Qatar Airways plan to return to Cardiff Airport by the end of the year according to the airline's Group Chief Executive. His Excellency, Akbar Al Baker, met with Vale of Glamorgan MP, Alun Cairns in Doha to discuss Qatar Airways future plans, including their return to Cardiff.
The airline paused its Cardiff to Doha route at the stat of the pandemic in 2020 and following a dispute with Airbus which left them short of aircraft over three years later and the route has yet to restart. The dispute saw it grounding around 20 of its Airbus A350 wide body aircraft. The airline's chief executive said in March that once the A350s are back in service it will free up aircraft for routes such as Cardiff.
A return would be a welcomed boost for the airport after the decision in January of low-cost carrier Wizz Airport to pull its base operation. The Hungarian-owned airline, having launched its base with nine routes for the 2022 summer season, had indicated it would recommence the base for the current summer after a decision to mothball it over the winter.
