Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker has warned Boeing that the airline could “walk away” from its 60-order 787 contract if the airframer does not quickly resolve major issues over delivery delays.
“We at Qatar Airways have some serious issues with Boeing and if they do not play ball with us they will be in for a very, very serious surprise if we do not settle the issues on the 787,” says Al Baker.
The Doha-based carrier is a major Boeing customer, with an orderbook for over 92 aircraft including 32 777s and 60 787s. However, the Dreamliner programme delays have pushed back the airline’s deliveries by around 18 months, with its first aircraft is not now due to arrive until late 2011.
While he is unspecific about the nature of the issues, Al Baker says that Boeing is not dealing with them “in a professional manner, and Qatar Airways is very impatient with them”.
He adds that the airline has the right to “walk away” from the deal if “the delay is unreasonable. There are excusable delays in our contract and if these delays get escalated, every organisation gets the right to walk away.”
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