Qatar Airways is set to resume services to Adelaide, South Australia, this weekend (Aug 16) and in the process will become the only international carrier currently serving five major cities in Australia.

The twice-weekly service to Adelaide will be operated by the airline’s fuel-efficient Airbus A350-900 – offering 36 seats in Business Class and 247 seats in Economy Class – and the destination joins Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney on Qatar Airways’ current Australian route map.

“We are excited to resume services to Adelaide [which originally launched in 2016], highlighting our ongoing commitment to the Australian market during this difficult period,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker.

“With the largest global network in the region and the Best Airport in the Middle East offering seamless and efficient connectivity to destinations across the world, we have been the airline of choice for many Australian Embassies to help bring Australians home.

“Australian Government data (BITRE) showed during the peak of repatriation efforts, our airline helped take home almost ten times more passengers in and out Australia than our nearest competitors.

“We are proud to have been one of the few airlines to never stop services to Australia, even expanding our Australian operations during the crisis, to help repatriate over 170,000 Australians and international travellers with their loved ones and transporting hundreds of tonnes of cargo to maintain vital supply chains for Australian agriculture exporters.

“The resumption of Adelaide services and the recent launch of new flights to Brisbane demonstrate our long-term commitment to Australia and our guarantee to support Australian passengers and exporters with global connectivity during both good and bad times.”

With the resumption of passenger flights to Adelaide, the airline will operate a total of 23 passenger flights in and out of Australia every week.

Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment and Senator for South Australia, The Hon Simon Birmingham, welcomed the new flights.

“I am delighted to see the ongoing commitment of Qatar Airways to the Adelaide market,” he said. “These flights will provide another freight route for South Australian exporters, enabling them to get their high-quality produce onto planes and into the Middle East and Europe.

“While international travel restrictions remain an important line of protection for Australia against COVID-19, the resumption of services will provide another avenue for repatriating Australians and eventually provide a path for international tourists into South Australia when our borders re-open.”

South Australia’s Premier, The Hon Steven Marshall, added: “This is a great vote of confidence in South Australia, and a very positive first step in reinstating services for when our international borders open.

“Qatar Airways has been a growing brand flying into Adelaide for a number of years helping to service important markets to and from Europe, so it is terrific to see flights back in the air and see some early optimistic news from the sector.”

Qatar Airways continues to lead the recovery of international air travel with the airline rebuilding its network to more than 500 weekly flights to over 75 destinations.