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Qatar Airways Holidays launches Formula 1® 2024 Season packages

Doha, Qatar – Qatar Airways, the Global Partner and Official Airline of F1®, in partnership with Qatar Airways Holidays, announced today the launch of its fan packages for the upcoming FIA Formula One World Championship™. The packages allow fans travelling from more than 40 countries to be up-close to high-octane action and enjoy unique experiences.

From the beginning to end of their journey, the packages are designed for fans to enjoy a seamless motorsport extravaganza, with the inclusion of return flights, hotel accommodation, F1® Paddock Club or Grandstand race tickets, and return airport transfers for all global races (excluding Qatar). Packages are available for purchase at: qatarairways.com/f1.

This year, fans are also encouraged to experience guided track tours, pit lane walks and more with the F1® Paddock Club™ packages, featuring savings of up to 20 per cent on global race packages. One of the best spots to watch the action, offering world-class cuisine and free-flowing beverages, the Paddock Club™ is the pinnacle of F1® hospitality. In addition, Qatar Airways Privilege Club members can collect Avios and Qpoints on all fan packages, accumulating rewards to use towards future travel and experiences while helping them retain and quickly reach their next tier. Members can also purchase their package using Cash + Avios.

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China’s Sixth Prototype C919 Jet Completes First Test Flight

BEIJING (Reuters) – The sixth prototype of China’s home-built C919 narrowbody passenger plane completed its first test flight on Friday, marking a milestone in the programme’s testing schedule as China races to compete with Airbus SE and Boeing Co.

The sixth prototype is the last test plane its manufacturer, the Commercial Aircraft Corp of China Ltd (COMAC), has planned for the programme and was scheduled to fly before the year-end. Currently, there are five test planes that are conducting test flights elsewhere in the country.

The maiden flight on Friday from Shanghai lasted two hours and five minutes, COMAC said in a press release, adding that the jet will be conducting more test flights with a focus on cabin, lighting and external noises.

COMAC has already started production of aircraft parts which will be used for the first batch of aircraft deliveries, it said.

The state manufacturer is aiming to obtain Chinese certification for the C919 in 2021, but the date was subject to regulatory approval and the aircraft’s safety remains a top priority, according to COMAC officials.

He Dongfeng, the Communist Party boss of COMAC, wrote in a state-owned newspaper in December that aircraft safety is key to the survival of COMAC.

Designed to compete directly with the Airbus 320 and the Boeing 737 families in the market for jets with around 150 seats, the C919 is the speartip of China’s efforts to break a powerful decades-old Western duopoly.

The Boeing 737 MAX remains globally grounded following two fatal crashes that killed a total of 346 people.

(Reporting by Stella Qiu and Brenda Goh; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)