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Boeing and Qatar Airways have finalised an order for five 777 Freighters at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow.
The deal, valued at $1.7 billion at current list prices, was announced as a commitment in April.
The announcement was attended by the Qatar minister of finance and Qatar Airways chairman, Ali Shareef Al Emadi.
“I am delighted to be further enhancing our cargo fleet and adding five Boeing 777 Freighter aircraft,” said Qatar Airways chief executive, Akbar Al Baker.
“In the past 15 years, Qatar Airways Cargo has grown steadily and globally, becoming the third largest in the world.
“We could not have achieved this success without our resilient relationship with Boeing.”
Speaking to the press at Farnborough, Al Baker added the current blockage of Qatar by its neighbours in the Middle East had boosted its cargo business.
Forced to import food stuffs, medicines and other essentials, the carrier has increased its cargo operations over the past year.
Qatar Airways now operates a fleet of 13 777 Freighters and two 747-8 Freighters.
With this latest order, the airline is set to grow its Boeing Freighter fleet to more than 20 jets.
“We are proud that Qatar Airways recognises the value of the 777 freighter and continues to invest in this aircraft to serve its expanding freight operations,” said Boeing Commercial Airplanes president Kevin McAllister.
“We continue to see a resurgence in the air cargo market and we are confident that Boeing’s industry-leading freighter family is well positioned to meet our customers’ requirements.”
Boeing has now sold 65 widebody freighters in 2018, and more than 180 widebody freighters since the start of 2014, which equates to a 98-per cent share of the market.
In that same time, Boeing has delivered more than 140 wide-body freighters, which translates to a 92 percent share of deliveries.
Source: breakingtravelnews.com
