DOHA, Qatar – Dublin welcomed the first Qatar Airways flight from Doha today, inaugurating the new daily service that connects Dublin to the world.

Senior Vice President of Qatar Airways Europe, Mr. Jonathan Harding, travelled on board the inaugural flight and was greeted by daa Chief Executive, Mr. Kevin Toland; Dublin Airport Managing Director, Mr. Vincent Harrison; and Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Mr. Niall Gibbons.

To celebrate this special occasion, the award-winning airline flew its next-generation Airbus A350 aircraft to Dublin, giving VIP guests and key media the opportunity to tour the state-of-the-art aircraft. This was the first time a commercial passenger Airbus A350 aircraft has landed on Irish soil and the feedback from those on board was extremely positive.

Going forward, Qatar Airways will operate its daily Dublin service with a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has a two-class configuration including 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “The launch of our new service to Dublin is an important milestone for Qatar Airways. The new service will connect the Irish people with more destinations globally and provide them the opportunity to experience our five-star service. We look forward to welcoming our new passengers on board and to connecting them to Doha and beyond.”

daa Chief Executive, Mr. Kevin Toland, said: “We want to express our warmest welcome to Qatar Airways and its new route between Dublin and Doha. This is a fantastic addition to our selection of destinations, and it is a great opportunity to boost Ireland’s tourism.”

The launch of the new route to Dublin will be Qatar Airways’ first-ever service to the Republic of Ireland, giving passengers easier access to the Middle East, Asia and Australia, with seamless connections to Sydney, Hong Kong, Melbourne and many more attractive destinations.

Dublin is a hub for more than 1,000 leading multi-national companies and the daily non-stop service will connect both business and leisure travellers to the airline’s extensive network. Irish residents will experience Qatar Airways’ renowned on-board service and will be able to enjoy the airline’s relaunched superior Oryx One entertainment system offering up to 3,000 entertainment options.

The new direct flights to Dublin will also provide Qatar Airways Cargo customers 80 tonnes of belly-hold capacity each week. Temperature-controlled products are the major exports out of Ireland and the cargo carrier is proficient in supporting air logistics through its specialist solutions QR Pharma, for pharmaceuticals and QR Fresh, for perishables. Customers are offered a seamless cool chain transfer for their temperature-sensitive products via the state-of-the-art and fully automated hub in Doha. Its facility at Hamad International Airport is wholly compliant with both IATA Chapter 17 standards and Good Distribution Practice (GDP).

In partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatar Airways has recently rolled out the +Qatar campaign, which gives Irish passengers the chance to book a complimentary hotel stay in some of Doha's finest hotels as well as obtaining a free transit visa.

The airline has also made its presence in the market felt with key sponsorships at exciting events around the city, including the Dublin Horse Show and the Darley Irish Oaks Day at the Curragh Racetrack. These partnerships celebrate the shared Irish and Qatari affinity for horses.

Following the Dublin launch, Qatar Airways will be adding flights to many more exciting destinations to its network in 2017 and 2018, including Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Canberra, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Chittagong, Bangladesh; Mombasa, Kenya; and Utapao, Thailand.

Dublin – Doha Flight Schedules:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sundays

Doha (DOH) to Dublin (DUB) QR017 departs: 07:45 arrives: 13:20

Dublin (DUB) to Doha (DOH) to QR018 departs: 15:25 arrives: 00:30

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

Doha (DOH) to Dublin (DUB) QR019 departs: 01:50 arrives: 07:25

Dublin (DUB) to Doha (DOH) to QR020 departs: 08:50 arrives: 17:55