Qatar Airways doubles Doha-Melbourne flights, delays Canberra service
Qatar Airways has officially commenced its second Doha-Melbourne service, increasing the once-daily schedule to double-daily flights.
Qatar Airways and the Victorian Government signed a strategic agreement to increase connectivity to Melbourne to further boost trade and tourism.
Announced in July 2022, the additional Melbourne schedule includes an onward leg to Canberra, officially resuming a once-daily connection between Doha and Canberra starting 1 December.
The Canberra service was also originally scheduled to launch on 1 October, but has been delayed due to an operational issue outside of the airline’s control. All passengers who were booked on the Canberra flights will be re-booked and taken to their final destinations.
The added daily schedule will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER, with the airline operating a total of 40 weekly flights to Australia with this network enhancement.
With the newest addition, the airline will operate to six destinations in Australia including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Canberra.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Melbourne is the original home for Qatar Airways in Australia, and we are excited to enhance our operations there, as a testament to both strong demand and our deep commitment to Australia.
“We look forward to welcoming more passengers to experience our five-star hospitality, as travel to and from Melbourne to many cities worldwide via our Doha hub in Qatar. The launch of the additional daily flight to Melbourne ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will allow more football fans travel to attend their respective matches.”
Minister for industry support and recovery, Ben Carroll, said: “Backing international aviation supports our economy and we will continue to work with airlines like Qatar Airways to establish and expand routes into Melbourne to boost local jobs.”
Melbourne Airport CEO, Lorie Argus, said: “There is huge demand for international travel out of Melbourne, and these extra services couldn’t come at a better time with the soccer World Cup kicking off in November.
“It’s exciting to see airlines like Qatar Airways adding more capacity into Melbourne, given they are a global airline and could send their aircraft anywhere it’s a huge vote of confidence in our city.
“Qatar Airways is already a favourite with passengers heading to the Middle East or Europe, and given their partnerships with both Virgin Australia and Qantas, we expect these new flights will prove very popular.”
Qatar Airways has recently announced its strategic partnership with Virgin Australia, which will offer increased travel options and benefits across 35 destinations in its extensive domestic network, as well as to its recently relaunched short-haul international markets, including Fiji and Queenstown, New Zealand.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
boeing 777-300ER FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker melbourne airport qatar airways virgin australiaLatest News
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