Qatar Airways headed airlines confirming major aircraft orders at this week’s Paris Airshow with a deal for six Boeing 77s worth $1.7 billion.
AirAsia is expected to confirm a giant order for 200 aircraft from rival Airbus and SAS is reportedly planning to buy 30 A320neos worth $2.4 billion.
Qatar Airways’ Boeing fleet stands at 25 aircraft – 15 B777-300ERs, eight B777-200 long range aircraft and two 777 freighters. The airline’s current total fleet size is a mix of 98 Boeing, Airbus and Bombardier aircraft.
Qatar Airways now has orders worth over $40 billion for more than 200 aircraft, including Boeing 787s, 777s, Airbus A350s, A380s, A320s and Bombardier corporate jets.
Chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: “The Boeing 777 has become the flagship long-haul aircraft in our fleet and, since we started taking delivery of this aircraft in 2007, we have been able to open up exciting new diverse routes around the world.
“With its payload and range capability, reliability and economics, the Boeing 777 has met our high expectations, operating to cities in North America, Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific non-stop from our hub city of Doha, the capital of the State of Qatar.
“With an already strong international network of over 100 destinations, we continuously look at new opportunities, expanding our global international reach by introducing more non-stop routes and increasing frequency on existing services. The Boeing 777 continues to play a key role in our route expansion decision-making process.”
The carrier has launched seven routes from Doha this year to Budapest, Bucharest, Brussels, Stuttgart, Aleppo, Shiraz and Venice.