Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker (centre) discusses the agreement with reporters following a press conference co-hosted with Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner.
DOHA: The mega deal of $18.6bn (QR67.7bn approximately), signed between Qatar Airways and Boeing to purchase up to 100 planes, was the biggest contract inked in the airline’s 19-year history, said Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive of Qatar’s national carrier.
Speaking at a joint press conference to discuss the deal in Washington, Al Baker said that Qatar Airways ordered 30 Dreamliners (787-9) and 10 777-300ERs, valued at $11.7bn. The airline also signed a ‘Letter of Intent’ for up to 60 737 MAX 8s, valued at $6.9bn, he added.
The high-profile event was attended by Qatar’s Minister of Finance, H E Ali Sherif Al Emadi, who is also the Chairman of Qatar Airways; Qatar’s Ambassador to the US, Mohammad Jaham Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and US Deputy Secretary of State, Tony Blinken. The deal was signed by Al Baker and Ray Conner, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes during the press conference.
“Qatar Airways, already one of the fastest growing airlines in the history of aviation, today announces a significant and historic aircraft order that will power our future growth for the years and the decades ahead,” said Al Baker.
“Boeing has proven to be a valuable partner, and today’s announcement is testament to our appreciation of the quality of their product and their dedication to providing world class customer service.” On relations with Boeing, Al Baker said that they were renewed in 2006. Since then, there have been many milestones in the partnership. Qatar Airways was the first to operate the 787 in the Middle East and is a launch customer for the 777X. With the commitment for the 737 MAX 8, it would be the first Boeing single-aisle plane model to join Qatar Airways’ fleet in more than 15 years.
On the airline’s expansion in the US market, Al Baker said that the latter was one of the most important markets for Qatar Airways due to its diversity in terms of nationalities and destinations.
He highlighted that the strong competition in the market helped Qatar Airways maintain its edge, as the airline has never finished below the top five ranking of best airlines over the past 10 years.
Conner said that the partnership between Qatar Airways and Boeing reflected the former’s confidence in Boeing’s new technology present in the 777X and 737 MAX. He added that the deal was a new milestone in the two companies’ partnership, highlighting that it will provide 104,000 job opportunities in the US commercial aeroplanes industry.
Meanwhile, the US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, welcomed the deal in a statement read at the press conference.
She noted that the agreement demonstrated the importance of global commercial partnerships in strengthening bilateral ties between the US and Qatar.
The order builds on the airline’s current fleet of 84 Boeing aircraft, a combination of 787s and 777s, all delivered over the last nine years. With this new order, Qatar Airways increases its firm order backlog of Boeing wide-body aeroplanes from 65 to 105, including 60 777Xs.
