(Mr. Niall Gibbons, CEO Tourism Ireland, Mr. Jonathan Harding, Qatar Airways SVP Europe, Mr. Vincent Harrison, Dublin Airport Managing Director. Photo credit: Qatar Airways)

By John Hunt

On Monday, June 12, 2017 one of Qatar Airways’ super-advanced Airbus A350 aircraft touched down in the Irish capital to inaugurate the new route, connecting Dublin to Hamad International Airport and the more than 150 Qatar Airways destinations that are served from the airline’s hub.

The Senior Vice President of Qatar Airways Europe, Mr. Jonathan Harding, travelled on board the inaugural flight and was greeted by the Chief Executive of the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA), Mr. Kevin Toland; Dublin Airport Managing Director, Mr. Vincent Harrison; and Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, Mr. Niall Gibbons.

To celebrate the occasion, VIP guests and key media were given the opportunity to tour the state-of-the-art aircraft. This was the first time a commercial passenger Airbus A350 aircraft has landed on Irish soil, and the feedback from those on-board was extremely positive.

Going forward, Qatar Airways 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 Class.

(Dublin bound: Qatar Airways will be using the superb 787 Dreamliner on the new route to the Irish capital. Photo credit: Qatar Airways)

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker 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 the opportunity to experience our five-star service. We look forward to welcoming our new passengers on board and to connect them to Doha and beyond.”

Mr. Toland of the DAA 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’s a great opportunity to boost Ireland’s tourism.”

The launch of the new route to Dublin will be Qatar Airways’ first-ever service to the Republic of Ireland, giving passengers easier access to the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, with seamless connections to Sydney, Hong Kong, Melbourne, and many more destinations.

Dublin is a hub for more than 1,000 leading multi-national companies and the daily non-stop service will connect both business and leisure travellers to the airline’s extensive network. Irish residents will experience Qatar Airways’ renowned on-board service and will be able to enjoy the airline’s re-launched superior Oryx One entertainment system offering up to 3,000 entertainment options.

The new direct flights to Dublin will also provide Qatar Airways Cargo customers 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. Customers are offered a seamless cool chain transfer for their temperature-sensitive products via the state-of-the-art and fully automated hub in Doha.

(Time for tea: As you would expect, a brand-new route requires brand-new menus! Photo credit: Qatar Airways)

In partnership with the Qatar Tourism Authority, Qatar Airways has recently rolled out the +Qatar campaign, which gives Irish passengers the chance to book a complimentary hotel stay in some of Doha's finest hotels, as well as obtaining a free transit visa.

The airline has also made its presence in the market felt with key sponsorships at exciting events around the city, including the Dublin Horse Show and the 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 many more exciting destinations to its network in 2017 and 2018, including Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Accra, Ghana; Canberra, Australia; Chiang Mai, Thailand; Chittagong, Bangladesh; Mombasa, Kenya; and Utapao, Thailand.

Interestingly, after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union in 2019, Dublin will become the closest neighbour to a non-EU capital – Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.

Are you excited for this and all the new routes coming up on Qatar Airways? Tell us where your next travel destination will be by dropping us a line in the comments below. Also, don’t forget to give us a like and a share – it keeps us going!

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Ashlee

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