Qatar Airways chief warns Boeing on Dreamliner delays

Qatar Airways chief executive officer Akbar Al Baker warned Boeing that the airline could scrap its order for Boeing 787s if the plane manufacturer doesn't quickly resolve issues related to delivery delays, reported the Gulf News.

Speaking to reporters at the Paris Air Show, Al Baker said: "Boeing is doing things too late. If they don't play ball with us, they'll be in for a very serious surprise."

He said Qatar Airways has the right to "walk away" from the deal if "the delay is unreasonable".

Qatar Airways has 30 Boeing 787s on order, with options for 30 more. The Doha-based airline is a major Boeing customer with an order book of more than 92 aircraft.

The Boeing 787 has been dogged by setbacks related to difficulties in managing the supply chain, changes to the design, weight increases and supplier-related issues.

As a result, the aircraft is almost two years late. The first flight is expected later this month, with entry into service now targeted for 2010.

A spokesman for Boeing wasn't immediately available for comment.