Sydney Airport Message Board - Qatar Airways to Canberra??

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Qatar Airways to Canberra??

Press Release here.

The sentence that struck out to me:
'Joining the Qatar Airways’ route network, which spans more than 150 destinations on six continents around the world, are: Canberra, the airline’s fifth destination in Australia.'

OK, so maybe it seems the move by Singapore Airlines wasn't that crazy after all?

No specifics as yet, but the press release states a start date of 2017.

Alex.

Talk is cheap when it comes to Qatar, as time has shown.

I flew Doha - Adelaide - Canberra yesterday (the day after this was announced).

Upon checking in, in Doha the Qatar staff member appeared confused my bag would only check to ADL. He then said "You're bag will only go to Adelaide, but you go to Canberra. Why? Is Canberra still in Australia"?

I had a good laugh but didn't have the heart to tell him his airline had just announced these flights!!

Cheers

M

It will be interesting to watch how this goes, as high density altitude conditions at Canberra in all probability mean load limits or enroute stops during summer.

Quote:

Qatar Airways plans Canberra launch in 2017/18

Canberra has been named as one of eight new destinations Qatar Airways will add to its fast-growing network.

The announcement was made during a media event in Casablanca on Monday (local time).

Qatar indicated flights to Canberra would begin some time in the 2017/18 timeframe, without providing any further details, such as frequencies and operating aircraft type.

The Australian capital would be Qatar’s fifth destination in this country.

It would also be Canberra’s second international service, following Singapore Airlines’ Capital Express Singapore-Canberra-Wellington flights that started in September.

Canberra Airport managing director Stephen Byron said he expected Qatar to operate nonstop to Canberra from its Doha hub when flights do eventually commence.

“Our view is that it is most likely, in fact very likely, the service will be in the later evening just as the Singapore Airlines flight is and again that is taking advantage of Canberra Airport’s curfew free status, which has been critical to the development of our international flight operations,” Byron told reporters at Canberra Airport on Tuesday, according to a video of the media conference posted on the airport’s Facebook page.

“It’s a great day for Canberra, a great day for tourism into the city and what a fantastic follow on from the Singapore Airlines first flight which was just 69 days ago.”

Byron said start of SIA’s flights and the Qatar announcement to serve the city would help attract more services.

Further, he said discussions were ongoing with a number of other Australian and overseas airlines about international flights, which could lead to a new service starting before Qatar begins its operations to Canberra.

“We always thought there would be a race to be first to be second if you like,” Byron said.

“We’ve been talking to the other Middle Eastern hub carriers, to the other Asian hub carriers and also to the Chinese airlines about direct flights.

“It is possible that an airline could announce a service to a different route that might commence before that time.”

According to the Canberra Times, start date for the flights are tentatively penned in for February 2018.

No news on whether it will be extended to Sydney as per a number of rumour mills.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex Lui (Post 102542)

No news on whether it will be extended to Sydney as per a number of rumour mills.

Al Baker did say the flights would include Sydney http://aviationweek.com/airline-flee...alasian-growth

So it must be true, after all he is the CEO and his word is final...............:D

Allergy Warning - My post was composed by machinery that also makes sarcasm.

Morning all,

Daily flights Doha-Sydney-Canberra-Sydney-Doha with B777-300ER's starting February 2018...

Quote:

Qatar Airways in February 2018 plans to expand service to Australia, as the airline opened bookings for Doha – Sydney – Canberra service, Subject to Government Approval. With this new 777-300ER service, the airline’s overall service to Sydney will increase to 2 daily.

First flight from Doha is scheduled on 12FEB18.

QR906 DOH0810 – 0615+1SYD0725+1 – 0825+1CBR 77W D
QR907 CBR1345 – 1445SYD1555 – 2230DOH 77W D

QR does not have local traffic rights (including online connection/stopover traffic) on Sydney – Canberra sector.

Info from: http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/...b-2018-launch/

Today's paper suggests that the B777 will only be used on the CBR-SYD leg. Customers will then fly on A380. Seems a bit of overkill to me.