Qatar Cargo doubles Australia lift with Virgin Australia partnership

Qatar’s flag carrier, based in Doha, has partnered with Virgin Australia to offer bellyhold cargo capacity on passenger flights to and from Australia.

Qatar Airways Cargo currently provides over 240 tonnes of weekly belly cargo capacity in each direction to major Australian cities, including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth. With the integration of Virgin Australia flights, the total weekly cargo capacity will rise to more than 400 tonnes each way.

Effective June 2025, Virgin Australia will begin daily Boeing 777 services between Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, and Doha. With 129 tonnes of cargo capacity each way between Doha and Perth, 30 tonnes each way for Brisbane, and 21 tonnes each way for Sydney, these widebody belly-hold services will bring substantial uplift potential. Starting December 2025, Virgin Australia will add daily Boeing 777 flights from Melbourne with Qatar Airways.

“Australia plays a pivotal role in global trade, and it is essential for us to empower its exporters with the best possible connectivity. Our proven expertise in safeguarding sensitive shipments such as perishables and pharmaceuticals positions us as the trusted partner for Australia's trade ambitions. This partnership with Virgin Australia significantly increases capacity available to Perth, Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, a major improvement in global cargo capacity for exporters,” says Mark Drusch, Chief Officer Cargo, Qatar Airways Cargo.

“With these new services, we are responding decisively to long-standing market demands,” Drusch adds. “The addition of Virgin Australia’s Boeing 777s more than doubles the airfreight capacity on key routes. It is a bold move, reinforcing Qatar Airways Cargo’s leadership in connecting Australia’s economy to the world’s most dynamic markets.”

“We're thrilled to partner with Qatar Airways Cargo, combining our strong domestic network with their global reach. This collaboration delivers significant new capacity for Australian exporters and strengthens our ability to connect Australian businesses with international markets,” says Dimitris Politis, Head of Cargo, Virgin Australia.

With two-way trade between Qatar and Australia exceeding AUD 3.4 billion (QR 8 billion) annually, Qatar stands as one of Australia’s leading trading partners in the Middle East and North Africa region.

In March of this year, Qatar Airways Group and Virgin Australia received final approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for their integrated alliance. Qatar Airways Group holds a 25 percent minority stake in Virgin Australia.

Subject to approval from the International Air Services Commission (IASC), Virgin Australia is set to restart long-haul operations from June 2025. This will be operated using aircraft wet-leased from Qatar Airways.

Virgin Australia operates a fleet of 105 aircraft, primarily consisting of Airbus A320s, Boeing 737s, and Fokker 100s. Earlier, in March 2020, Virgin Australia retired its entire Boeing 777 fleet as part of the airline's restructuring efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent administration. The airline had a fleet of 5 B777 aircraft.

Qatar Airways Cargo has a fleet of 28 Boeing 777 freighters while Qatar Airways itself boasts a fleet of 230 aircraft, including narrow and wide-body models such as the A320, A330, A350, A380, Boeing 737, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787.

Qatar Airways Cargo is also launching twice-weekly Boeing 777 freighter services to Atlanta, U.S., starting May 10, 2025. The new operations will follow the Doha–Frankfurt–Atlanta–Doha route and offer more than 200 tonnes of cargo capacity per week in each direction. This freighter service will complement the airline’s existing daily belly-hold capacity to the U.S.

In addition, the carrier is introducing once-weekly Boeing 777 freighter flights to Penang, Malaysia, beginning May 16, 2025. Operating every Friday on the Doha–Singapore–Penang–Doha route, this new service will provide 100 tonnes of cargo capacity each way.

Additionally, effective May 12, 2025, Qatar Airways Cargo will increase the frequency of its freighter service to Phnom Penh, Cambodia via Bangkok, Thailand, by adding one more weekly Boeing 777 freighter. The added service will operate on the Doha–Bangkok–Phnom Penh–Doha route, offering 100 tonnes of cargo capacity in each direction.