Qatar Airways To Place Massive Order

Qatar Airways looks set to beef up its commitment to widebody aircraft with a new purchase expected to arrive in the next few months.

Speaking with Reuters, the airline’s chief commercial officer stated that a new aircraft order was being processed to grow its commitment to this type of commercial aircraft.

No specific jet was announced, however, a deal will likely be announced in the coming months, preventing any hiccups in the contractual arrangements between now and then.

Qatar Airways’ reasoning behind a new purchase is to continue finding ways to have one of the industry’s newest and most efficient fleets.

To continue competing with established airlines and growing, there’s a drive to renew the fleet and add capacity whenever possible, especially after the pandemic.

Therefore, while the airline already has a healthy backlog of aircraft, that backlog is expected to grow to enable deliveries to continue long into 2030, so Qatar Airways can adequately meet demand and growth.

The Doha-based carrier also submitted RFPs, or Request for Proposals, to determine what plane makers can offer it regarding aircraft, price points, and slots.

What Will Qatar Airways Order?

At this stage, a specific aircraft for the new order has not been stated; however, the airline is looking towards widebody aircraft that are expected to align with growth strategies.

Qatar Airways’ fleet already includes most available widebody jets, from the 787 Dreamliner to the Airbus A350 and even the Boeing 777. The airline’s order book includes considerable units from the upcoming 777X series.

Therefore, Qatar Airways’ direction for the deal could be many ways, whether equally split down the middle with a reliance on Airbus and Boeing-produced aircraft or different.

In what would be considered a win for the manufacturers that would secure the contract, Qatar Airways could put all its eggs in one basket and go with just Airbus or Boeing for the deal, resulting in one leading planemaker missing out on what is considered an important contract.

Qatar Airways has not publicly revealed the direction of the purchase, choosing to wait until the contracts are firmed and at a point where an announcement can be made, likely in April of this year.