Qatar converts five A350-900s to larger -1000
Qatar Airways is taking another five Airbus A350-1000s, by converting previous orders for five A350-900s.
Qatar Airways is taking another five Airbus A350-1000s, by converting previous orders for five A350-900s.
The agreement will take the Doha-based carrier’s commitment to the larger -1000 to 42 aircraft.
It took delivery of its first A350-1000 – the initial customer airframe – in February this year. The twinjet features 44 more seats in Qatar’s configuration compared with its -900s.
Chief executive Akbar Al Baker says the -1000 has been “very well received” by passengers, adding: “We have been extremely pleased with the aircraft’s performance, which has prompted us to update our original order.”
Qatar’s conversion marks the first firm order to be disclosed for the -1000 this year and, based on Airbus’s latest backlog figures, would take overall orders to 173.
Airbus had delivered five A350-1000s by the end of August, including two to Qatar Airways and three to Cathay Pacific.
Qatar previously had orders for 39 A350-900s, after cutting four from its original deal for 43 of the type. The conversion will take this down to 34, meaning that the -1000 will account for the larger proportion of its agreement for 76 A350s.
