Airlines

Qatar Airways returns to Birmingham Airport after more than three years

Qatar unveils 6000 cabin World Cup fan village near airport

Qatar Airways will operate daily flights to and from Birmingham throughout the summer.
The welcome ceremony at Birmingham Airport was attended by Gary Kershaw, UK & Ireland Country Manager, Qatar Airways, Andy Street, West Midlands Mayor, and Nick Barton, Birmingham Airport Chief Executive.
Former F1® driver, David Coulthard, also attended the event to extend his support for Qatar Airways as the Global Airline Partner of Formula 1® ahead of the highly anticipated British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Today, Qatar Airways made its first trip back to Birmingham Airport in three years, reestablishing connectivity to the second largest city in the UK with the airline’s surpassed global network of more than 160 locations.

To commemorate Qatar Airways’ global collaboration with Formula One® and the start of the highly anticipated British Grand Prix at nearby Silverstone on 7-9 July, F1® great David Coulthard was also present at the airport event to express his support for Qatar Airways’ return to Birmingham.

Qatar Airways Hits the Circuit as the Official Airline and Global Partner of Formula 1(Opens in a new browser tab)

Throughout the summer, the airline, which just won World’s Best Business Class for the tenth time at the Skytrax 2023 World Airline Awards, will operate one flight per day, seven days a week, to and from Birmingham Airport. The flights are flown by a Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner with 254 seats: 22 in Business Class and 232 in Economy Class.

The resumption of Birmingham services aligns with Qatar Airways’ ongoing global network expansion following the pandemic; by the end of 2023, the airline will have returned to 10 destinations, and added 4 more routes across two continents.

IndiGo announces 32 new connecting flights to enhance connectivity between India and Europe(Opens in a new browser tab)

As a result of their Formula 1® partnership, Qatar Airways and Qatar Airways Holidays now provide special Formula 1® travel packages to the Qatar Grand Prix in October. These packages include round-trip transportation, lodging, gourmet dining, Paddock ClubTM or Grandstand tickets, and free admission to the Geneva International Motorshow, which will be held in Qatar for the first time this year. Three-night packages start at £854 per person*.

Airlines

Qantas Engineers Stage Walkout Over Cost of Living Concerns

Tensions at Qantas reached new heights as base maintenance workers in Brisbane walked out of a hangar meeting hosted by the airline’s CEO, Vanessa Hudson.

The walkout was a clear display of displeasure and aimed to send a strong message to the company’s management about the growing frustrations within the workforce. The workers, represented by the Qantas Engineers Alliance, have been pushing for wage increases that reflect the rising cost of living.

In an open display of displeasure, Qantas Base maintenance workers walked out of a hangar meet hosted by the CEO Vanessa Hudson in Brisbane, also aimed to send a message to the management.

Qantas Engineers Alliance members have been demanding decent wage increases to match with… pic.twitter.com/y9EVjc46VM— FL360aero (@fl360aero) September 14, 2024

Despite ongoing discussions, the employees feel that their concerns have been overlooked, leading to this public show of dissent. The hangar meeting, meant to foster dialogue and address employee concerns, instead became the stage for a visible demonstration of dissatisfaction as the workers exited in unison.

For some time, the engineers and maintenance staff have expressed frustration over wage stagnation amid increasing inflation and living costs. Their demand is simple: a decent and fair wage adjustment that keeps pace with economic realities. The walkout underscores the workers’ determination to stand firm on their request for better pay and fair treatment.

As Qantas navigates its recovery post-pandemic, this incident highlights the growing internal challenges the airline faces, especially concerning its workforce. The maintenance staff’s actions have put additional pressure on the company’s leadership to address the wage concerns and avoid further escalation.