Tuesday, Nov 15, 2011
--Order to bring airline's 777 freighter fleet to eight on delivery
--Planes will help carrier add three new dedicated freighter services
(Adds details.)
By Alex Delmar-Morgan
Of ZAWYA DOW JONES
DUBAI (Zawya Dow Jones)--Qatar Airways has placed an order with Boeing Co. (BA) for two Boeing 777 freighter aircraft valued at $560 million, increasing the Gulf carrier's fleet of that plane to eight once delivered.
"As we accelerate efforts to boost our global cargo network, we are expanding our fleet with airplanes like the Boeing 777 freighter that allow us to deliver cargo further and more efficiently than ever before," Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways' chief executive officer, said in an emailed statement released by Boeing during the Dubai Air Show.
Al Baker said the fleet expansion would enable Qatar Airways to launch three new dedicated freighter services to Atlanta, Houston and Toronto, from its hubs in Doha and Luxembourg.
Qatar Airways currently operates 28 Boeing 777s of various types, including 16 extended range 777-300ERs, three 777 freighters and nine 777-200LRs, according to the statement.
-By Alex Delmar-Morgan, Dow Jones Newswires; +974 6659 9818; alex.delmar-morgan@dowjones.com
Copyright (c) 2011 Dow Jones & Co.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
15-11-11 0946GMT
