the first airline to operate scheduled flights by Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Australia early next year.

The first long-haul 787 service to Australia starts on February 1, connecting passengers from Perth to Doha and onwards to many destinations including Heathrow which will have a Dreamliner on the route this week.

Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: "Our Perth route was launched in July with three flights a week, but we stepped up capacity at the beginning of this month to daily and soon we will deploy our new 787 on the route which demonstrates the confidence we have in this relatively new market for us.

"From Perth, passengers are able to easily connect via Doha to more 80 destinations worldwide, including over 30 in Europe such as London Heathrow which from will this week will see Qatar Airways flying a 787 on one of its five daily flights.

"From February, we will be able to offer the UK and western Australian markets a single 787 product all the way giving our passengers a whole new long-haul experience on the world's newest aircraft.”

He added: “In just two days’ time as we inaugurate our 787 on the London Heathrow route, Qatar Airways is firmly on the global aviation map as a carrier with a determination to continue its expansion drive and improve an already superior in-flight product.”

Qatar Airways took delivery of the first of 60 Dreamliners last month with the third joining the fleet