Qatar Airways Introduces Daily A380 Service to Melbourne

Qatar Airways has marked its seventh anniversary in Melbourne, Australia, by announcing plans to introduce its superjumbo A380 aircraft to Melburnians from June 30 in order to meet rising passenger demand.

The 517-seater A380 aircraft is expected to increase Qatar Airways’ current daily capacity by 44 percent on this route to meet the growing travel and trade demand, connecting Melbourne-based passengers and freight to more than 150 destinations globally. The 517-seat capacity is spread across twin decks in a tri-class configuration of eight seats in First Class, 48 seats in Business Class and 461 in Economy Class, featuring world class amenities and first rate services.

The service will depart Doha at 20:50 and land in Melbourne at 17:20 the next day. The return flight will take off from Melbourne at 22:05 and land in Doha at 05:25 the next morning.

“We are delighted to introduce our A380 aircraft to Melbourne after seven years of operation to the world’s most liveable city”, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, Akbar Al Baker, said.

The airline first started flying to Australia’s second largest city on December 6, 2009, with a 259-seater B777 aircraft. With the introduction of daily A380 services, capacity on the Melbourne route will have increased two-fold since 2009.

“Our expansive European network provides plenty of homecoming options for one of Australia’s most culturally diverse cities, which is home to many families from European heritage including the United Kingdom, Italy and Greece“,  he added.

When transiting through Qatar Airways’ hub, Hamad International Airport in Doha, passengers travelling from Melbourne can enjoy a comfortable and efficient transit. The luxurious and modern airport has more than 40,000 square metres of retail space and restaurants including more than 70 retail and 30 food and beverage outlets, as well as a 25-metre swimming pool, gym, hotel and spa.

For travellers who would like to turn their transit into a stopover experience, they can also take advantage of the new 96-hour transit visa offered in partnership with the Qatar Tourism Authority. Transiting passengers can explore the various highlights Doha has to offer – from the world-renowned Museum of Islamic Art to the Katara Cultural Village or desert safaris to bustling and cosmopolitan city scape.