Qatar Airways partners with StreetSmart Australia to support local charities and communities in need

Qatar Airways has worked closely with StreetSmart Australia to connect with local organisations in Melbourne and Sydney to help in their efforts to support disadvantaged Australians, and those experiencing homelessness. Qatar Airways has donated 4,500 Business Class amenities to the various charities, including; 1,500 Business Class pyjamas, 1,500 amenity kits and 1,500 blankets, and a second donation drive is planned ahead of Winter from May 2021.

Qatar Airways’ Vice President Australasia & North Asia, Mr. Thomas Scruby, said: “Over the last 12 months, Qatar Airways has been focused on repatriating travellers affected by the COVID-19 crisis, and we are committed to continuing to support Australia. Since 1 March 2020, our airline has helped carry over 250,000 Australians and international travellers home. However we know that the pandemic has had far reaching impacts on the wider community, and this partnership allows us to give back to those who need it most.”

“StreetSmart Australia is the perfect organisation to join Qatar Airways in our first local charitable partnership, with their focus on supporting grassroots charities doing vital work in our communities. We are delighted to be launching this collaboration with them and look forward to working together on future initiatives.”

“By providing our charity partners with practical and necessary items, such as clothing and amenities, this frees up their funds to be allocated to other essential resources such as accommodation and food. Small, local charities often have a lack of support and limited fundraising options, so this will help provide much-needed aid,” said Geoff Hills, Chief Operations & Fundraising, StreetSmart.

With the goal of ending homelessness around Australia, StreetSmart is focused on supporting the work of smaller, community-based organisations and projects that provide critical frontline services. Since launching in 2003, the charity has supported over 710 organisations through community grants, SleepSafe kits and meals.

One charity partner based in Melbourne, Youth Projects, provides frontline support to young people and individuals experiencing disadvantage and homelessness, to help them find a path out of poverty.

“We empower our clients to lead longer lives, have improved health, meaningful employment and a greater sense of belonging, safety and security through a holistic model of care,” said Ben Vasiliou, CEO, Youth Projects.

Qatar Airways is supporting nine local charities as part of the donation drive. The organisations in Sydney include; Newtown Neighbourhood Centre, Haymarket Foundation, Parramatta Mission and Liverpool Health Centre, and in Melbourne they are; Youth Projects, Sacred Heart Mission, Safe Futures, St Mary’s House of Welcome and Launch Housing. Each charity will receive  a mixture of Business Class blankets, pyjamas and amenity kits from the airline, to help them continue supporting communities in need.

Qatar Airways recently became the first global airline in the world to achieve the prestigious 5-Star COVID-19 Airline Safety Rating by international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. This follows HIA’s recent success as the first airport in the Middle East and Asia to be awarded a Skytrax 5-Star COVID-19 Airport Safety Rating. These recognitions provide assurance to passengers across the world that airline health and safety standards are subject to the highest possible standards of professional, independent scrutiny and assessment. For full details of all the measures that have been implemented onboard and in HIA, please visit qatarairways.com/safety.

The national carrier of the State of Qatar continues to rebuild its network, which currently stands at over 130 destinations. With more frequencies being added to key hubs, Qatar Airways offers unrivalled connectivity to passengers, making it easy for them to change their travel dates or destination if they need to.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. The Qsuite seat layout is a 1-2-1 configuration, providing passengers with the most spacious, fully private, comfortable and socially distanced Business Class product in the sky. Qsuite is available on flights to more than 45 destinations including Johannesburg, Kuala Lumpur, London and Singapore. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.