WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Boeing [NYSE:
BA] and Qatar Airways announced an order for 30 787-9 Dreamliners
and 10 777-300ERs, valued at $11.7
billion at list prices, validating the value, reliability
and performance of Boeing's twin-aisle airplanes.
The airline also signed a Letter of Intent for up to 60 737 MAX
8s, valued at $6.9 billion at list
prices.
Today's announcement builds on Qatar Airways' current fleet of
84 Boeing aircraft, a combination of 787s and 777s, all delivered
over the last nine years. With this new order, Qatar Airways
increases its firm order backlog of Boeing widebody airplanes from
65 to 105, including 60 777Xs.
The announcement was attended by the State of Qatar's Minister of Finance, His
Excellency Ali Shareef Al Emadi,
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony
Blinken and the Ambassador of Qatar, His Excellency Mohammed Jaham
Al-Kuwari.
"Qatar Airways, already one of the fastest growing airlines in
the history of aviation, today announces a significant and historic
aircraft order that will power our future growth for the years and
the decades ahead," said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His
Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker.
"Boeing has proven to be a valuable partner, and today's
announcement is testament to our appreciation of the quality of
their product and their dedication to providing world class
customer service."
Qatar Airways' relationship with Boeing was renewed in 2006.
Since then, there have been many milestones in the partnership. The
airline was the first to operate the 787 in the Middle East and is a launch customer for the
777X. With the commitment for the 737 MAX 8, it would be the first
Boeing single-aisle airplane model to join Qatar Airways' fleet in
more than 15 years.
"Congratulations to The Boeing Company and Qatar Airways on the
remarkable milestone they've reached, which will significantly grow
the number of Boeing aircraft in the Qatar Airways fleet," said
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny
Pritzker. "Beyond its importance for these two
companies, this agreement demonstrates the importance of global
commercial partnerships in strengthening our bilateral ties. This
deal will strengthen economic opportunity and job creation, and
highlights the importance of strong global trading
relationships."
"We are so very proud that a discerning and market-leading
customer like Qatar Airways not only continues to endorse our
current products, but also has confidence in Boeing's new
technology that will soon be evident on the 777X and 737 MAX,"
said Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO
Ray Conner. "Our partnership with
Qatar Airways has grown and strengthened tremendously over the
years and I look forward to the time when its fleet will feature an
increasing number of both our single and twin-aisle airplanes."
The 777-300ER is the most reliable twin-aisle airplane flying
today and is considered to be the flagship of the world's elite
airlines. It has the highest schedule reliability of any twin-aisle
airplane at 99.5 percent – the airplane is on time, nearly all the
time.
The 787-9 Dreamliner is the second member of the
super-efficient, passenger-pleasing 787 family. The 787-9, a
stretch of the 787-8, can fly 290 passengers 7,635 nautical miles
(14,140 km) in addition to more cargo, allowing airlines the
ability to grow routes first opened by the 787-8.
Boeing's newest family of single-aisle airplanes – 737 MAX 7,
737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9 and 737 MAX 200 – builds on the
Next-Generation 737's popularity and reliability while delivering
customers unsurpassed fuel efficiency in the single-aisle market,
with deliveries scheduled to begin in 2017.
Contact:
Saffana Michael
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
+9 7150-4590651
saffana.michael2@boeing.com
Marc Birtel
Boeing Commercial Airplanes
+ 1 206-390-4115
marc.r.birtel@boeing.com
Qatar Airways Corporate Communications
+974 4022 2200
QRMedia@qatarairways.com.qa
Additional information available here:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/customers/qatar-airways/qatar-airways-order.page
Photo and caption will be available here:
http://boeing.mediaroom.com
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SOURCE Boeing