Qatar, Jet Airways pick Airbus

The world’s leading commercial aircraft maker, Airbus, this week announced it has won major deals with Qatar Airways and jet Airways. Airbus said Qatar Airways is to acquire 60 Airbus A350s and Indian private carrier Jet Airways is to acquire ten Airbus A330-200s/-300s and has taken options on ten more.

Becoming the largest customer to date for the new A350 and the first client in the Middle East, the Qatar order is comprised of A350-800s and larger A350-900s. Deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2010, with those of its A350-900s starting several months later.

“We see ourselves as a leader in passenger comfort and service, building on the benefits of a modern and economical fleet, and are thus very excited about leading the way with the new Airbus A350,” Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al-Baker said. “And with the new Airbus A350 sharing the same cockpit type-rating as the A330s that we fly today, modernizing our fleet will be a very simple step.”

Qatar Airways is the largest all-Airbus operator in the Middle East, with a fleet that comprises aircraft from the A320, A300/A310 and A330/A340 families. It is also a customer for Airbus’s revolutionary 21st Century flagship, the A380.

Meanwhile, Indian carrier Jet Airways has agreed to purchase ten Airbus A330-200s/-300s and has taken options on ten more, becoming a new client for the popular A330/A340 family.

Jet  Airways said it plans to use its Airbus A330s on a mix of domestic, regional and international flights. Each aircraft will seat 226 passengers, with luxurious six-abreast flat-bed seating in business, and a comfortable eight-abreast layout in economy.

Jet Airways is India’s largest private carrier, and recently became the first in the country to fly the Airbus A330/A340 family by leasing three Airbus A340-300Es, which are already a great success on Mumbai-London flights, and which will shortly inaugurate services from Delhi to London.

“Jet Airways has been instrumental in introducing new standards of passenger service and competition within India, so we take it as a compliment that it has chosen Airbus aircraft as it makes its first major expansion into both widebody aircraft and long-haul services,” says Airbus president and CEO Noël Forgeard. “Our ability to deliver aircraft early will also give Jet Airways the advantage of an early start.”

Deliveries for this order are expected to commence in the first quarter of 2007.

June 15, 2005   Posted in: Airlines & Railways