As Qatar Airways is negotiating deferrals of aircraft orders with Airbus and Boeing, the airline’s CEO Akbar Al Baker had a word of “advice” for the plane manufacturers: they should start accepting postponement of aircraft deliveries until 2022 or risk losing clients permanently.
Qatar Airways has unfilled orders for 100 Airbus and Boeing aircraft and is negotiating the postponement of their deliveries. Discussing this topic during an interview with Bloomberg on June 2, 2020, Al Baker had a bit of advice for the plane manufacturers, forecasting they could expect a halt of new plane deliveries to last until “at least” 2022.
“What is now important for both Boeing and Airbus is to show to customers that they are not only with them in good times, but they will also be with them in bad times,” said the Qatar Airways CEO. “They should accept the requirements by airlines to delay deliveries of airplanes until at least 2022. If they do not oblige, they should also know that will permanently lose us as a customer to them.”
Qatar Airways has 88 unfilled orders with Boeing for 23 787-9 Dreamliners, 60 777X, and five 777 freighters, the manufacturer’s books show. With Airbus, the airline holds orders for 77 airplanes: 27 A350-1000 and 50 A321neo.