Latest news with #Boeing777s
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Inside Virgin's big international comeback and the seat everyone wants
By Kate Cox Updated July 21 2025 - 4:53pm, first published 4:48pm Qsuite seats can be configured to make a double bed. Picture supplied From: Sydney to Doha Frequency: Once daily Duration: 15 hours Class: Business (Qsuite) Price: From $8000 return Explore more: There's a fair bit of fanfare in the air. Enthusiastic CEO Dave Emerson and his executive team are onboard to mark Virgin Australia's inaugural Sydney to Doha service, the airline's long-awaited return (since 2020) to long-haul international flying, thanks to a partnership with Qatar Airways. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area Virgin is wet-leasing Qatar's Boeing 777s - meaning the aircraft, crew and service are Qatar's. And while there are fewer Virgin notes than I expected - apparently, there may be more to come - this is a win for Velocity members. Qatar Airways is regularly crowned airline of the year, and is the current champion. As the lucky passenger in 1A, here's how it stacks up. CHECKING IN: Virgin Australia doesn't offer online check-in for international flights, but who really cares when you need to arrive three hours before departure anyway? Business class passengers get a generous 40kg checked baggage allowance and up to 15kg of carry-on across two bags. I glide through the Virgin Priority queue, fast-track security and passport control, and land in the Air New Zealand lounge - Virgin's partner in Sydney. Bright, airy and well-run, with plenty of space, friendly staff and a constant flow of hors d'oeuvres, it's a civilised start. The writer and minty welcome drink in her Qsuite. THE FLIGHT: Interestingly, my seat - 1A - faces backwards, which takes some getting used to during takeoff and landing. This quirky layout in a 1-2-1 configuration allows for meetings with up to four passengers in facing suites, or double beds for couples. After sliding the door shut and settling into my private cubicle, I dial into a work call, then videocall my dad back in country NSW. (As a former air traffic controller, I think he will get a kick out of the seven-mile-high call - he thinks it's "ridiculous" and because I'm trying to talk quietly, reckons he can't hear a word I'm saying.) At midnight, I ask for my flat bed to be turned down. The turbulence is consistent for the next few hours but I'm too excited to sleep anyway; besides, we arrive at 10pm so I'm saving my shut-eye for the hotel. THE CLASS: Qsuite is Qatar Airways' flagship business class product (there is no first class on this flight) and delivers a first-class experience: fully enclosed private suites, adjustable mood lighting, a la carte dining, Diptyque toiletries in a chic pouch and heaps of storage, including an esky-like box by my seat. It feels less seat, more chic little bedroom. The 15-hour flight is over too soon. Only on VA1: Ross Lusted's osso buco. Picture supplied FOOD AND DRINKS: On boarding, I'm welcomed with dates and cardamom-spiced Arabic coffee and a lime and mint drink - both of which I could happily make a habit of. One of the standout features is on-demand dining: order whatever you want, whenever you want, and eat, sleep and chill on your own schedule. Dishes designed by Australian chef Ross Lusted exclusively for this route (seared cured fish, osso buco and Basque cheesecake) sit alongside more Qatari fare including a mezze with pita bread and fresh berries with rosewater syrup. Breakfast is a smoked salmon hollandaise muffin and some very fresh granola - all the nuts on this flight are so good. For snacking, there are a couple of standouts: steak sandwich with caramelised onion and Swiss cheese and scones with butter and jam (and how on earth do they get those warm scones so perfect on a plane?) Every meal is served with white linen, quality cutlery and - a beautiful touch - a tiny flickering (battery-powered) candle. I barely touch the wine list (which includes a standout Chateau Margaux 2015) because I'm hooked on the many mocktails. ENTERTAINMENT: So many shows (I manage to binge an entire Reacher series), delivered on a huge HD screen with an easy-to-navigate interface and handheld remote. The impeccable Wi-Fi via Starlink is so good that there are announcements reminding passengers to keep the noise down and use headphones. THE SERVICE: More efficient Qatar professionalism than warm Virgin friendliness, but cocooned in your suite, it almost feels like you have the entire cabin to yourself. IN A NUTSHELL: Luxe Qsuite privacy, excellent food and phenomenal Wi-Fi - plus the Velocity points - makes this one flight I'll be embracing in the future. Have you flown VA1 yet? What did you think? Which airline would you like us to review next? Let us know at editor@ Virgin Australia's inaugural Sydney to Doha flight, VA1, is waved off by Virgin cabin crew. Picture supplied Words by Kate Cox Kate is head of travel for ACM. She loves discovering new places and has visited all seven continents, including a year-long lap of Australia with her young all-time favourite destination is ... Sri Lanka. It was two decades ago, but I still haven't forgotten the smells, sights, sounds and tastes, plus the wonderful people, of that diverse country. Closer to home, the coastal town of Yamba never fails to on my bucket list is …The Galapagos or Greenland - both evocative countries that will expand the mind! My top travel tip is … Get lost! Take the unexpected path - you never know what you'll find.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Darbhanga runway to expand for international operation: Official
