Qatar Airways has unveiled the launch date of yet another exciting Australian destination, with daily non-stop scheduled flights between Doha and Adelaide to commence on May 2, 2016.

The airline has embarked on a major expansion in Australia, just recently announcing the launch of daily flights to Sydney from March 1 next year.

Adelaide will also be the first destination in Australia to which Qatar Airways will fly its state-of-the-art A350 aircraft, for which it is the global launch customer. Flying a long-haul service to Adelaide, which is a key business and leisure destination in southern Australia, will enable Qatar Airways to maximise the A350’s efficiency and performance and allow its Australia-bound passengers to experience the new aircraft.

With the addition of Adelaide, Qatar Airways’ Australian capacity will rise to 28 flights a week, spread across the four key cities including Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways Group chief executive, said the new route demonstrated the airline’s expanding commitment to the Australian market.

“2016 is going to be yet another exciting year for Qatar Airways and we are very pleased that Australia will figure prominently in our expansion plans with the launch of flights to Sydney from March 1 and Adelaide from May 2 to further strengthen our operations in the country,” said Al Baker.

“Tourism is the major economic driver in South Australia and Qatar Airways arrives in Adelaide at a time when tourists and business travellers are looking for even more travel options, as well as superior service levels that set new benchmarks,” he said.

As the cosmopolitan coastal capital of South Australia, Adelaide is home to renowned museums such as the Art Gallery of South Australia, displaying expansive collections including noted indigenous art, and the South Australian Museum, devoted to natural history. Other attractions include the destination’s vibrant night life, pristine beaches and popular zoos with abundant wild life.

Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world to more than 150 destinations spread across six continents. Travellers to and from Adelaide can benefit from a premium on-board experience on Qatar Airways’ state-of-the-art A350 aircraft which has an innovative product design, environmental advances and the intrinsic comfort of an entirely new cabin set-up.

Passengers will benefit from a new boarding experience achieved by a unique dome-design entrance with welcome light distribution. The aircraft also offers wide seats with generous room in both classes of service thanks to a number of design developments offering greater comfort to all passengers.

The aircraft comprises a two-class configuration with 36 seats in Business Class in a 1-2-1 configuration, featuring 80-inch fully-flat beds and 17-inch HD in-flight entertainment screens, as well as 247 seats in Economy Class, each 18 inches wide in a 3-3-3 configuration, with up to a 32-inch pitch. Each individual Economy seat features a 10.6 inch in-flight entertainment screen, and more space at shoulder level for passengers in window seats, thanks to a vertical side wall panel design.

Qatar Airways’ A350 features the state-of-the art Oryx entertainment system, with up to 2,000 entertainment options on individual screens in all classes. The jet also offers advanced air conditioning technology and LED mood lighting to enhance the comfort of passengers while reducing fatigue after a long flight. In addition, the jet will also offer in-flight wi-fi connectivity for all passengers allowing them to surf the web on the go.

In 2016, Qatar Airways is also launching flights to three new US destinations – Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta. – TradeArabia News Service