Qatar Airways announced its plan to acquire a 25% minority stake in Virgin Australia, strengthening the two airlines’ partnership. The Middle Eastern carrier will purchase the equity stake from Bain Capital, subject to Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) approval. The deal comes as Skytrax named Qatar Airways the world’s best airline for the eighth time.

What the deal means for both airlines

The increased collaboration between Qatar Airways and Virgin Australia will bring benefits like increased competition, additional routes, and economic growth. By increasing competition, the deal gives Australian customers access to lower pricing and more choices. Codesharing between the airlines will unlock more flights to more destinations, letting passengers explore near and far. Lastly, the partnership can drive job and economic growth in Australia’s tourism and aviation industries.

Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka commented: “This partnership brings the missing piece to Virgin Australia’s longer-term strategy and is a huge vote of confidence in Australian aviation. Importantly, it will further strengthen Virgin Australia’s ability to compete over the long term, which will inevitably translate into more choice and even better value airfares for consumers as well as additional Australian aviation jobs.”

Qatar Airways Group CEO Eng. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “We are really pleased to be announcing our proposed strategic investment in Virgin Australia today. The alignment of our two airlines is significant, the relationships are deep, and we could not be more proud to bring even more great value and choice to all Australians. The investment further demonstrates our strategic alignment with Virgin Australia and our collective ambition to deliver the best possible service and value to Australian passengers.”