© Qatar Airways
Posted on 12/19/2010 9:31:44 PM PST by sukhoi-30mki
Qatar Airways may cancel Dreamliner order, warns CEO
Carrier may have ‘no alternative’ but to cancel orders if there are fresh delays, says Al Baker
By Ed Attwood Sunday, 19 December 2010
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker has said he may have no alternative but to cancel orders for the troubled Boeing 787 Dreamliner if there are further delays in its delivery.
The fast-growing airline has ordered 30 787s, plus 30 more as an option, although technical and labour problems with the ultra-modern part-composite aircraft has left the jet nearly three years behind its original schedule.
“We are still expecting to receive our 787s contractually by the end of 2011,” Al Baker told reporters at the opening of a new passenger arrival terminal in Doha on Saturday.
“I still have confidence that Boeing will overcome all the issues with its aircraft and that test flights will resume before the end of this month.”
When questioned whether further delays could lead to a cancellation of the Qatar Airways order, Al Baker replied: “If there is another slippage, then yes, we will have no alternative. But as of today, I have confidence in Boeing that they will deliver the aeroplane as per their contractual obligation.”
The CEO added that he did not think there would be another delay in the 787’s delivery.
“The reason for the 787 delay was not anything technical, or to do with software, it was maybe to do with some workmanship issues, which maybe Boeing has resolved,” he said.
Test flights for the Dreamliner were halted in November due to an onboard fire, and Boeing is yet to announce its new delivery schedule. It has now been over a year since the aircraft’s first test flight.
Qatar Airways is one of the model’s biggest customers. UAE national carrier Etihad Airways also has 35 firm orders for the 787.
© Qatar Airways
Would not be a wise move on Qatar’s side. The 787 will revolutionize are travel and fuel economy. Qatar cannot afford to let their competition buy these planes while they sit on the sidelines. Probably posturing.
No. It won't. It's still a tube with wings attached. And RR doesn't seem to be able to get the engines right which will force the early customers to probably accept much less efficient GE or Pratt motors.
When Boeing finally gets past their "not invented here" BS and starts seriously developing the BWB you will see a revolution in economy and and air travel.
At 3 years behind schedule and $12 billion over budget, you can say it is revolutionizing a lot more.
The only revolutionary thing about it is that it is a plastic plane that’ll shatter on impact! Now that’s the kind of change I want to see in the airlinere I fly!
“I can imagine what Qater Airways is like.”
One of the top five airlines in the world.
It is the very best way to get from any large city in Europe to the Philippines.
I fly it between Vienna and Cebu, with only one stop in Doha.
In some rankings Qatar is number one for service.
No American carrier is in the top 10.
Comparing carbon fibre structure to “plastic” is like comparing a Ferrari to a Yugo. Please do some reading.
I agree that no American airlines do a good job. I run Philly to the 48 states on occasion. I am always disappointed.
Catarrh Airlines.
Sounds like Obama's kind of company
I’m based in Dubai and usually fly Emirates - another great airline. I’ve flown a few times on Qatar and enjoyed the experience. Flying to Geneva next month on Qatar and looking forward to the trip.
I wuz gonna fly on a Dreamliner but they shelved the Dream Act.
I have doubts about Boeing being able to pull this off. Not with the parts Boeing makes themselves but I am concerned about the foreign suppliers of major parts of the plane getting things right. That’s what’s been killing them, and I just don’t see how they can get it right consistently from these overseas companies.
Qatar Airways is a very nice airline, with an excellent standard of cabin service. I have flown them a number of times.
Great. Can’t wait to get on a plane put together under that threat.
Looks nice.
But talk about brazen:
“Qatar Airways fully complies with the Fly America Act through codeshare agreements with United Airlines and US Airways. 49 U.S.Code.40118, commonly referred to as the Fly America Act, states that for international travel all U.S. government/federal employees must fly a U.S. flag carrier from their origin to their destination. However, the Fly America Act permits travel on flights operated by foreign codeshare carriers provided the ticket shows the U.S. carrier’s codeshare flight number. All travel booked by government/federal employees on Qatar Airways through the United Airlines or US Airways codeshare agreements fully comply with the Fly America Act. Government employees wishing to book travel on Qatar Airways should ask their Government Travel Office to book a United Airlines or US Airways codeshare operated by Qatar Airways to their final destination (e.g. United Airlines: Washington, DC – Doha – Islamabad; or US Airways: Houston – Doha).”
(I know all US carriers do codesharing, but I’ve not seen gaming the system be quite this brazen before)
http://www.qatarairways.com/us/en/fly-america.html
“But talk about brazen:”
Sorry, but I do not get your point.
What is so brazen?
There are NO US carriers that fly into Doha.
What is an American to do if he needs to go to Doha? walk?
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