Qatar Airways this past week celebrated the launch of a new link between Doha and Sydney, introducing additional seats and a new connectivity option for traffic in and out of Australasia. The daily flight was launched on March 1, 2016 and is operated using a Boeing 777-300ER. It complements the airline’s existing daily links from its Hamad International Airport hub to Melbourne and Perth.
“Touching down here in Sydney for the first time is an important milestone for Qatar Airways and for the people of Australia. We are delighted to be able to offer passengers flying from Sydney the opportunity to connect to more than 150 places on our global network via our state-of-the-art airport in Doha,” said His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, chief executive officer, Qatar Airways Group after arriving on the inaugural service.
The new service will provide 245,000 additional seats per year and is expected to generate an estimated 3,000 jobs in New South Wales and contribute more than AUD$240 million to the local economy. The new service will also provide 84 tonnes of cargo capacity per week in and out of the New South Wales (NSW) capital.
“Qatar Airways’ new daily service will foster trade, providing greater air cargo capacity and access to the Middle East. Australian exports to Doha grew by 23 per cent last year, and the State of Qatar’s high demand for livestock, cereal, meat, dairy products and crops provides a significant opportunity for Australian exporters,” said Kerrie Mather, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Sydney Airport.
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Gulf hub carrier, Qatar Airways took no time to introduce its long expected growth into the Sydney market following the renegotiation of the bilateral Air Service Agreement (ASA) between Australia and Qatar last year.
The Qatari and Australian governments expanded the previous bilaterals between the countries, allowing 50 per cent more flights on the Australia-Qatar route with immediate effect. The agreement allows for up to 21 flights each week, each way, for airlines of both countries to the major gateways of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. The new arrangement also provides unlimited services from Qatar to secondary/regional ports including Darwin, Adelaide, the Gold Coast and Cairns.
Its entry into the Sydney market enables Qatar Airways to put extra pressure on fellow oneworld alliance member Qantas, which has a partnership with Gulf rival Emirates Airline, as well as fellow United Arab Emirates (UAE) operator, Etihad Airways. Alongside the direct competition, Qatar Airways will also impact flows in the popular Europe – Australia market of other international carriers, most notably Cathay Pacific Airways, China Southern Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines.
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