A350 arrives home at ‘tough customer’ Qatar
Qatar Airways’ first Airbus A350-900 has finally arrived at its
home base – a week or so later than originally planned – after
departing Toulouse in the company of the airline’s fourth A380.
The 23 December ferry flight from Toulouse was originally
cheduled on 13 December, but was postponed after a
last-minute hitch during the airline’s acceptance process in Toulouse.
cheduled on 13 December, but was postponed after a
last-minute hitch during the airline’s acceptance process in Toulouse.
It was not the first time that Qatar’s outspoken boss Akbar Al
Baker has forced Airbus delivery ceremony arrangements
to be postponed. The planned simultaneous handover of the
airline’s first three A380s was delayed from June to September
after issues during acceptance.
Baker has forced Airbus delivery ceremony arrangements
to be postponed. The planned simultaneous handover of the
airline’s first three A380s was delayed from June to September
after issues during acceptance.
“My friend Akbar, you are a tough customer. You are very
demanding and sometimes perhaps a little bit demanding,”
joked Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier at the 22 December
ceremony in Toulouse. “But first of all you were one of the
architects of the new A350 XWB. So without these demands,
we would not have the best aircraft in this category.”
demanding and sometimes perhaps a little bit demanding,”
joked Airbus chief executive Fabrice Bregier at the 22 December
ceremony in Toulouse. “But first of all you were one of the
architects of the new A350 XWB. So without these demands,
we would not have the best aircraft in this category.”
Al Baker was quick to play down the delay, saying that the hold-up
had nothing to do with Airbus.
had nothing to do with Airbus.
“Until two days ago, we were having a lot of arguments that Qatar
Airways’ quality requirements had nothing to do with Airbus,
and [A350 programme chief] Didier Evrard was trying to
convince me that it was my BFE [buyer-furnished equipment]
suppliers that were to blame,” he said.
Airways’ quality requirements had nothing to do with Airbus,
and [A350 programme chief] Didier Evrard was trying to
convince me that it was my BFE [buyer-furnished equipment]
suppliers that were to blame,” he said.
“We had small issues with our BFE suppliers which were resolved
by them. The delay was nothing to do with Airbus.”
by them. The delay was nothing to do with Airbus.”
Al Baker emphasised that despite the slip, the airline’s first A350
was delivered “one week before schedule” as Airbus’s
commitment was for a handover before 31 December.
was delivered “one week before schedule” as Airbus’s
commitment was for a handover before 31 December.
Qatar Airways expects to receive eight more of the 37 A350-900s
it has on order by the end of 2015. The airline plans to debut the
type on its Doha-Frankfurt route on 15 January.
it has on order by the end of 2015. The airline plans to debut the
type on its Doha-Frankfurt route on 15 January.
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