Qatar Airways Group and Virgin Australia receive final go-ahead from the ACCC

Qatar Airways Group and Virgin Australia have received final go-ahead from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for the airlines’ integrated alliance. This final determination officially signals the green light for Virgin Australia’s new 28 weekly flights between Australia and Doha – operated under a wet-lease with Qatar Airways – to proceed.

The ACCC’s authorisation of Qatar Airways’ partnership with Virgin Australia gives the Australian carrier access to the scale and expertise of a world-leading global airline and facilitates its re-entry into long-haul international flying. This will drive increased competition in the market while delivering greater choice and value for Australian passengers.

Utilising aircraft wet-leased from Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia is set to commence long-haul flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Perth to Doha from June 2025, followed by Melbourne to Doha in December 2025. Through the award-winning Hamad International Airport in Doha, the flights open up more than 100 connecting itineraries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and enable Australian passengers to benefit from a host of increased loyalty earn and redemption opportunities for Qatar Airways’ Privilege Club and Velocity members.

In addition to this, the flights will provide a significant boost to the Australian visitor and tourism economy, generating an estimated AUD$3 billion in economic value over the next five years.

The collaboration arrangement will also support jobs growth, both in Virgin Australia and across the broader aviation and tourism sectors in Australia, with Qatar Airways set to provide secondment opportunities for 20 Virgin Australia pilots and 40 cabin crew in 2025. Another important area of focus for the partnership is sustainability, which includes the development of Sustainable Aviation Fuel initiatives.

This follows the Australian Government’s approval of Qatar Airways Group’s 25 per cent investment in Virgin Australia on 27 February 2025 – joining existing majority shareholder Bain Capital.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “Today’s announcement by the ACCC sends a clear signal of the appetite that exists for delivering competition, world-class service and value to Australian passengers.

“It also marks the start of a new chapter in the relationship between our two airlines, and I would like to thank our Virgin Australia colleagues and valued stakeholders for their tireless dedication to our shared ambition to create healthy competition within the local aviation market, as well as our collective commitment to supporting Australian businesses, Australian jobs and the wider economy.”

Virgin Australia Chief Executive Officer, Dave Emerson said: “This is a defining moment for Virgin Australia and the Australian aviation landscape. The ACCC’s final approval of our deeper strategic partnership with Qatar Airways marks the start of a new chapter for our airline and a world of opportunities for our people and customers.

“Already, we are seeing some of the positive benefits of the partnership, including increased sale activity on airfares between Australia and Europe, the Middle East and Africa thanks to increased competition.

“We are pleased to welcome Qatar Airways as not just a strategic partner, but a part owner in Virgin Australia. This reflects a huge vote of confidence from a leading global airline in our business and in Australian aviation more broadly.”

Bain Capital Partner, Mike Murphy said: “This important milestone allows the airlines to harness their collective strength and unlock new areas of cooperation for the benefit of Australian consumers. We are delighted to officially welcome Qatar Airways Group as a minority investor in Virgin Australia.”

In October 2024, Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on a range of sustainability initiatives, including aims to advance the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), environmental management including waste and energy management, sustainable procurement, and aviation workforce development.