The announcement follows months of industry speculation over the Doha-based carrier's plans to launch two new unnamed European destinations.
Commencement of four weekly flights to Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, will see the airline significantly increase its Scandinavian presence. Qatar Airways currently serves the neighbouring Swedish capital Stockholm non-stop from Doha, a route launched two years ago.
The airline recently announced that it will boost capacity on its Stockholm route with frequency increasing to daily from March next year. With Copenhagen being added, Qatar Airways will further strengthen its operations in Scandinavia, cementing its place in the market as the only GCC carrier to serve the region.
Barcelona will become Qatar Airways' second city served in Spain, after Madrid, when daily services commence to the popular Mediterranean port city. The new route underscores a growing commitment by the airline to the Spanish market following earlier capacity increases to the country's capital city of Madrid.
As Spain's second largest city, Barcelona is a popular tourist centre on the Mediterranean coastline. It is home to one of Europe's main ports and has a thriving economic base due largely to its importance in finance, commerce, media, entertainment, arts and international trade.
