New airline launches to...guess where?

[Buster Hyman]

Qatar airline launches daily service

March 16, 2007 - 11:48AM
Qatar Airways has won rights to launch daily services to Melbourne under a bilateral air services deal with the Gulf nation, Qatar.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Mark Vaile today announced the successful negotiation of the new arrangements allowing Qatar's national carrier to operate services to and from Melbourne.
Australian carriers will gain access to Europe through Qatar's capital Doha under the agreement which Mr Vaile said was an important milestone in the development of Australia's aviation relations with the Middle East.
He said the government valued the contribution airlines like Qatar Airways can make to Australia.
Mr Vaile said Qatar's government had recognised the significance Australia placed on the issue of fair and equitable access for Australian carriers to developing aviation hubs.
"Without the ability to operate services through intermediate hubs such as Doha to long haul destinations in Europe, Australian carriers cannot compete effectively on the world stage," he said.
Under the revised air services agreement finalised in Doha on March 15, Qatar Airways can launch the daily service to Melbourne and introduce a second daily service to another Australian city from 2008.
Mr Vaile said regional tourist destinations had the opportunity to benefit from the new agreement.
"Australia is an attractive and competitive tourist destination and it will now be up to airports and tourism operators to make the most of the opportunities created by the arrival of Qatar Airways," he said.
The government would continue to encourage increased airline operations into Australia but success would depend on the willingness of state governments, airport operators and tourism bodies to support the new business, he said.
He also called on the the Victorian Government to immediately scrap the stamp duty it imposes on international airline insurance contracts.
"The duty not only contravenes Australia's international obligations but represents an unnecessary cost to international airlines and possible impediment to growth," he said.
A spokesperson from Qatar airways was quoted as saying the airline chose Melbourne rather than Sydney because the southern capital has excellent shopping, sporting facilities, penguins, the Australian open, F1 GP and heaps of tourist attractions. Also, there was "no hint of that Lowerlobe chap!"
AAP

[Chocks Away]

Well, there's another hub option into Europe... Doha.:ugh:
Bangkok and Singapore losing there stronghold on hubs to Europe, from this end of the globe?
Up with Hong Kong and Dubai also.

[domo]

Takeover target Qantas Airways Ltd says it will have to keep cutting costs as competition increases from airlines flying to Australia such as Qatar Airways.


a few airlines pull out of melbourne, qantas ignores melbourne, qatar services melbourne,qantas has to cut costs to save money on flights it does not operate

[galdian]

Buster

Most of the announcement - standard.
The last 3 lines - priceless!! :D :D

Either people are not reading in full or judiciously not responding.
As always love your work. :ok:

[Buster Hyman]

Ahh, I think most people here ignore the **** I type!;) Besides, I'm waiting for Lowerlobe to read it...perhaps he's stuck on a SYD train that's broken down?

And before he can respond to that...I know about the MEL trains. The difference is that ours still go...stopping them's the problem!:eek:

[phantom menace]

No mention of OZ based crews...they could get one over on EK & EY .;)

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

Right now Qatar Airlines would take any crew they can get, and while they are at it, parking space at Doha International to park the shiny new aircraft they are ordering, and hey what about some ATCO's to control the insane traffic levels in and out of there.
Any extra capacity from the Gulf to Melbourne is welcomed as it is a bugger to get a seat on EK as it is almost always full, but would much prefer to fly Etihad. Hopefully they will have landing rights for Melbourne by the end of the year. Best thing is even if I don't fly Qatari or Etihad, by giving Emirates some direct competition it hopefully will mean their prices might drop a bit.

[lowerlobe]

Buster.....I read all your posts Buster ....however I was on one of your suburban trains and it didn't stop until Noosa .

Actually I'm on the marketing board for Qatar airlines.With all the other airlines pulling out of Melbourne I thought it would be a golden opportunity to be the only international airline to service Tulla.

I have also convinced them that the Victorian Premier is converting to Islam to help win the contract and he is building a Mosque in the Tulla terminal with Halaal foodstalls .

[Buster Hyman]

Hey, don't knock the Halal foodstalls...good tucker there!

You were on the new Noosa express from Flinders St then? Great service don't you think?;) Umm, now you do know that our "beloved" Mr Bracks was of Lebanese extraction didn't you? Anyway, he was going to Cronulla a short time ago, but the train he was on didn't stop at that station....:}

Finally, I'll accept no **** when you talk about Tulla.:= My favourite job destination was Tulla. None of this DOM & INTL terminals looking at each other across the runway. An airport built with foresight before the existing one was landlocked and outdated...unlike another airport I know....:rolleyes:

(Australia's gateway...my arse!):*

[ScottyDoo]

Excellent.

More guttural, golly-hacking accents spouting non-standard R/T without the use of callsigns, fouling up their block clearances, busting STAR limits and making of a hash of the quaint local customs at Aussie airports.

