DOHA: Qatar has taken full control of its national airline Qatar Airways. “We became fully government-owned in July last year,” airline CEO Akbar Al Baker said at a news conference in Dubai yesterday, Reuters reported.
Baker declined to comment on the amount paid for the stakes by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) or to speculate on what triggered the change in ownership.
Al Baker said that after the ownership change, the airline planned to announce its 2013 financial results before the third quarter of the year.
“We are a very profitable airline. We don’t announce the results because we are private and publicly held in the past. Now we will announce profits”, Reuters quoted Al Baker as saying.
The Peninsula
Doha: Akbar Al Baker, Chief Executive Officer, Qatar Airways, yesterday announced that Qatar’s national airline is expected to get its first A380 by early June.
“Qatar Airways is making news yet again with the newly opened Hamad International Airport and the anticipated arrival of the airline’s first A380 early next month. This is indeed an exciting year and a new chapter for Qatar Airways as we will move our entire hub operations to Hamad International Airport on May 27,” said Al Baker on the opening day of Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which is Middle East’s major travel show held in Dubai every year. “We also eagerly await the delivery of the world’s largest passenger jet and have no doubts that our new A380s will play a key role in our strategic expansion plans, and will help expand the onboard capacity — in the full comfort and luxury that our passengers expect,” he added.
The airline’s new A380 luxury First Class seats are a key feature on its exhibition stand at ATM this week providing travel professionals from around the world with an opportunity to sample the seats and amenities. Featuring a tri-class configuration of seating in First, Business and Economy, over two decks, the A380 is the largest passenger jet in the world and will provide a superior traveller experience to the airline’s customers.
Al Baker introduced A380’s new First Class seat to the Middle East for the first time. The product offers a seat pitch just over 2.2 metres long and can be converted into a fully flat bed. In addition, the seat unit, the widest in the industry, allows for access to a 26-inch screen with a variety of entertainment options. There is also a privacy screen, increased personal storage as well as the ability for two passengers to sit across from each other while dining.
Qatar Airways has plans to significantly expand its fleet with 300 additional aircraft, worth more than $60bn, on order including, 80 Airbus A350s, 13 Airbus A330 Freighters, 60 Boeing 787s, 13 Boeing 777s (including freighters), 50 Boeing 777x, 80 Airbus A320s Neos and 13 Airbus A380-800s.
The airline is also the first Airbus customer to receive the newly launched Airbus A350 long-range, twin-engine, wide-bodied jet. This new airliner represents the latest generation of passenger aircraft, designed for optimised fuel consumption, lower operating costs, and increased environmental efficiencies. Qatar Airways’ first A350 was showcased at the Singapore Air Show after a high-profile delivery event at the Hamad International Airport, Doha, Qatar, earlier this year.
The Peninsula
