APT & Travelmarvel CEO David Cox has flown from Melbourne to London via Doha and says the journey felt safe, smooth and far busier than expected, even as Australian travellers are still being advised not to transit through Qatar.
Australia’s Europe-bound travel season is already underway. Clients are boarding flights, touring programs are continuing, cruise departures are calling, and advisors are fielding one of the hardest questions in travel right now: if the planes are flying, the airport is open and other passengers seem confident, should Australians still go?
Cox has now taken the route many travellers are weighing up. Speaking to Karryon after arriving in Europe, the Global CEO of APT & Travelmarvel said his Qatar Airways flights through Doha were not only operating, but busy.
“I was surprised to find my flight from Melbourne to Doha was almost 80 percent full and Doha London full, with economy and business displaying a similar ratio of passengers, which signals a return to both business and leisure travel,” Cox told Karryon.
That cabin-level read comes as the Middle East travel picture continues to shift. Visit Qatar is talking up a deliberate bounce-back plan after regional turmoil. Emirates, Etihad and flydubai have been cleared to rebuild schedules after the UAE removed temporary airspace and airport restrictions. Qatar Airways has also been restoring Australian capacity through Doha.
But DFAT’s advice remains clear: Australians are still being warned not to travel to or transit through Qatar due to the volatile security situation in the region.
For advisors, Cox’s account raises the question many clients are already asking: official advice on one side, supplier confidence and passenger movement on the other.
“I felt completely safe”
Cox said he was told Qatar had “negotiated safe air space”, though fewer flights were still operating through the region.
“There are still a restricted number of flights flying,” he said.
“Naturally, this has an upside in that Doha airport and the lounges were less crowded.”
For travellers imagining a tense or half-operational transit hub, Cox described something far more ordinary: a working airport, open shops and cafes, less crowding, and quick movements through the terminal.
“It also meant that due to less traffic, there was a quick turnaround and less chance of any delays,” he said.
“All flights reported on time on the flight board. Overall, I felt completely safe with no issues at all. All shops and cafes were fully operational in the terminals.”
None of this removes the risk or overrides government advice, but it does show confidence returning in the cabin before the warning language has shifted.
Passengers are making the call in real time
Cox said the confidence he felt was shared by others on the same journey.
“During the flight and stopover I also spoke with other passengers and they also felt totally confident travelling,” he said.
“The message being all systems go and let’s get business back.”
That all said, the official advice remains the official advice. Advisors still need to point clients to Smartraveller, insurance wording, airline updates, supplier conditions and any restrictions attached to their itinerary.
