Inaugural Qatar Airways flight lands at Dublin

Dublin welcomed the first Qatar Airways flight from Doha Monday, marking the inauguration of the new daily service that connects the Irish capital “to the world”.

Jonathan Harding, senior vice-president of Qatar Airways - Europe, travelled on board the inaugural flight and was greeted by Kevin Toland, chief executive of daa; Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport managing director; and Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland.To celebrate the occasion, the 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 is the first time a commercial passenger Airbus A350 aircraft has landed on Irish soil and the feedback from those on board was “extremely positive”, the Doha-based carrier has said in a press statement.Going forward, Qatar Airways has said it 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.Akbar al-Baker, Qatar Airways Group chief executive, 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 with the opportunity to experience our five-star service. We look forward to welcoming our new passengers on board and connecting them to Doha and beyond.”Toland added, “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 Ireland, giving passengers easier access to the Middle East, Asia and Australia, with “seamless connections” to Sydney, Hong Kong, Melbourne and other destinations.Dublin is a hub for more than 1,000 leading multinational companies and the daily non-stop service will connect both business and leisure travellers to the airline’s 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 statement notes.

The new direct flights to Dublin will also provide Qatar Airways Cargo customers with 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”. In partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatar Airways recently rolled out the +Qatar campaign, which gives Irish passengers the chance to book a complimentary hotel stay in some of Doha’s hotels as well as obtain a free transit visa.The airline has also made its presence felt in the market with key sponsorships at events around the city, including the Dublin Horse Show and 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 other destinations in 2017 and 2018, including Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Canberra, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Chittagong, Bangladesh; Mombasa, Kenya; and Utapao, Thailand.The Doha-Dublin flight schedules is as follows: Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday - QR017 departing Doha at 7.45am and arriving in Dublin at 1.20pm, and QR018 departing Dublin at 3.25pm and arriving in Doha at 12.30am; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - QR019 departing Doha at 1.50am and arriving in Dublin at 7.25am, and QR020 departing Dublin at 8.50am and arriving in Doha at 5.55pm.