Until today, the airline had no orders for the 777X to join its fleet.
Currently Qatar Airways fleet is a mixture of various aircraft types, including 51 Boeing 777s – both Extended Range, Long Range and Freighters (37 are currently in service with the remaining pending delivery).
Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said, “Today, I represent Qatar Airways and its Board Members in signing a ‘Letter Of Intent’ for the purchase of 50 Boeing 777 - 9X aircraft, valued at US$ 19 billion at list prices”
“For Qatar Airways, the Boeing 777 is our flagship aircraft. It has been the backbone of the fleet. Operational on many of the routes Qatar Airways flies to, it is well admired by our crew and passengers alike; it is simply a fantastic aeroplane.”
“Since Qatar Airways started taking deliveries of Boeing 777s in November 2007, our fleet has been significantly enhanced, enabling the airline to reach a route map covering the entire Middle East and most of Africa; the Indian sub-continent, Europe, Asia Pacific, North and South America,”
“The Boeing 777 fits into the airline’s strategic growth plan and that is, to offer an extensive route map with optimal connectivity and ultimately – to be the airline of choice for customers, whether it is for long-haul, short-haul, business and / or leisure travel.”
Of the current 777 fleet, Qatar Airways operates a mix of passenger and cargo aircraft – 23 Boeing 777-300ERs, nine 777-200LRs (Long Range) and five Boeing 777 freighters.
This year marks the 13th edition of the Dubai Airshow, which runs from 17 – 21 November and is taking place at the newly-opened Dubai World Central Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC), located in Jebel Ali, Dubai.
Up to 150 aircraft will be on static display, featuring over 1,000 exhibitors. The 2011 edition of the show attracted over 55,000 visitors from around the world, with this year’s numbers expected to far surpass that.
One of the fastest growing airlines in the world, Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of 130 aircraft to 133 business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific and The Americas.
