Australian airline competition heats up with major Virgin announcement

The Australian airline wars are set for take-off after a major announcement this week.

On Tuesday, Virgin Australia announced that Qatar Airways – which it has partnered with since 2022 – intends to acquire 25% of the local carrier from Bain Capital.

In a statement, Virgin said the move will “strengthen competition in Australia’s skies” as it plans to launch long-haul international flying by mid-2025.

“This partnership brings the missing piece to Virgin Australia’s longer-term strategy and is a huge vote of confidence in Australian aviation,” Virgin Australia Group CEO Jayne Hrdlicka said.