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Qatar plans to buy more A380s
Qatar Airways said on Wednesday it is considering buying more A380 superjumbos to boost its existing order book of 200 aircraft worth $30 billion.
- By Shakir Husain, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:09 May 8, 2008
- Visitors to Qatar Airways at the Arabian Travel Market 2008. The airline's 62-aicraft fleet will grow to 70 by the end of this year and 110 in the next five years.
- Image Credit: Gulf News
Dubai: Qatar Airways said on Wednesday it is considering buying more A380 superjumbos to boost its existing order book of 200 aircraft worth $30 billion.
Chief executive Akbar Al Baker did not say how many new A380s the airline would order. One of the world's fastest growing carriers, Qatar Airways already has five on order.
"We are doing capacity studies at the moment. Once we are ready. We will decide on additional orders for the A380," he said in Dubai.
Qatar Airways was originally scheduled to receive its first A380 in 2009, but reached an arrangement with the plane's manufacturer, Airbus, to reschedule deliveries for 2012, when the new $12-billion Doha airport will be ready, Al Baker said.
Delivery problems
Already two years behind schedule, the A380 appears to have run into fresh delivery problems as Airbus has said it is doing a review of schedules.
Qatar's outstanding orders include 80 of Airbus' new-generation A350s, 60 of Boeing's new 787 Dreamliners and 30 Boeing 777s. Al Baker said the deliveries of these planes are expected to be completed by 2017.
The airline's 62-aicraft fleet will grow to 70 by the end of this year and 110 in the next five years.
On deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner, Al Baker said his airline had been notified about the production delay. One of the biggest customers of the 787, Qatar was to start receiving the planes in 2010.
To make up for the delays, Qatar is converting some of its options on the B777 into firm orders.
"We have some options that are now confirmed to compensate for the lack of capacity that we will have due the delay of the 787," Al Baker said.
Supply chain issues
Qatar's deliveries will be 12 months behind schedule, he said, adding that Boeing is trying "to modify their supply chain, which has let them down".
The airline will receive compensation for the late deliveries from Boeing, Al Baker said. "We always build very solid compensation clauses built in our contracts," he said.
Al Baker said the airline also has aggressive route expansion plans in line with Qatar's aims for becoming a regional aviation and tourism hub.
The number of destinations will rise "sharply over the next few years" from the current 82.
Qatar Airways will take delivery of the first of its long range Boeing 777-200 aircraft in November, and will operate it on the Doha-Houston route from Nov-ember 10.
"Our long-range Boeing 777s will open up tremendous new opportunities for us from the end of 2008 with the aircraft capable of flying to all corners of the globe non-stop," Al Baker said.
Carrier will use new fuel in 2009
Dubai: Qatar Airways will power some of its planes with gas-to-liquids (GTL) fuel by the end of 2009 to make its operations more environment-friendly, and to achieve better fuel economy, chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker said.
"By the middle of next year the fuel will be ready," he said.
The airline is working on the fuel programme with aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce, Qatar Petro-leum and Shell.
"Rolls-Royce will be starting tests in 30 days on normal jet engines," Al Baker said.
Regarding the use of mobile phones on flights, he said the airline would not introduce the facility because "the comfort and peace" of passengers are "paramount to us".
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