Qatar Airways has launched its non-stop flight between Doha and Cardiff.

“Today marks an especially important milestone for both Qatar Airways and Cardiff Airport,” said Akbar Al Baker, group chief executive of Qatar Airways. “The new service, our fifth gateway into the UK, now provides the people of Wales and the South West with an extensive network of more than 150 destinations globally. We are delighted to welcome Cardiff into our route network, and to be able to provide the Welsh people with a new gateway to the world.”

While the inaugural flight was operated by an Airbus A350-900, the new route is scheduled to be flown with a Boeing 787-8. The new flight will be operated five times a week until June 17, 2018, when it will become daily.

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of months of government activity in public and behind the scenes,” said Alun Cairns, secretary of state for Wales. “The ambition for a daily flight was on the agenda when I met Qatar Airways chief executive H.E. Akbar Al Baker more than a year ago at a UK investment summit, and the UK government has continued to press that case supported by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales, the Foreign Office and Ministry of Defence. The UK government Qatari trade mission last September was all about growing links and unlocking the region for Welsh exports. Qatar is the UK’s third-largest export market in the Middle East and accounts for £35 billion (US$48 billion) of existing investment.”

Qatar Airways already flies to Birmingham, Edinburgh, London Heathrow and Manchester in the UK, and is scheduled to launch a non-stop flight to London Gatwick on May 22, 2018.

The schedule for the new flight is as follows.