Qatar Airways has announced that Sydney has become its first destination in Australia to be served by the A380 super-jumbo, just six months after it joined the airline’s global network.
Following the route’s inauguration with the Boeing 777-300 on March 1, Qatar Airways “has seen a steady growth in demand for its service on the route”, the Doha-based carrier has said in a statement.
The 517-seater A380 aircraft increases Qatar Airways’ current daily capacity by 44% on this route to meet the growing travel and trade demand.
Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said, “From the moment we inaugurated the service to Sydney earlier this year, we have been welcomed with open arms. Customers flying to and from Sydney appreciate our global route network and our efficient flight schedules, which save them hours of time on the average itinerary. We are pleased to respond in kind, with the introduction of the A380 service to Sydney, offering 517 seats per flight.
“Australia is one of the main hubs of the business world in Asia Pacific, with many passengers flying worldwide for business and leisure. What better way to serve travellers from this key destination than to introduce our iconic A380 to the country, starting with the nation’s biggest hub, Sydney.”
The 517-seat capacity is spread across twin decks in a tri-class configuration of eight seats in First Class, 48 seats in Business and 461 in Economy, featuring “world-class amenities and first-rate services that set it apart from other aircraft”. Passengers travelling from Sydney to London and Paris can enjoy the Qatar Airways A380 experience throughout their journey to these two European destinations.
“We’re thrilled that Qatar Airways has ‘upgauged’ to an A380 within six months of the airline’s launch in Sydney, which is testament to their early success and strong loads,” Sydney Airport managing director and CEO Kerrie Mather said.
“Qatar Airways’ Doha-Sydney service already generates an estimated 3,000 jobs and contributes more than $240mn to the economy per year, plus it provides passengers with more choice and connectivity. Sydney Airport estimates that Qatar Airways’ A380 will deliver an incremental $78mn in inbound visitor expenditure annually to Australia, supporting the federal government’s target of doubling overnight visitor expenditure by 2020.”
The daily flight schedule is as follows: QR908 departing Doha at 9.40pm and arriving in Sydney at 7.35pm (+1), and QR909 departing Sydney at 10.25pm and arriving in Doha at 5.05am (+1).