New First Class cabins to be introduced to Qatar Airways fleet, says new CEO
Airline is courting Airbus, Boeing for new planes, said CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer
Dubai: Qatar Airways, Qatar’s national carrier, has announced plans to introduce new First Class cabins on some of its fleet, newly appointed Group CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer revealed. He also announced several major new developments in line with his vision for the airline’s future.
Al-Meer’s strategy for Qatar’s national carrier includes innovations in digital technologies, products, fleet growth and employee engagement as Qatar Airways continues its global expansion.
Al-Meer was appointed GCEO in November 2023. He replaced long-time CEO Akbar Al Baker last year. “This is a new era,” Al-Meer told CNBC in an interview. We wanted to combine the experience of flying commercial and flying on a private jet and develop something new .”The airline is also pursuing orders from Boeing and Airbus as part of a strategic overhaul.
“We released an RFP to create some competition between both suppliers,” he noted without disclosing specifics. We will go through the process, and, with an order this big, we need to take our time,” CNBC reported.
Premium Qsuite
“Based on the demand from certain sectors, we see a high demand for First Class, and as such, we have decided to introduce a newly designed First Class cabin unique to Qatar Airways. No one can develop a First Class cabin better than us—we are combining the experience of flying commercial and executive jets to develop something new,” he said.
“We are 70 to 80 per cent ready and are only finalising colours. We are hoping to announce it soon,” Al-Meer added.
Grand reveal
Badr Al-Meer revealed Qatar Airways’ redesign of its premium Qsuite will debut at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2024. Qatar Airways’ award-winning Qsuite Business Class challenged industry norms when it was launched in 2017.
Qatar Airways GCEO also stated that the competitive aviation landscape in the GCC region is helping raise the bar when it comes to customer experience. He stated that potential rivals are under pressure, and he welcomes any challenge for Qatar Airways. He remains confident in Qatar Airways’s continuing to hold onto its market-leading position in the future to outshine any competition.
New growth markets
The airline continues to announce new routes in growth markets, including China and India.
Qatar Airways currently serves over 170 global destinations. It will soon launch inaugural flights to Hamburg and Tashkent and resume flights to Lisbon and Venice. Qatar Airways will also resume several summer seasonal routes, including Adana, Antalya, Bodrum, Marrakesh, Mykonos, Sarajevo, and Trabzon.