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Qatar Airways Places $10.6 Billion Order for New A350
Qatar Airways announced a decisive 60-aircraft, $10.6 billion order for the new Airbus A350 here on Monday, effectively launching the program for deliveries in third quarter 2010. “We have far exceeded the orders required to launch the project,” Airbus president Noel Forgeard said immediately after the order. The go-ahead does not depend on European government aid nor on the outcome of the U.S.-Europe trade dispute, Forgeard said. “We have the money anyway. We auto-financed the A380 and the A350 is in the same situation, but that does not mean that we’ll spit on any support that is jointly agreed by the U.S. and EU.”
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al-Baker was equally confident that the A350 will fly. “When we make an announcement like this, we don’t need a Plan B,” he said. The A350s — including both -800 and -900 models — will be delivered between 2010 and 2015, eventually replacing the airline’s A330s. They are all firm orders. The airline evaluated the A350 and Boeing 787, and the decision was tipped by “slightly more advantageous commercial terms” and commonality with the A330.
Qatar also announced an order for 20 Boeing 777s, all of the latest higher-weight models. At least half will be 777-300ERs, with the balance split between 777-200LRs and 777-200F freighters, and deliveries will run from 2007 to 2010. The airline has not said whether it intends to replace its Airbus A340-500/600s with 777s. However, neither deal involves a trade-in. “I can get a better deal if I sell the aircraft myself,” says al-Baker.
Airbus expects to announce more A350 sales this week. Chief commercial officer John Leahy remarked, “I was saying we’d have in excess of 100 orders and four customers by the end of the show.” Airbus now holds 90 orders, including 10 from Air Europa and 20 contingent on the conclusion of the America West/US Airways merger, “and we’re only at the first day of the show,” Leahy said.
The Qatar A350 order is worth $1.6 billion to General Electric and is the largest order yet for the GEnx. It is the only powerplant currently offered on the A350, although discussions with Rolls-Royce are continuing. —Bill Sweetman
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