History of Qatar Airways in Timeline

Qatar Airways is the flag carrier of Qatar, headquartered in Doha. It operates a hub-and-spoke network, serving over 170 international destinations across five continents from Hamad International Airport. With a fleet of over 200 aircraft and a workforce exceeding 43,000, Qatar Airways is a major global airline. The company has been a member of the Oneworld alliance since 2013, and its slogan is "Going Places Together".

January 2012: Opening of First Lounge Outside Doha

In January 2012, Qatar Airways' first lounge outside of Doha opened at London Heathrow's Terminal 4.

2013: Joining the Oneworld Alliance

In 2013, Qatar Airways joined the Oneworld alliance and has since been involved in numerous public disputes with fellow members.

2014: Report on Employee Treatment by Expressen

In 2014, the Swedish newspaper Expressen published a report alleging that Qatar Airways employees were heavily monitored and controlled. Qatar Airways responded by stating they were unable to comment without knowing the specific cases. The CEO denied the claims, criticizing the unfair targeting of his home country.

2015: Opening of Al Safwa First Lounge

In 2015, Qatar Airways opened the Al Safwa First Lounge for its first-class passengers.

2015: Threat to Leave Oneworld

In 2015, Qatar Airways threatened to leave Oneworld due to its relationship with American Airlines and Qantas.

2015: Start of Free Flights Allegedly Accepted by Henrik Hololei

Starting in 2015, Henrik Hololei, a former EU transport chief, allegedly accepted free flights from Qatar Airways, including nine business class trips from 2015 to 2021.

April 2016: Opening of Premium Lounge at Dubai International Airport

In April 2016, Qatar Airways opened its new Premium Lounge at Dubai-International's Concourse D.

January 2017: Opening of Premium Lounge at Charles de Gaulle Airport

In January 2017, Qatar Airways opened its new premium lounge within Terminal 1 at Charles de Gaulle Airport. It marks the airline's third international lounge with a capacity for up to 200 passengers.

March 2017: Unveiling of the "Qsuite" Business Class Cabin

In March 2017, Qatar Airways revealed its new business class cabin, named "Qsuite", featuring suites with doors in a 1-2-1 configuration, including single seats, convertible quad rooms, and double beds. It was launched on new Boeing 777-300ER and A350 XWB aircraft, initially on the Doha to London Heathrow route.

2017: Dispute with American Airlines

From 2017 to 2020, Qatar Airways was engaged in a dispute with American Airlines.

2018: Start of Dispute with Qantas

In 2018, a dispute started between Qatar Airways and Qantas, which continues to this date.

December 24, 2019: Death of Marc Bennett in Doha

On December 24, 2019, Marc Bennett, a British travel industry executive, was found hanged in his hotel room in Doha. According to The Times, he was arrested after resigning from Qatar Airways for a rival firm.

2019: Upcoming Retirement of Airbus A330s

In 2019, Qatar Airways planned the retirement of the Airbus A330s as it introduced the Airbus A350, Boeing 787, and Boeing 777X to replace them.

2019: Threat to Leave Oneworld

In 2019, Qatar Airways threatened to leave Oneworld citing its relationship with American and Qantas.

October 2, 2020: Incident at Hamad International Airport

On October 2, 2020, thirteen Australian female passengers on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha were forced to deplane and subjected to invasive internal examinations following the discovery of a newborn baby in an airport bathroom. This led to a diplomatic incident between Australia and Qatar.

2020: End of Dispute with American Airlines

From 2017 to 2020, Qatar Airways was engaged in a dispute with American Airlines.

2020: Reference to 2020 Incident

In July 2023, the Australian Government cited the 2020 incident as a factor in rejecting Qatar Airways' request to double capacity into several Australian cities.

2021: End of Free Flights Allegedly Accepted by Henrik Hololei

Ending in 2021, Henrik Hololei, a former EU transport chief, allegedly accepted free flights from Qatar Airways, including nine business class trips from 2015 to 2021.

September 29, 2022: The Times Article on Death of Marc Bennett

On September 29, 2022, The Times published an article about the death of British travel industry executive Marc Bennett in Qatar.

October 2022: Legal Proceedings Initiated by Australian Women

In October 2022, the Australian women affected by the incident at Hamad International Airport began legal proceedings in Australia against Qatar Airways and the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority.

December 2022: Suspension of Qatar's Access to European Parliament

In December 2022, the European Parliament suspended Qatar's access following allegations of bribery, leading to arrests including MEP Eva Kaili. Lufthansa subsequently called for the suspension of the EU-Qatar air transport agreement.

2022: Thomson Reuters Foundation Report on Working Conditions

In 2022, a Thomson Reuters Foundation report revealed that Qatar Airways crew members are frequently exposed to dangerous working conditions, leading to burnout and fatigue due to overwork and underpayment, with a fear of speaking out.

July 2023: Australian Government Rejection of Capacity Expansion Request

In July 2023, the Australian Government rejected a request from Qatar Airways to double capacity into Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. The 2020 incident was cited as a 'factor' in the decision.

September 2023: Qatar Airways' Response to Incident at Senate Inquiry

In September 2023, Qatar Airways' senior vice president of global sales, Matt Raos, asserted during an Australian Senate inquiry that the 2020 incident was "a one-off and an isolated incident."

April 2024: Dismissal of Case in Federal Court of Australia

In April 2024, the Federal Court of Australia dismissed the case related to the searches at Hamad International Airport, finding that the searches did not occur on a Qatar Airways aircraft nor were carried out by the airline's employees.

November 2024: Criminal Investigation into Henrik Hololei

In November 2024, it was reported that the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) has initiated a criminal investigation into Henrik Hololei, a former EU transport chief, over allegations of accepting free flights from Qatar Airways while negotiating an Open Skies deal.

2024: Upcoming Retirement of Airbus A380s

In 2024, Qatar Airways planned the retirement of the Airbus A380s as it introduced the Airbus A350, Boeing 787, and Boeing 777X to replace them.

January 7, 2025: Resumption of Flights to Damascus

On January 7, 2025, Qatar Airways resumed its schedule of three weekly flights to Damascus after a 13-year hiatus, following the easing of tensions in Syria, which helped reconnect Syria with major regional destinations.

March 2025: Expansion of Services for Summer Travel Surge

In March 2025, Qatar Airways announced an expansion of its services to meet the anticipated summer travel surge, increasing flights to 11 global destinations. This included increasing flights to London Heathrow, Male, Miami, and Tokyo.

July 2025: Resumption of Operations to Malta

In July 2025, Qatar Airways announced it would resume operations to Malta, servicing the route with its Airbus A320 aircraft.

2025: Reversal of Decision by the Federal Court of Australia

In 2025, the full bench of the Federal Court of Australia reversed the April 2024 decision, allowing the case against Qatar Airways and Matar (the entity that runs Hamad International Airport) to proceed.