Over 300 aircraft worth over $90bn on order for Qatar Airways

Middle East News

Over 300 aircraft worth over $90bn on order for Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has an order of over 300 aircraft worth more than $90bn, according to its Sustainability Report 2018 released yesterday. The strong line up of new orders matches the unprecedented growth witnessed in past and firm expansion plans of the national carrier of Qatar, which is one of the fastest growing airlines the world.

“At a time when Qatar Airways is experiencing unprecedented growth and expansion, the need for efficient, reliable and modern aircraft has never been greater,” Akbar Al Baker, Group Chief Executive, Qatar Airways Group, said in the report.

The report 2018 covers period from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018, providing an overview of the operations and achievements of Qatar Airways Group.

The order of Qatar Airways includes 100 Boeing 777Xs (including options), 80 Airbus A320neo Family (including options), 60 Boeing 737 MAX 8 (20 firm, 20 options and 20 LOIs), 54 Airbus A350s and 30 Boeing 787s. The order also includes eight Airbus A330 Freighter options, seven Boeing 777-300ER, three Boeing 777F and one Airbus A380.

Qatar Airways took delivery of 20 new aircraft during 2017-18, including 17 passenger aircraft and three cargo freighters, bringing its fleet to a total of 213 aircraft. A significant fleet enhancement during 2017-18, was the inclusion of the world’s first Airbus A350-1000 for which Qatar Airways was the launch customer. The airline welcomed over 29 million passengers and added 14 new destinations to its network in 2017-18.

“In Qatar Airways’ 20th anniversary year, we have celebrated many highlights, including being recognised by Skytrax as ‘Airline of the Year’ and Hamad International Airport being ranked as ‘Sixth Best Airport in the World’.

“We introduced 14 new destinations and added 20 new aircraft, and our workforce grew to over 45,600 people across the group,” said Akbar Al Baker. “Even with the illegal blockade persisting, we continued to drive longterm sustainability. As our approach to sustainability matures, the scope of our annual sustainability report has expanded to include new sections on Community, and Health and Safety,” he added.

Qatar Airways Cargo transported more than 1.3 million tonnes of freight during 2017-18. By March 31, 2018, Qatar Airways employed more than 32,000 people stationed in Doha and at worldwide destinations.

Regarding Hamad International Airport (HIA), the report stated that the world class airport continues to be one of the fastest growing hubs in the world, having welcomed more than 34 million passengers and recorded over 200,000 aircraft movements in 2017-18. Over 120 million international passengers have passed through the airport since it opened in 2014.

During 2017-18, HIA opened a new Climate Control Centre, which contributed towards the facilitation of over two million tonnes of cargo passing through the airport. Qatar Airways Cargo transported more than 1.3 million tonnes of freight during 2017-18.