Qatar Airways flies the flag for new major Darwin long haul route

An ACCC submission has flagged the arrival of one of the world’s biggest carriers to the Northern Territory. Read who it is.

A major global airline wants to launch seasonal flights between Darwin and the Middle East, promising increased passenger numbers and freight options.

Doha-based Qatar Airways revealed the intention in a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, supporting a bilateral partnership with Virgin Australia.

On November 2024 the ACCC published an interim decision green-lighting the partnership, with a final determination expected this month.

The 81-page submission detailed the partnership’s benefits included a seasonal Darwin service among 28 new potential return flights between Virgin Australia and Qatar Airways.

“Increased feeder traffic on the networks … as a result of the Proposed Conduct increases the likelihood of additional services on existing domestic and international routes and the introduction of new routes,” Qatar Airway’s ACCC submission said.

Qatar Airways could be headed for Darwin. (Photo by James D. Morgan/Getty Images for Virgin Australia)

This included flights “between Doha and other non-gateway ports, such as Canberra, Cairns, Darwin (during peak seasons) and Western Sydney”.

This, it said, would encourage increased use across European routes.

“The proposed partnership will provide more public benefits than any commercial arrangements currently available between Virgin Australia and its partners, including as a result of the new services,” the submission said.

Details of the plan are still to be finalised pending ACCC approval, so the size and type of aircraft and exact routes and final destinations have not been determined.

Virgin will code share with QA if the deal goes ahead.

Qatar and Virgin both anticipate the additional flights would pump more passengers into Virgin Australia network and create additional competition.

They argue that to generate more passengers, there needs to be a reduction in travel times or a reduction in costs – and the additional competition of Qatar flights would lower ticket prices.

Humpty Doo Barramundi could be on their way to the Middle East. Picture: Floss Adams.

Qatar’s new flights are hoped to generate their own demand, but the airline is a big player in underbelly cargo, and it’s hoped that will also generate revenue for the prospective service.

The Northern Territory’s agricultural and logistic sectors welcomed the potential for additional freight options, while remaining cautious about any future ACCC decision.

NT Farmers chief executive Greg Troughton said the new route could be a gateway to the Middle East via Qatar Airways’ Doha hub.

“The NT Horticulture industry is always looking for opportunities to take our magnificent world class product to the rest of the world,” Mr Troughton said.

“A new freight opportunity to Doha does exactly that. NT Farmers looks forward to working with all stakeholders, growers, logistics providers and government to make export opportunities happen.”

Seaway Logistics’ Darwin branch manager Robert Hall said an additional international wide-body passenger service into Darwin would deliver local benefits beyond cheaper holidays and business travel.

“If Qatar or any other airline which landed in Darwin with a wide body international passenger service, it would only benefit the growth and viability of the agricultural and horticultural industries here, as it flows on to increasing direct ex-Darwin export freight capability immediately,” he said.

Greg Troughton NT Farmers chief executive December 2023

“The Middle East is a large market for our watermelons and mangoes; Singapore and Japan for our rockmelons; and Korea, Japan and China for our mangoes, plus our mud crab and barramundi.

“It needs to be a high priority of government and industry to get widebody services back into the NT, of course a lot of this is based on passengers and tourism and the NT becoming a destination tourism spot again.”

Long time Darwin aviation observer Tom Sawyer welcomed the opportunity, but cautioned about the risks of the service not succeeding.

“One of the most important elements of persuading a new carrier to operate a service out of Darwin is to ensure that service is viable,” Mr Sawyer said.

“Airlines can terminate flights relatively easily and quickly, and when they do, that sends a bad message to the industry.

“Having said that, a Doha-Darwin-Doha route would make a significant contribution to our long-haul travel options and give Darwin passengers direct single ticket access to Qatar’s considerable worldwide Doha hub network. The question is, passenger numbers?”

Qatar Airways’ NT bid comes as it looks to tap latent demand in under-utilised travel markets.

In July 2024, it serviced 146 routes not operated by Qantas and 30 not operated by Emirates.

Originally published as Qatar Airways flies the flag for new major Darwin long haul route