The press conference during the ceremony also covered the airline’s plans to introduce a new seat type, distinct from the ‘super business class’ previously announced.
Speaking at the official Qatar Airways Airbus A350 XWB inauguration ceremony in Doha today, Akbar Al Baker said: “As far as the deployment of the A350 is concerned, we will deploy them to New York and the secondary cities of Europe.”
The GCEO said the new Airbus A350 will eventually cover routes across the Subcontinent and the Far East, noting that the airline’s entire A330 fleet will be entirely replaced. From 2017, the airline will also begin introducing a new seat design on its A350-1000’s which will vary from the ‘super business class’ the airline recently announced.
The new seat will be “unrivalled”, according to the GCEO, and will highlight that the aircraft “doesn’t need first class.” Mr Akbar Al Baker also mentioned a “double bed with business class fare”, adding that more details would be released at ITB Berlin.
Mike Bausor, Airbus’ A350XWB Marketing Director, said the aircraft consistently beat its certification targets but acknowledged the hard work now starts meeting delivery schedules with 777 aircraft on order. Airbus is targeting three aircraft a month and aims to roll out 10 a month by 2018.
During the press conference, the GCEO also talked about access into India, noting how the Indian government need to allow for airline’s to enter into the country, to allow it to prosper.
Mr Akbar Al Baker also remarked how another new aircraft type will not be developed for another ten years “at least” and said the ceremony was “symbolising how truly unique and special the aircraft is, not only for us, (Qatar Airways) but the entire aviation industry.”
Didier Evrard, Airbus EVP head of programmes, said: “The arrival is a great moment for both companies and the result of a decade’s work by thousands of people. Qatar Airways’ cabin design is impressive and raises the bar for the whole industry.”
On the topical issue of airline tracking, following the disappearance of MH370 and the AirAsia disaster, the GCEO said the airline was aggressively pursuing automatic tracking of planes without control of pilots.
“We are experimenting with a supplier testing a system so all flight data recorded in the flight data recorder is also received in our operational centre,” he said.
Today’s ceremony marks the end of an eight-year journey for both Airbus and Qatar Airways, after the airline ordered the aircraft at Le Bourget Airshow in 2007.
Powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines, the aircraft offers 25 per cent lower seat-mile costs compared with current aluminium long-range aircraft. The first scheduled flight will depart on January 15, 2015 between Doha and Frankfurt, and will be configured with 36 business class and 247 economy class seats.
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