Al-Baker told the press in Paris that Qatar Airways“is on very good terms with Airbus.”
Qatar Airways will be “phasing out” the Airbus A380’s over the next couple of years as it continues to recieve the A350 deliveries, Simple Flying reported on Tuesday, citing CEO Akbar Al Baker.
“We have already taken impairment on those A380s, and of course, eventually, over a period of time, we will then ground them again. Out of the 10, only eight are now back in service. Two are still on the ground, which we don’t intend to use,” Al Baker told the press at the Paris Air Show.
He added: “It will be phased out as we receive airplanes. The A350s were also for fleet replacement. So, the A380s will have to be taken off gradually over a couple of years.”
The Qatari flag carrier had grounded its A380’s fleet at the onset of the Covid-19 outbreak in favour of what it described as the “more fuel-efficient, twin-engine” jet.
However, the fleet went back into operation in 2021 “due to ongoing capacity shortage” amid a major dispute between Qatar Airways and Airbus over surface degradation of the A350 fleet.
Al-Baker said at the time that the move “does not signify a permanent reintroduction of our A380 fleet”. The Qatar Airways CEO made similar remarks last year on the aircraft, describing it as his “biggest mistake”.
Then in February, Qatar Airways and Airbus managed to reach “an amicable and mutually agreeable settlement” in the years-long aviation dispute. In March, Airbus revived a 73-aircraft order with Qatar Airways that had been cancelled during the court battle.
Al-Baker told the press in Paris that Qatar Airways“is on very good terms with Airbus.”
Earlier this month, Al-Baker announced that the upcoming long-haul aircraft will not include first-class cabins as the airline’s business-class already provides similar amenities.
The airline believes that its business class can adequately meet passengers’ requirements, challenging the notion that first class is the ultimate in luxury.
