Qatar Airways to top the bill at next week's Farnborough with Dreamliner reveal

Qatar Airways is set to be making the headlines at next week's Farnborough Airshow when it confirmed today that it will unveil its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner for the first time at the major European aerospace event.

Qatar Airways will have its 787 on static display at the event, which attracts over 1,400 exhibitors of aircraft, equipment and latest technologies across the commercial and defence aerospace industries and more than 120,000 visitors. The show runs from July 9-15th.

The debut of the airline’s new 787 Dreamliner in Qatar Airways’ colours marks a significant milestone as the carrier makes its final preparations to officially receive and commercially introduce the first of 60 aircraft on order this year. Qatar Airways is due to take delivery of five 787s during 2012.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the airline’s prominent presence with the unveiling of the first Qatar Airways 787 Dreamliner at the global aviation event, signals the start of an exciting new chapter for travel in the Middle East and worldwide.

“For Qatar Airways, the Farnborough International Air Show provides the perfect opportunity and global platform to proudly reveal our new 787 to the aviation industry and the wider public for the first time,” he said

“As the Middle East launch customer, we’re very excited that a new era of air travel with an unrivalled passenger experience is imminent, further proving Qatar Airways’ commitment to expand with one of the youngest and technically advanced fleets in the industry.”

Industry analyst Saj Ahmad said: "Qatar Airways has been a critic of the 787 delays, but being able to proudly show off its first 787-8 at the Farnborough Air Show gives them a great marketing advantage against rivals and, as the first Arabian airline to receive the airplane, it will revolutionise the way the airline operates.

“In reducing fuel burn by around 20% or more, recently affirmed by launch operator ANA, Qatar Airways will be showcasing not just the 787's technology-breaking specifications, it will also give a candid viewing of the cabin configuration, IFE and entertainment features, as well as giving customers and visitors a glimpse of what they can expect from the airplane when it enters service on the Doha-Heathrow route in a few weeks time. With 30 firm orders and 30 options, the 787 is poised to become Qatar Airways' long haul lynchpin for its growth strategy.

“The airline is also looking at acquiring the bigger, longer ranged 787-9 to complement its 787-8 fleet and to thwart off the expected delays in the A350-900 but it is likely to firm up its 787-8 options before long as Boeing steadily works towards ramping up production to ten airplanes a month by the end of next year. It's a been a long wait for Qatar Airways, but one which will soon be forgotten when the 787 displaces the ageing A330 fleet," Ahmad said.

The first-time presence of the Dreamliner at Farnborough follows on from the international debut of the airline’s 787 Business and Economy Class seats at ITB Berlin – the world’s largest travel fair – and at the Middle East travel show, Arabian Travel Market, over the past few months.

The seat design is revolutionary and the proprietary to Qatar Airways, which worked closely with the manufacturer to have custom-made seats fitted on the aircraft – with space and comfort the biggest features of both cabins.

The seat configuration onboard Qatar Airways’ Boeing 787 makes it an industry leader with innovative design a hallmark of the interiors. Business Class is configured 1–2–1 featuring seats that convert into fully flat horizontal beds, while Economy Class has a 3–3–3 cabin layout.

Key features include an award-winning iTouch touch control unit, over 1,000 movies, programming and audio entertainment options, an iPort, USB port, remote data outlet, a custom designed culinary offering, plenty of storage space for personal items and more – all available in both cabin classes.

Upon entering service, Qatar Airways’ first 787 will initially operate on intra-Gulf routes before making its maiden long-haul commercial flight between Doha and London Heathrow.

Qatar's Boeing 787 Dreamliner outside the Boeing Seattle paintshop ahead of its delivery flight to Doha - via the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK next week.