en.Wedoany.com Reported - Due to the Middle East situation and airspace safety concerns, Virgin Australia has announced the suspension of its Doha route flights, which are wet-leased from Qatar Airways. The suspension will last at least until June 15, 2026. This adjustment directly affects the long-haul network departing from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth.

For impacted passengers, Virgin Australia has activated contingency service measures. The airline stated it is directly contacting booked passengers to arrange alternative flights. Passengers with bookings dated before June 15, 2026, who cannot accept alternative arrangements, can change their itinerary free of charge to the same destination before October 31, 2026, or opt for travel credit and a full refund. Virgin Australia noted that Qatar Airways is currently gradually increasing Doha flights via "dedicated flight corridors" and advised passengers to monitor the latest travel advice on the Australian Government's Smartraveller website.

As the codeshare and actual operator, Qatar Airways' capacity in Australia is also currently limited. The airline is currently only maintaining operations from Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, with Brisbane service scheduled to resume on May 16. In an April 1 statement, Qatar Airways emphasized that all flights to and from Doha must operate through dedicated flight corridors, and flight schedules may change at any time due to safety factors.

This suspension significantly impacts Virgin Australia's long-haul strategy. The Melbourne-Doha route, launched last December, was a key move for the airline's return to the long-haul market, originally operating 28 weekly flights. Additionally, Virgin Australia last month suspended its second batch of crew secondment plans with Qatar Airways, following the initial secondment of approximately 40 Qatar Airways personnel to Virgin-operated domestic routes.

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