Qatar Airways has restated its intention to offer the first flights from London aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
The Doha-based carrier aims to begin services in late August. Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar al Baker said: “We take delivery of our first 787s this summer and our first flight will be to Heathrow.”
Speaking at the Guild of Travel Management Companies’ (GTMC) conference in Doha, al Baker said: “This is not maybe – it will be.
“We will operate the first 787 on one of our five daily frequencies from London Hearhow. The launch date is secret but it will be in August.”
Qatar Airways plans to display the aircraft during the first days of the Farnborough Air Show in July, then put the aircraft in regional service in the Gulf for several weeks to train flight and cabin crew.
Al Baker said: “We will showcase the 787 at Farnborough with the widest business class seat and fully flat bed.”
Qatar Airways is due to take delivery of five 787s this year, with the remaining aircraft likely to go into service on routes other than Heathrow.
A Qatar spokesman told Travel Weekly: “Heathow is a big route for us and London is a big business travel market. We want to make a noise about the 787.”