Ministers admit no meetings with airline that once received Welsh Government marketing support
THE FUTURE of Cardiff Airport’s long-haul ambitions has been thrown back into the spotlight after Welsh ministers admitted they have not personally met Qatar Airways executives — despite the airline once operating the airport’s flagship international route and benefiting from a publicly funded marketing partnership.
The admission has prompted fresh questions over whether taxpayers are getting value for the almost £400 million of public money that has been invested in the airport since it was bought by the Welsh Government in 2013.
South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies said the lack of direct engagement was “unacceptable”, arguing that ministers had failed to prioritise restoring one of Wales’ most important global connections.
In written questions to Economy Minister Rebecca Evans and Transport Minister Ken Skates, he asked how many times they had met Qatar Airways since August 2024.
Both confirmed they had not held any meetings.
Ms Evans said commercial negotiations are led by the airport’s executive team and added she would “very much welcome” the route’s return when the time is right.
Mr Skates said responsibility for the airport sits outside his portfolio and declined to comment further while discussions are ongoing.
Flagship route
Qatar Airways launched daily flights between Cardiff and Doha in 2018 to considerable fanfare.
At the time, ministers described the service as “transformational”, linking Wales directly to one of the world’s biggest aviation hubs and providing one-stop access to more than 150 destinations across Asia, Australia, Africa and the Middle East.
Business groups said the route would make Wales more attractive to inward investors and exporters, while tourism chiefs hoped it would bring higher-spending international visitors.
To promote the link, the Welsh Government entered into a two-year marketing partnership with the airline, understood to be worth around £1 million, aimed at raising Wales’ profile overseas and encouraging travel through Cardiff.
The agreement funded joint advertising and promotional campaigns in international markets.
However, the route operated for less than two years before being suspended at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
While Qatar Airways has since restored flights to other UK airports including Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham, Cardiff remains the only former UK destination where services have not resumed.
Value for money questions
The situation has reignited debate over whether the public investment delivered lasting benefits.
Critics say the combination of direct airport funding and marketing support should have secured a more sustainable presence from a global carrier.
They question whether the advertising partnership represented value for money if the route ultimately disappeared and has yet to return.
For some observers, the absence of Qatar has become a yardstick for judging the success of government ownership.
After more than a decade and hundreds of millions of pounds in loans and support, they argue, Wales should be seeing stronger international connectivity rather than retreat.
Supporters counter that the pandemic severely disrupted aviation worldwide and that rebuilding routes takes time, particularly for smaller regional airports.
They also note that commercial airline negotiations are typically handled by airport management rather than ministers.
Passenger recovery
Cardiff Airport was purchased by the Welsh Government for £52m to prevent its closure and safeguard jobs.
Since then it has required repeated financial support packages to maintain operations and invest in infrastructure.
Passenger numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels, and the airport continues to compete with Bristol, which offers a far wider range of routes and attracts many Welsh travellers across the border.
Industry analysts say long-haul services such as Doha are especially important because they connect regions directly to global markets without relying on London hubs.
Without them, airports risk being seen as secondary or feeder operations.
Political pressure
Mr Davies said the government needed to show greater urgency.
“Senedd ministers have ploughed almost £400 million into Cardiff Airport since they bought it – yet they haven’t even bothered to meet with a major airline to re-establish a crucial international link,” he said.
“When that level of public money is involved, people expect leadership.
“Getting flights back should be a priority.”
The Welsh Government maintains it remains supportive of restoring the route and says talks with Qatar Airways are continuing through airport executives.
But for many travellers and businesses, the key question remains simple: after years of investment and promises, when will Wales once again have a direct long-haul link to the world?
Until Qatar — or another global carrier — returns, critics say, that question will continue to hang over Cardiff Airport’s future.
