As it faces Airbus in British courts and has its order for 50 A321neo canceled by the European planemaker, Qatar Airways is reportedly closing in on rival Boeing.
This could happen as early as next week, during a visit to the US by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’, Emir of Qatar, who will meet with President Joe Biden in Washington.
It could be the opportunity for the expected order of 777XF freighter jets to be announced by Qatar and Boeing, according to Reuters sources – talks would be advanced to close the deal that could reach 50 aircraft.
Last year, during the Dubai Airshow, Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar, said that Boeing had made an offer for the new cargo aircraft, but the deal was delayed.
Qatar Airways currently has 28 cargo jets, all of them Boeing (26 777Fs and two 747-8s) and intends to replace them with a more advanced model in the coming years.
Airbus would also have been sounded out in relation to the A350F, launched in Dubai, but relations strained by the issue with the paintwork of Qatar’s A350 aircraft made any progress on the matter unfeasible.
