Qatar Airways Group has announced its intention to buy a 25% minority stake in Virgin Australia from Bain Capital. The move, according to the announcement, will enable the Australian carrier to enter into long-haul international flying by mid-2025.
The consumer benefits, according to the announcement, include increased earn and redemption opportunities between the carriers’ loyalty programs, as well as expanded code sharing arrangements and improved schedule and connectivity options.
The minority stake, according to the announcement, also serves as a cornerstone investment ahead of an anticipated return of Virgin Australia into public ownership and the opportunity that would provide for Australians to share in Virgin Australia’s future.
The enhanced cooperation will enable Virgin Australia to launch flights from Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney to Doha, Qatar, connecting seamlessly into Qatar Airways’ global network. These extra flights will open up more than 100 new connecting itineraries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa for Australian travelers.
Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, CEO of Qatar Airways, said, “The alignment of our two airlines is significant, the relationships are deep, and we could not be more proud to bring even more great value and choice to all Australians.”
Jayne Hrdlicka, CEO of Virgin Australia, said: “This partnership brings the missing piece to Virgin Australia’s longer-term strategy and is a huge vote of confidence in Australian aviation. Importantly, it will further strengthen Virgin Australia’s ability to compete over the long term.”
