Qatar Airways is going to “imminently place” a large freighter order to meet the needs of the national airline’s cargo business, said Group Chief Executive HE Akbar al-Baker.
"We are seriously looking at placing a large cargo order, a freighter order, because ... as we are also growing our freight business, we need to be sustainable in that and we are going to imminently place a large freighter order," al-Baker said.
"Of course, I cannot tell you with whom we are going to place the order. But one thing I can say is that the proposal we have received from Boeing is very attractive to the airline."
Clarifying, al-Baker said, “Let me be very clear on that … when I say that we are getting an attractive proposition from Boeing, it is not because on the price but on the performance of the airplane.
“We not only look at the price, but we look at the performance and I think the aircraft that Boeing is developing will outperform the current fleet that we have.”
Replying to a question by Gulf Times at a media event at the Doha International Airport, al-Baker said, “Of course, we will be interested in looking at a freighter version of the 777X, if Boeing manufactures it.
On whether he had heard anything from Boeing in respect of a freighter version of 777Xm al-Baker said, “We heard a lot of things and we will let you know soon.”
"We are seriously looking at placing a large cargo order, a freighter order, because ... as we are also growing our freight business, we need to be sustainable in that and we are going to imminently place a large freighter order," al-Baker said.
"Of course, I cannot tell you with whom we are going to place the order. But one thing I can say is that the proposal we have received from Boeing is very attractive to the airline."
Clarifying, al-Baker said, “Let me be very clear on that … when I say that we are getting an attractive proposition from Boeing, it is not because on the price but on the performance of the airplane.
“We not only look at the price, but we look at the performance and I think the aircraft that Boeing is developing will outperform the current fleet that we have.”
Replying to a question by Gulf Times at a media event at the Doha International Airport, al-Baker said, “Of course, we will be interested in looking at a freighter version of the 777X, if Boeing manufactures it.
On whether he had heard anything from Boeing in respect of a freighter version of 777Xm al-Baker said, “We heard a lot of things and we will let you know soon.”