Qatar 787 Perth plans remain unclear
No date has as yet been scheduled for the introduction of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to Qatar Airways’ Australian routes, the airline has confirmed.
Although it originally intended to deploy the aircraft on its Doha-Perth route from February 1, the plans stalled with the global grounding of the 787 due to battery malfunctions earlier this year.
With the aircraft now reinstated to service, Qatar is deploying its fleet of five Dreamliners to its Dubai, Frankfurt, London Heathrow, Munich and Zurich routes, Of the five, two are now back in the skies with the other three due to fly within the next two weeks.
However, the date of an Australian 787 deployment remains unclear, with a Qatar Airways spokesman confirming it has not yet been scheduled.
“It could mean it’s not happening or it is happening,” he told Travel Today.
Speaking at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, the airline’s chief executive Akbar Al Baker claimed the carrier has lost in excess of US$200 million in terms of underperformance in revenue targets but declined to state whether or not he will be pursuing compensation.
Deliveries of its outstanding firm order of 30 787s will resume in June with 10 expected by the end of the year. The airline currently has 30 firm orders for the aircraft and a further 30 options.
As a result of the delays to its 787 order, Al Baker announced he will order between 10 and 15 Airbus A330s, with clarity expected on such a deal by the time of the Paris Air Show in June.
However, he also stressed Qatar will not cancel any of its 787 orders, suggesting it will instead look at exercising purchase rights for 787-9 aircraft.
The airline announced new routes to Addis Ababa, Clark and Philadelphia effective on September 18, October 28 and March 1 respectively, in addition to a 60% increase of frequency to Pakistan.
"Yet again, Qatar Airways is bucking the trend across the industry demonstrating that we are resilient in times of global economic austerity because while others are cutting back, we see the opportunities to extend our global footprint," Al Baker said.
Meanwhile, partnerships and codeshares are on Qatar’s agenda with the airline reportedly in talks with Indian carrier IndiGo.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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