Patna: Darbhanga airport is expected to become the first international airport of Bihar within the next two years. Once the required infrastructure is developed, this airport will become eligible for the operation of wide-body aircraft. Sources said at present this airport functions with a makeshift terminal, while the foundation stone for a permanent terminal was laid last year. The new terminal is slated to be ready by Dec next year. "This will be a major infrastructure development, especially in the civil aviation sector in the state," said chief secretary Amrit Lal Meena. Nilesh Ramchandra Deore, special secretary in the cabinet secretariat (with additional charge as director of civil aviation, Bihar), said work on infrastructure development of this airport has been prioritised. A key upgrade in progress is the extension of Darbhanga's runway to support larger, long-haul planes. At present, the runway is about 2,743 metres (9,000 feet) long, which is sufficient for narrow-body jets but short of typical requirements for heavy wide-body aircraft. International aviation norms generally call for a runway of around 3,200 metres or more for wide-body operations. To meet this, the govt is extending the runway to approximately 3,660-3,700 metres. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Dementia Has Been Linked To a Common Habit. Do You Do It? Memory Health Learn More Undo This longer runway will enable Darbhanga to handle large aircraft (even up to Boeing 777s or Airbus A330s) and is aligned with international standards for safety and performance. Expanding the runway requires substantial land acquisition. The AAI, in an Oct 2024 communication, requested 90 acres of additional land to facilitate extending the runway to 12,000 feet. The Bihar cabinet has since approved this request: around 90 acres will be acquired at a cost of Rs 245 crore to support the runway expansion.
Gulf Insider
15-07-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Dubai's Emirates Named the Most Recommended Brand
In a global survey conducted by YouGov, Dubai airline Emirates has topped the rankings as the Most Recommended Global Brand for 2025 and is the only airline to be featured on the global top 10 list. This is the second straight year that Emirates has won the honours. The Most Recommended Brands rankings measure the percentage of a brand's customers who would recommend it to a friend or colleague. Emirates achieved an outstanding score of 88.4 per cent, much higher than second-placed Japanese automaker Toyota (84.7 per cent) and apparel manufacturer Levi's (83.1 per cent). No other Middle East brand features in the top 10, which also has such renowned brands like adidas, Nike, Mercedes Benz, BMW, Nintendo, Trivago and Neutrogena. The insights in the report are based on YouGov's consumer research panel, which has 29 million registered members from over 55 markets. Brand performance were tracked daily between June 1, 2024 and May 31, 2025. Positive Recommend scores for each top 10 global brand are aggregated and weighted by the size of the brand's current customer base per market. Recommend scores are based on respondents' answer to the question 'Which of the following brands would you RECOMMEND to a friend or colleague?' Current customers are defined by respondents' answer to 'Have you purchased from any of the following brands in the past 30 days–12 months?' Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline, commented: 'This recognition underscores the deep connection and loyalty we've built with passengers all over the world, who trust us not only to get them to their destination, but to do so with care, reliability, and excellence. We will continue to evolve our already exceptional experience and set new benchmarks in travel to ensure Emirates is always a brand that our customers are proud to recommend.' UK customers named Emirates their third-most recommended brand after Prada and Gucci, while in Australia, it was the sixth most recommended brand in a list topped by watchmaker Rolex. Emirates has continually invested in the finest products and exceptional signature services to provide a world-class travel experience in-air and on-ground. The airline expanded its global network in the first half of 2025 with route launches to three new destination. introduced its newest aircraft type, the A350, to 10 destinations; and achieved its designation as the world's first Autism certified Airline, making significant headway on its journey to make travel accessible to all. By December 2025, the airline will serve over 70 cities with aircraft fitted out with the latest interiors on Boeing 777s, A380s and A350s, representing almost 50 per cent of its network. In YouGov's 2024 US airlines report, Emirates recorded the 'most satisfied customers amongst US flyers' and was one of the top 10 airlines considered by US Millennials and Gen Zs. Also read: Dubai Jumps Five Places to Become Seventh Most Expensive City in the World
Fintech News ME
15-07-2025
- Business
- Fintech News ME
Qatar Airways Completes Starlink Rollout on Boeing 777 Fleet
