Qatar Airways buys a piece of Virgin Australia and doubles its flights 'down under' from June
Ah, the money. It opens doors wide. In some cases, even those of entire countries. Such is the case with what is happening [...]
Qatar Airways
Oneworld
SYD
Australia
Ah, the money. It opens doors wide. In some cases, even those of entire countries. Such is the case with what is happening in Qatar Airways, which During 2025 it will double its presence in Australia, In terms of weekly flights from its hub in Doha.
In this article:
Until now, bilateral agreements between Australia and Qatar had allowed the Doha-based carrier to operate A maximum of 35 weekly frequencies (five flights per day) to the country's four major cities 'down under'. But starting in June, these frequencies will increase to 56 weekly and, from November, to 63.
How did Qatar Airways 'force' a type of agreement that usually, requires lengthy negotiations between governments? Simple: bought the 25% of Australia's second largest airline, Virgin Australia. The purchase was approved in recent days by the Australian government, which justified it by citing the increased competitiveness, and therefore consumer convenience, that the deal will bring.
Which, moreover, is not without foundation when one considers that Gulf carriers are the ones that fly most to and from Australia and that, compared to the 35 weekly frequencies guaranteed to Qatar Airways, the two Emirates carriers Emirates and Etihad are granted a whopping 168 under the bilateral agreements.
Currently, Qatar Airways flies twice daily from Doha to Melbourne with Boeing 777-300ER (one of the two flights, on the way back to Doha has a stopover in Adelaide), once a day always with 777-300ER towards Brisbane, once a day to Sydney with Airbus A380 and once a day to Perth always with A380.
From June, these connections will be joined by a daily flight to Brisbane, one to Sydney, and one to Melbourne. And from November, one daily to Perth. Of course, all will be operated in codeshare with Virgin Australia, giving access to the airline's network 'down under'.
Indeed, the new Doha-Perth-Doha will be marketed by Virgin Australia itself, although it will be operated with Qatar Airways aircraft and crew, as Virgin Australia gave away its Boeing 777-300ERs and Airbus A330s after restructuring in 2020, canceling all its long-haul operations.
To date, Brisbane-based carrier has a fleet of 79 Boeing 737-800s, nine 737-700s and eight MAX 8s, a total of 96 airplanes, serves 36 destinations scattered among Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, New Zealand, Samoa and Vanuatu And has had a code-sharing relationship with Qatar since 2022 (while Qantas, despite being part of Oneworld, the same alliance in which Qatar Airways also participates, does the same with Emirates). Its 'Velocity' frequent flyer program allows you to earn miles on Qatar Airways' 'Privilege Club' and vice versa.
For Qatar Airways, the one with Virgin Australia is yet another in a long line of participations put in place within foreign carriers: to date, Doha-based company owns IAG Group's 20% (of which British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Vueling are members), Cathay Pacific's 10%, Latam's 10%. and is finalizing the purchase of the 25% from South Africa's leading company, Airlink, and of the 49% of Rwandair.
