Dreamliner delays ‘hit Qatar Airways expansion plans’

By Pratap John/Chief Business Reporter

Dreamliner grounding and the delay in delivery of Boeing 787s on order has “impacted Qatar Airways expansion severely”, limiting its route launches to 10 this year from 15 originally planned, said airline CEO Akbar al-Baker.

“This is our big issue with Boeing. We took airplanes (Boeing 787s), which we could not fly. I am very unhappy about this,” al-Baker told Gulf Times in Dubai recently.  

“Since we have not been able to expand to our planned destinations, my bottomline has been impacted,” al-Baker said.  

Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 16 years of operations, currently flying a modern fleet of some 123 aircraft to 126 destinations worldwide.

Chicago, the airline’s newest point was brought online on April 10. Over the next few weeks and months, Qatar Airways will launch scheduled flights to many new routes, including Salalah, Oman (May 22), Basra, Iraq (June 3), Sulaymaniyah, Iraq (August 20) and Chengdu, China (September 3).

The national airline has placed 30 firm Dreamliner orders and an option for 30 more, of which it has already received some five 787s. Another five Dreamliners would be delivered to the national carrier from June, albeit some two months behind the latest schedule.

Asked whether Qatar Airways would go in for a balanced mix of aircraft in view of the issues associated with Boeing 787 aircraft, al-Baker said: “We have today a very balanced fleet between Boeing and Airbus…and it is nearly 50:50.”

He said: “Dreamliner is an absolutely safe aircraft and Qatar Airways and its passengers have confidence in the Chicago-based Boeing company. With regard to the battery issue on the Dreamliner, they (Boeing) have come out with a permanent solution now.”

He said in any new product there would be “scope for continuous improvement”.

“As new materials come into the market, new processes are developed, so will be new batteries. It may not be lithium ion…it could be something else. I am sure Boeing will look at having improvements in their batteries.

“For example, in Qatar Airways we have been offered new types of batteries for our vehicles, which we are going to use at the airport in aircraft tugs, catering trucks, and baggage tractors. I am sure Boeing will look at these new products that are available.”

Currently, a team from Boeing is working on modifying batteries in four Dreamliners already in the Qatar Airways fleet. All five Dreamliners currently in the Qatar Airways fleet will be fitted with modified lithium ion batteries before the month-end.

Already one Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner that is fitted with the modified battery has been tested and put on a regular commercial service on the Dubai route.