With reporting from Victoria Scott
In what the national carrier is calling a “milestone” moment, Qatar Airways has received its 24th and 25th Boeing 787 Dreamliners this week.
The delivery comes three years after the airline received its first 787s in 2012, though those were grounded shortly thereafter for several months over safety concerns.
Qatar Airways is now only second to Japan’s All Nippon Airways in having the most 787s in its fleet, according to USA Today.
The carrier expects to receive five more of the aircraft in the coming years, with options to buy 30 additional 787s.
The new planes will be on display at the Dubai Air Show, which began today.
In a statement, the national carrier’s CEO Akbar Al Baker said:
“When we first decided to include the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in our fleet plans, it was a decision purely based on optimal efficiency and providing the very latest in aircraft cabin aerodynamics and features.
Our passengers have been very pleased with the inflight experience, and it is a welcome addition to our fleet that in total flies to 152 destinations globally.”
Narrow seats
The 787 has bigger windows compared to other planes, and is fitted with digital tinting rather than blinds. The cabin also has higher humidity than is normal to improve passenger comfort.
However, at 17.2 inches the carrier offers one of the smallest economy seats of all 787 operating airlines.
This continues to be a sticking point for many aviation buffs, some of whom tried out the newest Dreamliner’s seats last week.
. @AirlineFlyer getting a sales pitch on the economy product from @qatarairways GCEO Akbar Al Baker. #paxex #AvGeek pic.twitter.com/vrgAUjal91
— Seth Miller (@WandrMe) November 4, 2015
Qatar Airways claims econo seat on 787 is "exactly the same" as A350. Not true. Seat width is not the same. #PaxEx https://t.co/v3ZSwKDyEo
— Runway Girl Network (@RunwayGirl) November 5, 2015
@RunwayGirl @jonk @WandrMe nope pic.twitter.com/KBUHfjTSsl
— Jason Rabinowitz (@AirlineFlyer) November 4, 2015
Separately, many of the airline’s 777 fleet have recently been redesigned to incorporate ten-across seating in economy, which at 17 inches brings it in line with the Dreamliner’s narrower seats.
At the time, aviation experts called the move a cost-cutting measure.
But the carrier said it had decided to add the extra seating in the economy cabin due to “ever-increasing passenger demand across a range of Qatar Airways routes coupled with new developments in slimline seating.”
The carrier’s 787s fly to Tokyo, Stockholm, Munich and Delhi, among other cities, and will also be used for the new Doha-Birmingham route in March 2016.
Thoughts?