Going back to Goa
New routes from Beijing to Venice, and Melbourne to Colombo
Going back to Goa
Air China to launch Beijing to Venice, and Jetstar to add Melbourne to Colombo
April 22nd, 2026. Qatar Airways is planning to relaunch daily flights between Doha and Goa, India’s smallest state and a former Portuguese enclave on the Arabian Sea. The state’s coastal areas are popular tourist destinations for both European and Indian nationals.
Flight number QR522 will depart from Hamad International Airport, Doha, at 19:50 and will arrive at Manohar International Airport in Goa at 02:15 the following morning. The return leg, flight number QR523, will leave Goa at 03:45 and will land back in Doha at 04:50.
Airbus A320 aircraft will operate the route. The outward journey time will be four hours, and about half an hour less for the return.
Beijing to Venice
July 2nd will see the launch of a new Air China service linking Beijing and Venice, Italy. The route will operate four times a week on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Flight number CA973 will take off from Beijing Capital International Airport at 14:15 and will touch down at Marco Polo International Airport, Venice at 19:15. The return trip, flight number CA974, departs from Venice at 21:30 and lands back in Beijing at 13:30 the following afternoon.
The duration of the outbound journey will be eleven hours, and the return an hour less. The route will be served by Airbus A330-200 aircraft.
Melbourne to Colombo
A new service connecting Melbourne and Colombo, the capital and commercial hub of Sri Lanka, will be introduced by Jetstar on August 25th. The route will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Flight number JQ005 will depart from Melbourne International Airport at 12:00 and will arrive at Bandaranaike International Airport, Colombo at 17:50.
The return leg, flight number JQ006, will leave Colombo at 19:50 and will arrive back in Melbourne at 10:00 the next morning.
Boeing 787-8 aircraft will operate the route, and the flight time will be about ten hours and twenty minutes for the outbound journey and nine hours and forty minutes for the return.
Picture: Colva Beach by Tanya Dedyukhina via Wikimedia Commons
Hotel Suggestions
Soul Vacation Resort and Spa, Colva
Royal San Marco Hotel, Venice
Mandarina Colombo
Related: New link between Delhi and Beijing