Aerial view of Sydney Harbour. PICTURE: Destination NSW

Qatar Airways has announced daily direct services from Doha to Sydney from March 1, 2016.
With this, Sydney will become the third Australian city in the Qatar Airways network. Currently, the Doha-based carrier operates daily non-stop flights to Melbourne and Perth with a total of 14 services each week.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said, “We are delighted to debut our daily Sydney flights next March. The expansion of our Australia services will undoubtedly boost and strengthen the trade and commercial links that exist between Qatar and Australia, setting the stage for even more robust partnership opportunities in the near future.
“We look forward to carrying more travellers to and from Australia across our extensive global network and providing them with another world-class experience both on board and on the ground at the state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport in Doha.”
The evening departure timings in both directions provide “convenient travel times for passengers and enhance connectivity to attractive business and leisure destinations across Qatar Airways’ global network”, the airline said in a statement on Wednesday.
Sydney, with its ocean-side location, sandy beaches and iconic attractions like the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge, is one of Australia’s and the world’s top business and tourist destinations, and will be a popular addition to Qatar Airways’ network, the statement adds.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Qatar Airways to Sydney Airport. As Skytrax’s 2015 Airline of the Year, Qatar Airways will provide passengers with a quality product and greater connectivity to destinations around the world,” said Kerrie Mather, Sydney Airport managing director and CEO.
“The new daily service will significantly boost inbound tourism to New South Wales (NSW) as well as create an estimated 3,000 jobs, including 2,500 in NSW, and contribute over $240mn to the Australian economy. Qatar Airways’ service will also provide greater air cargo access to the Middle East and the growing Qatar market, which is great for NSW exports.”
The Doha-Sydney daily flights will be operated by the Boeing 777-300, which offers "Qatar Airways’ award-winning in-flight hospitality and luxurious comfort across both cabins", the statement notes.
The daily flight schedule between Doha and Sydney from March 1, 2016, (all times local) will be as follows: QR908 departing Doha at 8.10pm and arriving in Sydney at 6.05pm (next day), and QR909 departing Sydney at 10.20pm and arriving in Doha at 5.05am (next day).