Qatar Airways has completed the installation of SpaceX's Starlink internet service on its fleet of 54 Boeing 777 aircraft, concluding the rollout programme ahead of schedule. The airline now operates the largest number of widebody aircraft equipped with Starlink connectivity, making it the only carrier in the Middle East and North Africa to offer the service. Initially set as a two-year initiative, the installation was finalised in nine months, nearly 50% faster than planned. The process was streamlined by reducing retrofit time from three days to 9.5 hours per aircraft, allowing the programme to be completed without operational disruption. 'This new milestone demonstrates our strategic investment in redefining our passengers' expectations,' said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. 'We promised the fastest, most seamless in-flight connectivity in the industry, and with Starlink we have delivered it faster and at an unmatched scale. Having completed our rollout programme for Boeing 777s, we are now fully focused on equipping our Airbus A350 fleet with Starlink, bringing this game-changing experience to even more routes across our global network of over 170 destinations.' Passengers travelling in both Premium and Economy cabins now have access to free, gate-to-gate internet with speeds of up to 500 Mbps per aircraft. The connectivity is designed to support streaming, gaming, and work, with performance comparable to home broadband. Following the completion of the Boeing 777 rollout, Qatar Airways is progressing with the Starlink installation on its Airbus A350 fleet, targeting completion within the next year. Since introducing its first Starlink-equipped Boeing 777 in October 2024, the airline has operated more than 15,000 flights with Starlink connectivity.
The Advertiser
15-07-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
The airlines offering free Wi-Fi and why Qantas is behind the times
Getting it free on a long-haul economy flight is the new normal. A Qantas aircraft. Picture: Shutterstock By Sarah Falson Updated July 15 2025 - 9:42am, first published 9:16am Airlines are increasingly offering free Wi-Fi to everyone on board. But what if you're travelling on Qantas? They're behind the times. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading All articles from our website The digital version of Today's Paper All other in your area I travelled economy class to Europe recently and three of the four planes I flew on had free Wi-Fi. Staying connected made such a huge difference to my journey. The airline was Qatar Airways, which is now offering free Starlink Wi-Fi to all passengers on all Boeing 777s. You don't need to be a member of their loyalty program - just hook up to the Oryx One Wi-Fi network and you can use online messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Messenger and surf the web - all flight long. So why isn't Qantas offering this? If you fly overseas with our national carrier, you can get free Wi-Fi on some flights, for some of your flight. To explain, some of their planes are equipped with Wi-Fi but only over Australian airspace, so if you're flying to Bali for example, you'll be covered while flying across Australia but then it will cut out once the aircraft exits Australian airspace. They say it's due to satellite coverage and regulatory requirements. So why can an airline like Qatar offer this service all the way? To be fair to Qantas, they do offer Wi-Fi on select flights to and from New Zealand as well. Picture: Jacky Watt/Unsplash Free Wi-Fi is a game changer at 42,000 feet and will now be a factor in my airline choice when flying long haul. Staying connected with family and friends - even so they can text you and give you moral support on your flight ("only 10 hours to go, hang in there!") makes a difference to what can be a lonely and isolating experience - particularly if travelling solo. Here's what some of the major airlines flying to Australia are doing in the Wi-Fi space. As mentioned above, they now offer free Wi-Fi to everyone on board all their Boeing 777s through the Starlink satellite service. They offer satellite Wi-Fi on all enabled aircraft including Boeing 777s. Available for free but only if you are a member of their loyalty program KrisFlyer. If you're in economy class you can access complimentary Wi-Fi but only for messaging with WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and other text messaging services (no internet surfing), and only if you are a member of their loyalty program, Emirates Skywards Blue. You can access free Wi-Fi on flights to New Zealand. You can also get it on select flights to South East Asian destinations including Bali, Singapore and Manila, but only for the portion of the trip that occurs in Australian airspace. Qantas has aircraft on order that will offer Wi-Fi on more international routes in the coming years. Words by Sarah Falson Sarah is ACM's travel producer. She believes regional travel is just as fun (if not better) than staying in the big cities and loves any travel experience to do with nature, animals and food!.My all-time favourite destination is ... Cornwall. From the giant seagulls to the blustery beaches, Cornish pasties and fishing villages, it stirs something romantic and seafaring in me. Next on my bucket list is … Mongolia. I want to go somewhere really unique that feels totally foreign and challenges my way of life. My top travel tip is … Don't plan too much. Walk the streets and let it happen. And make sure you check out what's within a few blocks of your hotel - sometimes the best local food is found that way.
