• Qatar Airways is set to acquire a 25% stake in Virgin Australia from U.S. private equity firm Bain Capital, intensifying competition for Qantas Airways, which has long dominated Australian air routes. The exact value of the stake was not disclosed, and the deal is pending approval from Australia's government. This move comes after Australia previously denied Qatar Airways' requests to expand its services into major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth. Virgin Australia CEO Jayne Hrdlicka highlighted the importance of this partnership, noting that it provides Virgin with the scale and expertise needed to better compete in the domestic market.

• This acquisition is also seen as a key step in the lead-up to Virgin Australia's potential return to public ownership, with Bain Capital having previously explored an IPO for the airline. While Bain had initially aimed for a A$1 billion listing, those plans were delayed. As part of its agreement with Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia plans to launch new routes from Australian cities to Doha by mid-2025, subject to regulatory approval. Meanwhile, the deal has reignited debate over the Australian government's stance on granting more access to Qatar Airways, especially in light of its strong ties to Qantas, which has pushed back against the expansion.