The Gulf carrier restores balance in a long game of revenge against Qantas

It was an act of revenge that had been years in the making. Qatar Airways on Tuesday announced it would buy 25 percent of Virgin Australia, cementing its status as the beta noir of national carrier Qantas by finally gaining a major foothold in one of the world’s most lucrative aviation markets.

For Qantas, the deal is a complete disaster. Under former CEO Alan Joyce, the airline had struggled for years to keep Qatar out of Australia. His cause was helped by a hostile Labor government that thwarted a previous attempt by Qatar to land more planes in Australia.

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