Airbus no, Boeing yes – a 6.4 billion aircraft order on the move?

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Donald Trump is a businessman. He would say anything to appeal to voters, but at the end of the day, Mr. Trump is a businessman.

Donald Trump is a businessman. He would say anything to appeal to voters, but at the end of the day, Mr. Trump is a businessman. Qatar Airways chief, Akbar Al Baker, is not worried about a US President Trump, if he was elected. He doesn’t think there will be a problem with a US relationship with the Gulf region. Mr. Bakker said this today on a CNN interview in regards to a possible dream move to American Boeing by Qatar Airways.

Today Qatar Airways’ CEO Akbar Al Baker made it clear in a CNN interview that his company was hurt by Airbus due to the delay in the delivery of ordered A320 Neos. The Qatar Airways chief said his company grew 5 percent less because of the delay.

Qatar Airways could cancel a $6.4 billion order with the Airbus Group if issues with the European plane makerโ€™s A320neo are not resolved by this summer.

The Middle Eastโ€™s second largest airline was supposed to be the launch carrier for Airbusโ€™ new A320 model but refused to take delivery in December over engine cooling issues. It is now deciding whether it should scrap the order for 80 A320neos and opt for just as many Boeing 737 aircraft.

A decision on whether to cancel the order and to take the 737s instead will be made by the summer.


Reuters reported on Monday that Qatar Airways could take four to six Boeing 737 aircraft as it waits for the A320neos to be ready, citing Al Baker, but on Tuesday he said that would not be the case.

The issues with the A320s are software related and concern the aircraft hydraulics, according to Al Baker who also said they have found other problems though declined to mention them.

Qatar Airways had said it would look at switching the Pratt & Whitney-made engines it ordered with the A320neos for CFM International engines but those wouldnโ€™t be suitable, Al Baker said.

Qatar Airways is looking at growing its network in Iran to as many as seven cities, including to Isfahan, up from three today, following the lifting of nuclear related sanctions in January. According to Qatar Airways Iran is an economic giant of the region and a tourism boom is on the horizon in the Islamic Republic.

About the author

Avatar of Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen T Steinmetz

Juergen Thomas Steinmetz has continuously worked in the travel and tourism industry since he was a teenager in Germany (1977).
He founded eTurboNews in 1999 as the first online newsletter for the global travel tourism industry.

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