Qatar Airways plan to restart its Cardiff-Doha route later this year, after the service was mothballed at the start of the pandemic in 2020.
Alun Cairns, the Conservative MP for the Vale of Glamorgan, announced the news after he met the carrier’s group chief executive Akbar Al Baker in Doha.
“Qatar Airways fly to more than 160 destinations worldwide through their Doha hub and I am hoping that this will provide a big boost to our local airport that has suffered in recent times,” said Cairns, whose constituency includes Cardiff airport.
The BBC reported that Cardiff airport boss Spencer Birns confirmed discussions were ongoing to determine when services would resume.
“We are excited in anticipation that we are likely to hear about their planned start dates soon,” he told the BBC.
More: Wizz Air withdraws from Cardiff amid ‘challenging economic environment’
Wales Online reported that Cardiff passenger numbers dropped from almost 1.7 million in 2019 to just under 220,000 in 2020.
It said Qatar’s link was the first scheduled direct route between Wales and the Middle East, when the daily service launched in May 2018.
“In its first year the route carried just over 82,000 passengers with a significant number using Hamad’s hub status for onward journey connecting flights,” said Wales Online.
“In the 12 months prior to the pandemic (March 2020) the annualised passenger number had reached 92,000.”
News of Qatar Airways’ return is a boost for the airport, which saw the withdrawal of Wizz Air in January.
The airline’s two routes to Milan and Bucharest ended from January 25.
• Meanwhile, Wizz Air has announced it carried five million passengers in May, up 22% year on year, with a load factor of 90%.