But as long as ANSA can get his seat on a flight... :ok:

[lowerlobe]

Buster...No buddy I was on the train to the Dandenongs..The ankle biters wanted to go to the Puffing Billy but the driver finally managed to stop it at Noosa and even then he missed the platform by about 30 feet.

No cheap shots at Halaal foodstalls ,I love the stuff..They're huge .....

Apparently a well known ex footabll player turned boxer will have one there too !!!!

It's going to be called charismatic Tony's tucker fu@#*& !!!!!!

Even Maca's will have halaal burgers..it's called the McCamel burger.No fairy stuff like lettuce only tabouli

The only problem is during ramadan when you can't eat during daylight hours.So if your flight leaves during that time .....tough.

As far as Tulla is concerned I think the castle said it all......

[Buster Hyman]

Yeah, great film...but it was filmed around Essendon with shots of the big uns chucked in!:ok:

[Howard Hughes]

ex footabll player turned boxer
Football? Who you kidding? Thats not football! You mean thug turned boxer...;)

Yeah, great film...but it was filmed around Essendon with shots of the big uns chucked in!
I actually think they were having a dig at Syderney....:ooh:

PS: Carn the Blues...:}

[ruby tuesday]

Be careful quoting on behalf of a "Qatar spokesperson" if Akbar hears about it anyone that has any responsibilty in QR MEL will get fired - humour not his best attribute!

[Buster Hyman]

Howard. Any credibility you had just flew out the window.:=

[Howard Hughes]

Come on Buster, the drought at Princes Park, Optus Oval or whatever they call it these days, has been long and dry!:{

Just hope they can win a couple once the REAL season starts...:ok:

PS: Just googled, MC Labour park, whats up with that?

[Buster Hyman]

Because getting a win is like Labour pains???:confused:

Seriously though Howard, all joking aside...they're ****!:E

[Howard Hughes]

Nothing to worry about then!;)

Now back to the topic, anything that brings more people to Melbourne has to be good!:ok:

[Buster Hyman]

No, business as usual...but, if you're a betting man...get on the Bombers!:ok:

[priapism]

I wonder if Qatar's decision was influenced by the fact that their is huge middle eastern interest currently in a lot of Victorian primary industry-particularly in the Gippsland region. I have heard from a member of my local club who works with a Vic government department involved with primary industry/foreign invesment that very large investment is almost a certainty.

I can see it now--Gippsland Gold export quality camel's milk cheese!

[AirNoServicesAustralia]

More guttural, golly-hacking accents spouting non-standard R/T without the use of callsigns, fouling up their block clearances, busting STAR limits and making of a hash of the quaint local customs at Aussie airports.
Well theres a great advertisement for Australian tolerance to things unfamiliar to them. I mean "golly-hacking accents"!!! Sorry are you only just realising that there are actually a lot of people out there that sound different to you, and by the way you have an accent to them.
If they foul up block clearances then do as we do in the Middle East and don't issue them, simple. If they don't read back their callsign, do as we do in the Middle East and get a readback with a callsign. If they bust STAR limits do as we do and file on them to make sure they meet the requirements next time. The last comment has me confused as I have no idea what you mean so I'll ignore that. Bottom line is, do as we do in the Middle East and actually earn your money as an Air Traffic Controller and do your damn job. Do as the rest of us out there around the world do and that is deal with a diverse and varied range of pilots and deal with it as professionals, rather than as you have, as an ignorant red neck with their head firmly wedged between their butt cheeks.:ok:

[lowerlobe]

If Darth was really smart and proactive (sounds like a shampoo?) then he might use this as to counter the Emirates competition.

Qantas could use Doha as a hub to counter Emirates and Dubai...even if it is from Melbourne...:E :E :E ..where's Buster?

Ohh sorry I forgot that would mean expansion and aggressive marketing and that would mean spending money.....oops..can't do that heaven forbid

We haven't got where we are by spending money....Just look at where we USED to fly to....Got to think of the shareholders FIRST.

Some people have the mistaken concept that we are an airline...Do they know that aircraft use fuel and we have to pay people wages to operate and maintain them...ohh get me some nurofen

[Buster Hyman]

Well, when it comes to Qantas & ME carriers, I think domo summed it up. They fail to service ports other than SYD adequately... (with all due respect lobee) ...and when there's a hint that a foreign carrier will provide a service anywhere in Oz, good heavens, its cost cutting time!!!

What a pathetic joke our flag carrier has become.:=

[lowerlobe]

Buster..I have to agree with you as well.

Any company has to have a HQ somewhere and in this case that is Sydney.That does not mean however that they should not have flights out of other capital cities.

IF there is a market then they should service that market especially if they are the flag carrier of the country and ask for the government to protect them against any percieved unfair competition.

For some time now though it seems as though the only expansion the board and upper management is interested in seeing is in their bonus.....