What? Why Does Qatar Airways Have Float Planes?

Qatar Airways is known all around the world for its luxurious onboard products and its long-haul connections via the carrier’s main hub at Hamad International Airport (DOH) in Qatar. Of course, the airline also operates shorter flights with narrowbodies from the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families, but did you know that these aren’t its smallest aircraft either? In fact, it also has some rather small float planes.

A mammoth ferry flight

In February 2023, Aero Flap reported that a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX had been spotted wearing the Qatar Airways

livery. While the plane in question wasn’t fully adorned in the carrier’s distinctive silver and claret paint scheme, the white single-engine turboprop aircraft conspicuously bore the Middle Eastern airline’s logo on its tail and its name at the front of the fuselage, making for a curious sight.

As seen in the video embedded above, the aircraft bore the registration N702TL at the time, and was filmed landing at (and subsequently taking off from) L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA) on the Caribbean island of Bermuda. A quick look at historical tracking data made available by Flightradar24 shows that this represented part of a much longer journey from the US to its new home in Qatar.

Indeed, having flown for three hours and 29 minutes from Newton City-County Airport (EWK) in Kansas to Cleveland Hopkins International (CLE) on February 23rd, 2023, it then continued onward to Bermuda on March 16th. This leg took five hours and 42 minutes but paled in comparison to the 10 hours and 47 minutes of the next leg to Santa Maria (SMA) in the Azores, which took place on March 19th.

On March 20th, 2023, the aircraft continued for another seven hours to Alicante Elche Miguel Hernández Airport (ALC) in Spain, before flying onward for almost eight hours to Heraklion (HER) on the Greek island of Crete the next day. The final leg of the journey took N702TL from Heraklion to Doha International Airport (DIA) on March 22nd, 2023, with a whopping flight time of 10 hours and 23 minutes.

A relatively recent development

This mammoth ferry flight only took place two years ago, and, for many, the presence of float planes in Qatar has flown somewhat under the radar. What was particularly notable about the long multi-leg journey from the US to the Middle East was the fact that, despite the aircraft in question having the ability to land on water, the airports that it stopped at en route were all land-based with solid runways.

This is because, as Aero Flap noted at the time of N702TL’s mammoth ferry flight, the aircraft is fitted with the Wipline 8750 buoyancy system, with retractable wheels that extend out of the plane’s floats to allow for use on land-based runways as well as water. According to Aviation DB, the aircraft, which was previously registered with Textron Aviation, was built in 2022, and has 12 seats onboard.

Another key development on this front, as highlighted by users of the Airliners.net forum, was that, at around the same time, Qatar Airways listed a job advert for pilots of amphibious aircraft. By this time, forum users had also noted that N702TL had been re-registered with the rather apt registration of A7-SEA. The advert prompted speculation about why the airline would be hiring amphibious pilots.

According to Pilot Career Center Europe, Qatar Airways demanded that applicants for the position had at least 1,500 hours of total flight time under their belts. Of these, at least 500 hours had to be as the “Pilot in Command in Commercial Sea Plane operations on turbine powered aircraft.” Prospective pilots also needed to be proficient in English and hold a CPL/ATPL license and medical certificate.

Operating sightseeing flights

The mystery concerning the Qatar Airways-liveried Grand Caravan was eventually solved just over a year after N702TL arrived in Doha, following the publication of a statement by the

oneworld

airline in May 2024. The carrier explained that the aircraft would be used by Discover Qatar, its destination management company, to operate an exclusive air tour known as ‘Discover Doha by Air.’

float plane had also clearly been acquired for this purpose, as the aircraft pictured in the photograph that accompanied the statement bore the similarly apt registration A7-SEE. Qatar Airways described the initiative as “an endeavor that further builds on the magic of exploring Qatar, (…) [offering] discerning travelers the opportunity to explore breath-taking landscapes and iconic landmarks from the unparalleled comfort and convenience of a light aircraft.”

Given the exciting nature of flying in such a small aircraft, Qatar Airways highlighted the fact that, as well as targeting tourists wanting to explore the region from above, these flights would also suit those seeking an aerial adventure. Up to eight passengers can be accommodated on these 45-minute flights, which are said to be “an extraordinary fusion of adventure, thrill-seeking, and exploration.”

The aircraft has been configured with passenger comfort in mind, with air conditioning and large windows ensuring that those onboard get the best possible views of Qatar while staying at an optimum temperature. An added bonus is the fact that passengers can listen to a commentary by the pilot through onboard headphones, further enhancing their experience as they soar above the Middle East.

Passengers can even build the flights into their layover

Stadiums used in the controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament are among the sights that passengers onboard the sightseeing flights can bear witness to from above, as well as areas such as the “Aspire Zone, Education City, (…) Thakira Mangrove Forest, (…) Pearl Island, Al Safliya Island, Katara Cultural Village, West Bay, (…) the Corniche, the National Museum of Qatar, and the Museum of Islamic Art.”

The tours began operating on June 27th, 2024, at a cost of QAR 710 ($194.50) per person. What is particularly interesting about these aerial sightseeing flights with the Cessna floatplane is that passengers with layovers of at least six hours in Doha can also book them for QAR 850 ($233), with this price including a private transfer from Hamad to Doha International Airport. Commenting on the launch of the tours, Discover Qatar’s Senior Vice President Steven Reynolds stated that:

For passengers taking the sightseeing flights in isolation rather than as part of their layover, there is also the option to book a private transfer to Doha International Airport. These take guests directly from their hotel to the facility’s premium terminal, from which the aerial tours depart, picking them up an hour beforehand. The cost of these return transfers comes in at QAR 467 ($128) per person.

What do you need to know?

As pictured below, the sightseeing flights are circular in nature, departing from and arriving back at the same airport, namely Doha International. In this sense, they differ somewhat from the point-to-point flights that passengers are used to taking from one airport to another. Still, with aviation being a heavily regulated and safety-focused industry, there are still rules that you should be aware of.

According to Discover Qatar, passengers’ hand luggage is limited to a single carry-on bag weighing no more than 5 kg (11 lbs). However, given the short and circular nature of the flight, this should be more than enough for light camera gear used to document the flight. With that being said, Discover Qatar, which also gives passengers a bottle of water, allows the storage of excess luggage at the airport.

The flights need to have a minimum of two passengers booked on them in order to operate as planned, with Discover Qatar noting that, if just one passenger books, they will be given 18 hours’ notice of the flight’s cancelation. Much like commercial flights from one airport to another, those traveling onboard have to check in in good time, with this needing to take place at least 30 minutes before flying.

Discover Qatar adds that, while pregnant mothers can take these flights, they require a written medical certificate to do so. When it comes to the transportation of young children onboard, those aged between 15 days and two years old are allocated the same seat as their parent or guardian, with those above two years old getting their own seat. Unaccompanied minors cannot take these flights.

Nordic Seaplanes Twin Otter Taxiing In Copenhagen

Flight Review: Sightseeing In Copenhagen On A 46-Year-Old Nordic Seaplanes Twin Otter

The flight was short but sweet, and offered spectacular views of the Danish capital city.

The bottom line

So, there you have it! The reason for there being Cessna 208B Grand Caravan EX float planes out there in the colors of Qatar Airways is because its partner company Discover Qatar uses the aircraft to operate aerial sightseeing flights. Of course, with these taking off from and landing at a land-based airport, the floats are not strictly a necessity, but they certainly add to the novel nature of the experience!