Qatar Airways ups capacity on Sydney route.
Qatar Airways has introduced the A380 on its Doha-Sydney service due to a growing demand from business and leisure travellers.
The 517-seat aircraft increases by 44% daily capacity on the route . The aircraft is set up with eight seats in the first class, 48 seats in business class and 461 in the economy.
Qatar Airways has chosen Adelaide as its fourth Australian destination, with daily flights to begin in May with Airbus A350-900s.The daily flights will operate as an evening departure from Doha, arriving in Adelaide in the afternoon the following day. The reciprocal will take off from Adelaide in the evening, arriving at Doha in the early morning the next day.
“2016 is going to be yet another exciting year for Qatar Airways and we are very pleased that Australia will figure prominently in our expansion plans,” Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.
“Our launching of flights to Adelaide and Sydney next year will provide even more choice for holidaymakers and business travellers to Australia, and also provide a strategic air link for travellers from Adelaide to the rest of the world.”
Among the Gulf carriers, Qantas alliance partner Emirate Airlines also serves Adelaide from its Dubai hub. Adelaide Airport managing director Mark Young said the the new service would support the local tourism industry.
Qatar’s first A350-900 was delivered at the end of 2014. The aircraft is also set up with 36 business class seats and 247 economy class seats and have inflight wifi available.
The one world alliance member currently uses the A350 to Singapore and Frankfurt.
Al Baker said:” Qatar Airways was looking at adding a fifth Australian point.” Although no city was mentioned during Thursday’s media conference, the chief executive said any further expansion would likely require another increase in available capacity in the bilateral agreement, suggesting Brisbane would be next to receive service from Qatar Airways.
Al Baker said:“If you want to go to a fifth destination in Australia then we will need to ask for additional bilateral.And the current Australian government is very receptive to giving additional traffic rights to promote tourism and business in Australia.”
Quick Qatar QnA
Q1: It takes “17 HOURS” to travel from, “DOHA to SYDNEY.” Will “QATAR AIRWAYS” be able to uphold their promise taking in consideration with their heavy time schedule?
A1: When the route was launched in March, it was serviced by a Boeing 777-300. The new daily service will be operated by Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and is scheduled as an evening departure from Doha, arriving in Sydney at 1805 local time. The reciprocal takes off from Sydney at 2220.
The airline said on Wednesday the evening departure in both directions offered excellent connections across their network.
The airline said on Wednesday the evening departure in both directions offered excellent connections across its network.
“The expansion of our Australia services will undoubtedly boost and strengthen the trade and commercial links that exist between Qatar and Australia, setting the stage for even more robust partnership opportunities in the near future,” Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.
“We look forward to carrying more travellers to and from Australia across our extensive global network and providing them with another world-class experience both on board and on the ground at the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport in Doha.”
Q2:We often ask questions about Boeing, what does it mean?Then there’s Boeing 777-300ER ,
Q3:Who will support the new service?
A3:Al Baker says the start of flights to Sydney has been a long-held ambition for Qatar Airways and was made possible by the recently updated bilateral air services agreement between Australia and Qatar Airways that opened up additional capacity for carriers of both countries.
Further, he said it was also facilitated as well the expansion of a third arrival and departure bank in Qatar’s Airways schedule at its Doha hub to facilitate quick connections.
“In the third bank we are able to take the aeroplane out of Sydney before the curfew time,” Al Baker said.
“The reason it fell out of our radar six years ago is because … we had only two banks and we could not really afford to leave our aircraft on the ground during the curfew time.
“If you took the aircraft immediately back we wouldn’t give the seamless connection, the short minimum connecting time that today we can provide the passengers from Sydney.”
“This is why we not came six years later.”
Currently, Qatar Airways serves three Australian points – Melbourne, Perth and Sydney – with Adelaide to join the network from May with Airbus A350-900.
Q4: What does Airbus A350- 900 mean?
A4:In short, it is an aeroplane (air crafts) carrying passengers from 350-900 passengers.
Q5: When will other flights be launched in Australia?
A5:Al Baker said Qatar Airways was looking at adding a fifth Australian point. Although no city was mentioned during Thursday’s media conference, the chief executive said any further expansion would likely require another increase in available capacity in the bilateral agreement, suggesting Brisbane would be next to receive service from Qatar Airways.
“If you want to go to a fifth destination in Australia then we will need to ask for additional bilateral,” Al Baker said.
“And the current Australian government is very receptive to giving additional traffic rights to promote tourism and business in Australia.”
Al Baker also confirmed nonstop flights to New Zealand would begin before the end of the year, adding that the original plans to launch the Doha-Auckland route had been pushed back after fellow Gulf carrier Emirates started flying nonstop to Auckland from Dubai.
“We are not going to chicken out, we will definitely fly to Auckland but as a respect to Emirates Airline as they have already launched a direct flight we will wait until the end of the year before we will operate,” Al Baker said.
“We were originally supposed to operate in June but we are now delaying it until the end of the year but we will certainly go direct from our hub in Doha to Auckland.”Among the Gulf carriers, Qantas Airlines alliance partner Emirates also serves Adelaide from its Dubai hub.
Q6: “If you want to go to a fifth destination in Australia then we will need to ask for additional bilateral,” Al Baker said. What does Al Baker mean by additional bilateral?
A6:Al Baker means doubling(double) connections. Remember, bilateral means two and additional bilateral means four. And connections are two parties such as Sydney and Doha and Doha-Auckland route.
Q7: I have a curfew time after work, which ranges from 9pm to 2 am in the morning and now there’s curfew times for QATAR Airways,lol.What are QATAR Airways curfews like?
A7:Baker said,”In the third bank we are able to take the aeroplane out of Sydney before the curfew time.”The aircraft was on the ground for about four hours before taking off as the reciprocal QR909 back to Doha at about 2245.
Q8:How will the managers decisions at QATAR Airways support the tourism industry?
A8: Adelaide Airport managing director Mark Young said the the new service would support the local tourism industry.
Qatar’s first A350-900 was delivered at the end of 2014. The aircraft are configured with 36 business class seats and 247 economy class seats and have inflight wifi available.
Sydney Airport chief executive Kerrie Mather said the new daily flights from Qatar Airways would boost inbound tourism and support the state and national economy.
Q9: How good are QATAR Airways partnership connections in Australia?
A9:“The expansion of our Australia services will undoubtedly boost and strengthen the trade and commercial links that exist between Qatar and Australia, setting the stage for even more robust partnership opportunities in the near future,” Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said in a statement.
Q10:Where does QATAR Airways exports also range from?
A:10:“Qatar Airways’ service will also provide greater air cargo access to the Middle East and the growing Qatar market, which is great for NSW exports,” Mather said in a statement.
Q11: What is an ultra long-haul non-stop flights?
A11: An ultra long-haul non-stop flight, is a flight by an aeroplane (aircraft) with no other stops.