Qatar Airways has announced the introduction of its flagship Airbus A380 on the Melbourne route as the "airline continues its growth story in Australia".
Melbourne is the original home for Qatar Airways in Australia, with the airline adding services to Perth, Sydney and Adelaide in recent years.
To celebrate the new A380 service, the multiple Skytrax Airline of the Year winner has collaborated with chef and restaurateur George Calombaris to develop an in-flight menu featuring his signature Greek-inspired dishes for First and Business Class passengers flying between Melbourne and Doha from July 1 until September 30.
"People’s taste buds change at 30,000ft, which means the menu must pack powerful flavours," the airline says in a statement. Chef Calombaris has captured this by including dishes such as healthy Hellenic grain salad, tuna and tahini yoghurt as a cold appetiser; 'Gazi' lamb moussaka as a main course, as well as lighter options such as 'Jimmy Grants' souvlaki of pastourma beef short rib, pickles and mustard aioli and Greek Salad served with dashi yoghurt and poached prawns.
Calombaris’ signature 'Hellenic Republic' risogalo (Greek rice pudding with Murray River salted caramel) will provide the sweet ending to the meal.
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Qatar Airways has collaborated with chef and restaurateur George Calombaris to develop an in-flight menu featuring his signature Greek-inspired dishes for First and Business Class passengers flying between Melbourne and Doha from July 1 until September 30.
“I am excited to team up with Qatar Airways on this project. It is the first time I am putting my food on an airline’s in-flight menu. At the end of the day, we want passengers to be impressed by not only the impeccable Qatar Airways cabin crew service, the comfort of their seats and the impressive on-board lounge, but also the delicious food we will be serving them while in the air,” Calombaris said.
Athens is one of Qatar Airways' most popular destinations in Europe for its Melbourne-based passengers, and the airline offers "one of the fastest and most convenient pathways" to Greece via Hamad International Airport (HIA) in Doha. Qatar Airways has said it will further expand its footprint in Greece with the launch of its Mykonos route in 2017-18, bringing the whitewashed paradise islands closer to Australians with a convenient one-stop in Doha.
The collaboration between Qatar Airways and Calombaris is intended to mark the arrival of the A380 aircraft in Melbourne on July 1, which increases Qatar Airways’ current daily capacity on the Doha-Melbourne route by 44%.
The 517-seat capacity is spread across twin decks in a tri-class configuration of eight seats in First Class, 48 seats in Business Class and 461 in Economy Class.
Passengers travelling from Melbourne to London and Paris can enjoy the Qatar Airways A380 experience throughout their entire journey to these two European destinations.
Passengers travelling from Melbourne can enjoy a comfortable and efficient transit through Qatar Airways’ home and hub, HIA. The airport has more than 40,000sqm of retail space and restaurants, including more than 70 retail and 30 food and beverage outlets, as well as a 25m swimming pool, gym, hotel and spa. Premium passengers can also enjoy resting in two award-winning lounges,the Al Safwa First Lounge and the Al Mourjan Business Lounge.
Travellers who would like to turn their transit into a stopover experience can also take advantage of free luxury hotel stays and complimentary transit visas offered in partnership with Qatar Tourism Authority. Transiting passengers can explore the various highlights Doha has to offer – from the Museum of Islamic Art to Katara - the Cultural Village, or desert safaris and a bustling cosmopolitan cityscape.