Qatar Airways Ushers In New Melbourne A380 Service

DOHA, Qatar – Qatar Airways has introduced its flagship Airbus A380 on the Melbourne route as the airline continues its growth story in Australia.

Melbourne is the original home for Qatar Airways in Australia, with the airline adding services to Perth, Sydney and Adelaide in recent years.

To celebrate the new A380 service, the multiple Skytrax Airline of the Year winner has collaborated with chef and restauranteur George Calombaris to develop an impressive inflight menu featuring his signature Greek-inspired dishes for First and Business Class passengers flying between Melbourne and Doha from 1 July to 30 September 2017.

People’s taste buds change at 30,000 feet, which means the menu must pack powerful flavours. Chef Calombaris has captured this by including dishes such as healthy Hellenic grain salad, tuna, and tahini yoghurt as a cold appetiser; “Gazi” lamb moussaka as a main course, as well as lighter options such as “Jimmy Grants” souvlaki of pastourma beef short rib, pickles and mustard aioli and Greek Salad served with dashi yoghurt and poached prawns. Calombaris’ signature “Hellenic Republic” risogalo (Greek rice pudding with Murray River salted caramel) will provide the sweet ending to the meal.
“I am excited to team up with Qatar Airways on this project. It is the first time I am putting my food on an airline’s inflight menu. At the end of the day, we want passengers to be impressed by not only the impeccable Qatar Airways cabin crew service, the comfort of their seats and the impressive onboard lounge, but also the delicious food we will be serving them while in the air,” said Calombaris.

Athens is one of Qatar Airways' most popular destinations in Europe for its Melbourne-based passengers, and the airline offers one of the fastest and most convenient pathways to Greece via its state-of-the-art Hamad International Airport in Doha. Qatar Airways will further expand its footprint in Greece with the launch of its Mykonos route in 2017-18, bringing the whitewashed paradise islands closer to Australians with a convenient one-stop in Doha.

The collaboration between Qatar Airways and Calombaris is intended to mark the arrival of the A380 aircraft in Melbourne on 1 July, which will increase Qatar Airways’ current daily capacity on the Doha-Melbourne route by 44 per cent.

The A380 aircraft features a luxurious and exclusive First Class Cabin with ultra-wide seats, which recline into a flat bed, two-passenger table extension dining, and designer sleeper suits, flight slippers and amenities. Passengers travelling in Qatar Airways’ award-winning Business Class can also enjoy direct aisle access with the 1-2-1 seat configuration and a suite of entertainment options including onboard Wi-Fi, keeping them fully connected to while up in the air.

In addition, passengers in First and Business Class can relax and socialise at the on-board lounge located on the upper deck of the aircraft.

The 517-seat capacity is spread across twin decks in a tri-class configuration of eight seats in First Class, 48 seats in Business Class and 461 in Economy Class, featuring world class amenities and first rate services that set it apart from other aircraft. Passengers travelling from Melbourne to London and Paris can enjoy the Qatar Airways A380 experience throughout their entire journey to these two European destinations.

Economy Class passengers also benefit with the added spaciousness of the A380, with higher ceilings on the main deck, a wider seat configuration and design to offer more legroom plus contoured headrests.

Passengers travelling from Melbourne can enjoy a comfortable and efficient transit through Qatar Airways’ home and hub, Hamad International Airport. The luxurious and modern airport has more than 40,000 square metres of retail space and restaurants including more than 70 retail and 30 food and beverage outlets, as well as a 25-metre swimming pool, gym, hotel and spa. Premium passengers can also enjoy resting in two award-winning lounges,the Al Safwa First Lounge and the Al Mourjan Business Lounge. The former is the first world’s first airline lounge to be accorded the Seven Star First Lounge Award by the Seven Stars Luxury Hospitality and Lifestyle Awards, famed as the ‘Oscars of Luxury’.

Travellers who would like to turn their transit into a stopover experience can also take advantage of free luxury hotel stays and complimentary transit visas offered in partnership with the Qatar Tourism Authority. Transiting passengers can explore the various highlights Doha has to offer – from the world-renowned Museum of Islamic Art to the Katara Cultural Village, or desert safaris and abustling cosmopolitan city scape.

Known for introducing industry firsts, Qatar Airways is one of the fastest-growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Qatar Airways has a modern fleet of 200 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. New destinations being launched in 2017 include Nice, France; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Dublin, Ireland; and Skopje, Macedonia.

Daily Flight Schedule:

MELBOURNE-DOH QR905 Departs: 21:40 Arrives: 05:25 (+1)

DOH-MELBOURNE QR904 Departs: 20:10 Arrives: 19:05 (+1)