Qatar Airways has said it will give away 100,000 free tickets to the front-line healthcare professionals to commend them for their heroic work during the current COVID-19 crisis.

The airline, in a statement on Wednesday, said it had maintained 24/7 operations in recent months, including the provision of over 100 chartered flights.

It said its mission to repatriate over one million people had been commended by passengers and governments.

According to the statement, the distribution of the tickets began at 00.01 am on May 12 and close at 23:59pm on May 18 (Doha time).

It said healthcare professionals could register for the exclusive offer on its website by submitting a form to receive a unique promotion code, offered on a first come-first served basis.

The firm said healthcare professionals from every country in the world would be eligible for the tickets.

The statement said, “To ensure the application process is fair and transparent, each country will receive a daily allocation of tickets, depending on its population size, staggered over a seven-day period from May 12 to 18.

“Tickets must be booked before November 26, with travel valid until December 10, 2020. The tickets will be fully flexible, with an unlimited number of destination or date changes allowed without any fees. Fare and surcharges will be waived on tickets, airport taxes apply.”

The Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways, Mr Akbar Al Baker, said, “We at Qatar Airways are incredibly grateful for the commitment and hard work of healthcare professionals around the world who look after people in these times of uncertainty.

“Their heroic display of kindness, dedication and professionalism has saved hundreds of thousands of lives around the world.”