Qatar Airways now also heading to ADL

[Justin L]

Well I hope QR proves over time to be a success out of ADL, in conjunction with EK. Comparing the EK and QR route maps, QR offers additional destinations in Eastern Europe and Northern Africa that EK does not, so collectively there will be more one stop choices to more destinations now out of ADL. And for the destinations across Europe, Middle East, etc. that they both serve, it provides additional choice and competition for business and tourism.

I will be flying EK for the first time later this year, across a variety of routes (including out of ADL) and aircraft and look forward experiencing them. I look forward to trying out QR on a future occasion.

While it is true ADL pax can travel through PER to head west rather than through SYD/MEL, having connected Dom-Int in PER before, until the current plan to co-locate like alliance airlines in the same terminal is completed, the current road distance between terminals and the sparsity of transfer buses makes it a most inconvenient transfer IMHO. The terminal in PER is also not as good as MEL/SYD/BNE to kill time in either, although that will improve.

For ADL pax, MEL to me makes the most logical domestic port to connect to/from an international flight when direct service is not offered out of ADL due to the MEL being one terminal building, while SYD and BNE are both doable, although bus/train transfer is annoying. Also a shorter domestic flight to MEL/SYD followed by a better amenity long-haul flight would be my preference, rather than a medium-haul domestic to PER to connect (no wide-bodies flying ADL-PER like from the east coast).

[MarkR]

The EK and AY soft products are good, I have done numerous flights recently on both short haul across the ditch and longhaul to Asia and the Middle East. Some complain about the ten across seating bu I found it fine, and their premium cabins are hard to beat.

The problem is supporting a smaller market, which is what Adelaide is. It's quite possible QR will survive and EK move out, alternatively EK may look at fifth freedom across the ditch tacked onto their ADL flights. One benefit Adelaide has is it lacks capacity constraints placed on the bigger cities when it comes to the IASC, that could be a game changer in the future.

[Stefan Perkas]

Evening all,

The wait is finally over, A350-900 A7-ALH is scheduled to operate the inaugural 'QR914/915' to Adelaide tomorrow

[Mark Grima]

Some reporting of the arrival

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...t-a350-flight/.

http://www.traveller.com.au/qatar-ai...st-time-gol5as

I'm booked on this flight in early December. Can't wait.

Cheers

M

[Greg Hyde]

Looks like Perth may get some A350 action as well

Perth named as Qatar’s next Australian A350 destination

http://australianaviation.com.au/201...0-destination/

[MarkR]

Wow, already they are reducing the service, going to 6x a week in August and September.

[Stefan Perkas]

Originally Posted by MarkR

Wow, already they are reducing the service, going to 6x a week in August and September.

Only because they are short of A350's (they are about 5 behind in delivery). They have also delayed the start of the AKL service because the -200LR's are need to cover the gaps of the A350's. Thier USA markets have also had reduction and re-shuffle of flights.

[MarkR]

Originally Posted by Stefan Perkas

Only because they are short of A350's (they are about 5 behind in delivery). They have also delayed the start of the AKL service because the -200LR's are need to cover the gaps of the A350's. Thier USA markets have also had reduction and re-shuffle of flights.

Apparently blamed on Zodiac and their loos, or lack thereof. Begs the question, in this day and age, can anyone deliver a new build without delays???