Qatar Airways opens Canberra-Doha route, takes on Singapore Airlines
Canberra Airport has launched its first route to Doha with Qatar Airways, the second international service now offered by the Australian capital.
The arrival of Qatar Airways now gives Canberrans and a million others living in the wider region access to a global network of more than 150 destinations, of which more than 40 are in Europe.
Canberra Airport’s Executive Chairman Terry Snow said: “We appreciate Qatar Airways’ strong support for the nation’s capital. An airline of this stature will further boost Canberra’s reputation as a leading tourist destination, on the back of record numbers of international visitors coming in 2017, and Lonely Planet nominating the city a top three destination for 2018.”
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Canberra is Qatar’s fifth Australian destination, with Singapore Airlines also offering daily flights from 1 May. Some analysts are predicting something of a price war in a bid to gain a foothold in Canberra’s international transport scene.
The service to Doha is not direct, however, with Canberra’s runway deemed too short for Qatar Airways to operate long-haul outgoing flights. Instead, the route travels via a short stopover in Sydney.
Qatar Airways will operate its daily Canberra service with a Boeing B777 aircraft, which features 42 flatbed seats in Business Class and 316 seats in Economy Class.
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