Qatar Airways chases 25 per cent of Virgin Australia for various Aus to Doha routes

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Qatar Airways chases 25 per cent of ******* Australia for various Aus to Doha routes

******* Australia could soon be part-owned by Qatar Airways, opening a major Australia to the Middle East route to the roster by mind-2025.

Qatar Airways intends to take a 25 per cent stake in ******* Australia, which will be subject to approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board.

The deal would allow flights from Australia’s four largest cities to Doha, under a plane and crew lease agreement.

In a statement, ******* say the proposed ********* ownership stake would create “more choice and better value for Australians”.

Camera IconVirgin Australia has not flown flights longer than eight hours since it was rescued from administration by Bain Capital in 2020. NewsWire / Damian Shaw Credit: News Corp Australia

“Domestic competition in Australia is dependent on ******* Australia thriving through the inevitable ups and downs of aviation.”

The deal would be done by way of the Gulf airline acquiring 25 per cent of ******* owner, Bain Capital’s stake.

“This partnership brings the missing piece to ******* Australia’s longer-term strategy and is a huge vote of confidence in *********** aviation,” ******* Australia chief executive Jayne Hrdlicka said.

data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///ywAAAAAAQABAAACAUwAOw==Camera IconQatar Airways and ******* Australia have been aligned since 2022. Supplied Credit: Supplied

The two airlines have “codeshared” flights since 2022. The proposed deal would allow ******* to resume eight-hour-plus flights again, and has positive implications for the development sustainable aviation fuel, given ******* Australia’s commitment to *********** jet fuel decarbonisation efforts, the statement reads.

“We believe competition in aviation is a good thing and it helps raise the bar, ultimately

benefiting customers,” Qatar Airways chief executive Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said.

“This agreement will also help support *********** jobs, businesses and the wider

economy.”

The ******* Australia boss says government Foreign Investment Review Board approval was not being taken for granted, but the deal-makers had filed submissions outlining the benefits for *********** aviation, *********** travellers and the economy.

The parties involved claim the deal would add $3bn to the *********** economy through

incremental visitor flows during the next five years.

******* Group and the Queensland Investment Corporation will retain shareholdings in ******* Australia.

“Importantly, it will further strengthen ******* Australia’s ability to compete over the long term, which will inevitably translate into more choice and even better value airfares for consumers as well as additional *********** aviation jobs,” Ms Hrdlicka said.

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