Qatar Airways To Resume Canberra Flights

Qatar Airways has announced that it will resume flights to Canberra, Australia, in 2025. This marks the restoration of another critical gateway for the company.

The capital city of Australia will become the sixth city to receive service from the Doha-based airline, which will act as a pivotal reactivation of a previously operated service.

This service was operated before the global pandemic; however, it ultimately represented one of the many locations that saw service axed as the company focused on prioritising in-demand and profitable markets.

Qatar Airways says that flights will not be nonstop but will operate daily. The service will essentially operate triangularly through Melbourne via Doha.

Service will commence in December 2025, and the Boeing 777 will be operated across the route. Due to the high capacity, Q-Suite Business Class and high-speed Wi-Fi will be available, thanks to Starlink.

Qatar says it’s delighted that it’ll serve Canberra again, being the nation’s capital and thus the country’s political heart. The airline CEO notes that many international carriers should serve this city but may not do so.

By the airline re-deploying itself towards this location, it expects to be able to serve healthy levels of business and leisure demand. Moreover, the flights will enable greater choice and connectivity for customers, aligning with the company’s core focus.

Fundamentally, this service also comes as the launch of sales of Virgin Australia’s new services from Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth to Doha were launched. These services are thanks to Qatar Airways’ new relationship and control of the carrier.

While pending final regulatory approval, it will finally position Virgin Australia to compete again in the international travel market, which it has been missing since entering administration at the top of the decade and as the COVID-19 pandemic emerged.

Qatar Airways’ prospective acquisition attempts will also give it greater access to the Australian market. The airline has been targeting this market for some time but failed to nail the landing due to pushback from watchdogs.