Qatar Airways has announced that the carrier has placed the largest aircraft order in its history with manufacturing partner Boeing. As part of its strategic fleet growth plan, the landmark order includes up to 210 Boeing widebody jets – 160 firm and 50 option – which is the largest widebody order and the largest 787 Dreamliner order in the American aerospace company’s history.

Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways has also signed an agreement GE Aerospace for more than 400 engines, including 60 GE9X and 260 GEnx engines, with additional options and spares, to power its next-generation Boeing 777-9 and Boeing 787 aircraft – the largest widebody engine purchase in the history of GE Aerospace. An industry leader, Qatar Airways has been named World’s Best Airline by Skytrax for an unprecedented eight times, and is further investing in its fleet as part of its long-term growth strategy.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “We are happy to announce our agreement with Boeing and our partnership in the largest widebody aircraft order in Boeing’s history and the biggest aircraft order in our history. This is a critical next step for Qatar Airways on our path as we invest in the cleanest, youngest and most efficient fleet in global aviation. This is so we can meet the strong demand in the airline as we seamlessly connect passengers to the world better than anyone.”

He continued: “After two consecutive years of record-breaking commercial performance and with this historic Boeing aircraft order – we’re not simply chasing scale; we’re building strength that will allow us to continue to deliver our unmatched products and customer experiences. We thank our partners at Boeing for answering the call and look forward to a future of continued smart growth together.”

The order includes:

• 130 787 Dreamliners, the long-range, ultra-efficient widebody airplane family that has delivered a 25% fuel-use improvement and superior comfort for passengers.
• 30 777-9s, the world’s largest twin-engine airplane that is designed to set new standards in efficiency by reducing fuel use and emissions by 25% compared to the airplanes it replaces, while elevating the passenger flight experience.
• Options for an additional 50 787 and 777X airplanes.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO, Stephanie Pope, said: “We are deeply honoured that Qatar Airways has placed this record-breaking order with Boeing, one that solidifies their future fleet with our market-leading widebody airplane family at its centre. Our team is looking forward to building 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade as they connect more people and businesses around the world with unmatched efficiency and comfort.”

Qatar Airways currently operates more than 150 Boeing airplanes, including 777 and 787 passenger jets and 777 Freighters. With this new purchase, Qatar Airways will become the largest Dreamliner operator in the Middle East.

The new GE Aerospace agreements solidify the company’s commitment to Qatar’s thriving aviation industry and build on the previous order for 188 GE9X engines, bringing the total to 248 engines. The addition of GEnx engines for the Boeing 787 fleet supplements their existing 124 engine order, further strengthening the national carrier’s commitment to efficiency and performance.  The two deals also include service agreements to cover the maintenance, repair, and overhaul of the GEnx and GE9X engines.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, said: “Our latest agreement with GE Aerospace reflects our confidence in the performance of the GE9X and GEnx engines to power our fleet of Boeing 777-9 and 787 aircraft. These next-generation engines are critical components in our strategy to ensure our fleet remains modern and efficient. Qatar Airways has ambitious plans for the future, and we value our continued partnership with GE Aerospace and their commitment to supporting our operational needs.”

GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO, H. Lawrence Culp, Jr., said: “We are extremely honoured to deepen our relationship with Qatar Airways and grateful to them for placing their trust in us with our largest ever widebody engine deal. Our widebody engines – the GE9X and GEnx – are marvels of modern engineering, with the durability and reliability to power flight across the longest distances. We appreciate President Trump’s support for this historic agreement.”

Qatar Airways has one of the most modern fleets in the industry and these historic orders with Boeing and GE Aerospace will solidify that leadership for years to come.