Qatar Air Defies Gulf Sanctions, Trump Stance With New Routes

Qatar Airways struck a defiant tone and vowed to continue expanding, even as its state owner gets punished by neighboring countries in an escalating political standoff that’s threatening to choke the tiny nation’s economy.

The Persian Gulf’s second-largest carrier will introduce a record number of 24 destinations in the next year, including routes to San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro and Dublin and will add 66 Airbus SE A350 planes over the coming five years. But the airline’s ambitious growth plan could be stunted amid then unfolding diplomatic crisis over Qatar’s alleged support of extremism.