prozent, im August ist es teils noch höher. Das sind vielversprechende Zahlen für den heißen Sommer. Zum Einsatz kommt voraussichtlich eine Boeing B-787-800."
On Positioning
"Qatar Airways is by no means the only airline in the Gulf region. Our goal is not to have the biggest aircraft, but the best product. We focus on premium experiences, both in the cabin and during boarding. Our Q Suite is an outstanding product, the Dining on Demand concept allows guests to maintain their eating and sleeping rhythm on board. We also call our business class Business First, and deliver accordingly: with, for example, champagne that costs 300 euros per bottle."
On Stopover Business
"Our data shows that 15 to 20 percent of our passengers use Doha as a destination for a stopover. The city is ideal for this – especially for guests traveling in the luxury sector. Numerous new luxury hotels have opened, as well as restaurants. There are also numerous cultural and outdoor activities that can be privatized. Our DMC Discover Qatar offers corresponding packages, which has an agency login for travel agencies. Nevertheless, Doha with Hamad International Airport is a transfer destination for most travelers."
On the Current Situation
"Germany is a very strong market for us. That's why we announced the four additional departures from Berlin to Doha at ITB. Demand is high: in the first weekend of January alone, we recorded a 67% increase in bookings in Germany compared to the same period last year. Interest is particularly high for the destinations Hanoi, Bangkok, Bali, Doha, and Male. "
On AI on Board
"Qatar Airways is at the forefront of the successful synergy between technology and human relations – not only for the airline itself, but also for the industry. The second generation of our meta-human cabin crew, Sama 2.0, underscores our commitment to innovation and the value we place on our service and hospitality. Sama 2.0 answers questions in real time, and provides information about Qatar Airways' destinations as well as support and tips. When it comes to digital innovation, we focus on improving the experience of our passengers and employees. We also want to increase our efficiency through the use of technology."
On the Role of Travel Agencies
"We can't do without them. Qatar Airways is very driven by its product. And since we don't have just any business class, but a particularly good one, travel sales staff have to be trained accordingly. They know their clients best and know what suits them perfectly. Basically, we want to enable many travel agents to test our product – in both Economy and Business Class. We offer further training in the form of webinars via our agent portal and through fam trips."
On the Fleet
"As the launch airline for the new Boeing B-777-900, we expect to receive the first aircraft at the beginning of 2025. Everything we have developed in terms of sustainability and technology over the past few years is currently going into this product. And: there will be a special feeling of space. For example, there will be even more space for the already fantastic Q Suite. A total of 50 B-777-900s have been ordered and we are also receiving 24 B-777-800s. Our fleet is constantly being renewed and the average age of the aircraft is five years."
On Growth
"Europe is currently a very important market for us. In addition to Berlin, Paris is getting four additional flights, and we are also adding Venice, Lisbon, Málaga, and Hamburg to our network. The conditions for growth in Europe are currently good, firstly due to fewer regulations and secondly because the route does not pass through war zones. In addition, the European markets are showing very stable demand. Last summer, for example, there were often load factors of 94 percent for Europe as a whole. We are also seeing that Europeans are increasingly choosing our airline because of the premium product."