Carrier re-evaluates A340-500/600 despite selection last year of 777-200LR/300ER for 20-aircraft order
Despite announcing at last year’s Paris air show that it had selected the Boeing 777 for its new large widebody fleet, Qatar Airways has reopened the evaluation to include the Airbus A340-500/600 for an order for around 20 aircraft. The airline is also poised to firm up its commitments for 60 A350s.
The deal for A350's (pictured) is safe, but Qatar is rethinking its 777 order © AIRBUS
The airline’s chief executive Akbar Al Baker, speaking during a cover interview for the March issue of sister publication Airline Business, said talks are under way with both manufacturers. “We did not have a letter of intent with Boeing [for the 777], although we were very close to it. Now there is the competition between the two. Both Airbus and Boeing are able to deliver these aircraft in the timeframe we want – by the end of next year,” says Al Baker.
Despite being the launch customer for the A340-600 high gross weight (HGW) variant with an order for two aircraft plus eight options placed in 2003, Qatar Airways announced at Paris last year that it would order 20 777-200LR/300ERs and Freighters for delivery between 2007 and 2010.
The announcement was part of the airline’s long-haul expansion effort, which also included the commitment for 60 A350s.
Although at that time the airline is thought to have selected the Boeing twinjet in favour of ordering more A340-600HGWs, it is believed to now be evaluating the enhanced version of the A340-600 being proposed by Airbus. This new model, which Boeing says Airbus pitched unsuccessfully against the 777 in Cathay Pacific’s recent widebody competition, incorporates various improvements including Rolls-Royce Trent 1000-technology engines.
Meanwhile Qatar Airways is ready to firm up its commitments for 60 A350s, but is waiting for the manufacturer to finalise several aspects of the aircraft’s design and performance.
“We have not signed a purchase agreement with Airbus because it has not crystallised the specification of the aircraft and also we have some requirements for the performance which they have to come back to us with,” says Al Baker. “The aircraft is still changing, but we expect Airbus to come up with the solution soon.”
MARK PILLING / DOHA
Source: Flight International
