Qatar Airways orders dozens of Dreamliners

Qatar Airways has unveiled an order for up to 92 Boeing aircraft, including as many as 60 of the manufacturer's 787 Dreamliner model.

Qatar's national carrier has placed firm orders for 30 Boeing 787-8s with options on a further 30, and 27 Boeing 777s with options on a further five. Deliveries of the Dreamliners will run from 2010 until 2014.

During a press conference hosted by the airline's chief executive Akbar al-Baker, it emerged that 22 of the 777s had been ordered some two years ago, with the order kept under wraps until now. Qatar Airways will receive the first of these planes later in November with delivery continuing until 2010.

Al-Baker revealed that the forthcoming airport in Doha, scheduled to open in 2010, will have dedicated facilities to cater for the Dreamliner.

"It will form the core of our fleet for the next decade," he said.

Looking ahead, he suggested further huge orders could be expected from the company in the coming years, revealing his intention to retain aircraft for no longer than six years and to continually refresh the fleet. However, he stressed that the airline's expansion was meeting a need for new capacity in the market and was founded on a robust economic strategy.

"We are not buying planes because we are competing with somebody or to match the spending plans of someone else," he said.

He said the new order does not impact on the company intention to break even in 2010 or 2011, and reaffirmed the company's intention to float after three consecutive years of profitable financial results.