Tag Archives: Qatar Airways

Business

Airbus Revives Order From Qatar Airways Following Paint-Dispute Settlement

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LONDON—

Airbus

EADSY 2.36%

SE agreed to revive orders for close to 75 aircraft from Qatar Airways after reaching a settlement with the Middle East airline over a long-running dispute about chipping paint on its A350 wide-body models.

A spokesman for Airbus said it would now go ahead with delivering 50 A321 narrow-bodies and 23 remaining A350 twin-aisles previously ordered by Qatar.

The orders had been scrapped as part of an escalating, multibillion-dollar legal battle over the paint issue, which the airline had claimed could pose a safety concern. Airbus repeatedly denied the claims.

Airbus and Qatar Airways earlier Wednesday said in a joint statement that they had reached an “amicable and mutually agreeable settlement” in relation to the legal dispute. The companies didn’t disclose the details of the settlement other than to say the agreement didn’t amount to an admission of liability from either party. A program to repair the degradation on Qatar’s current fleet is under way, the companies added.

Qatar Airways had previously grounded 29 of its A350 jets and refused new deliveries over the issue, reducing its capacity amid a surge in travel to Doha for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The airline has said the peeling paint was exposing the meshed copper foil that is designed to protect the aircraft from lightning strikes.

That led Qatar Airways to initiate legal proceedings against Airbus in London, in which the carrier had sought damages partly based on the impact on its operations from not being able to use the aircraft. A possible trial had been scheduled for later this year.

While the paint issue has also affected other A350s in service at other Airbus customers, only Qatar Airways had taken the step to unilaterally ground the aircraft. Airbus and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, which oversees the Toulouse, France-based plane maker, have insisted that the issue is only cosmetic.

The situation had led to a broad fallout between Airbus and one of its biggest customers. In August, Airbus ended all new business with Qatar Airways, canceling contracts valued at more than $13 billion according to the latest available list prices and before the hefty discounts plane makers typically give to customers.

After Airbus canceled a deal to sell Qatar Airways 50 of its A321 jets, the Gulf carrier ordered up to 50 of rival

Boeing Co.

’s 737 MAX 10 single-aisle jets within two weeks. Qatar Airways had previously canceled most of an existing MAX order in 2020 after receiving five of the planes.

Airbus lawyers alleged that Qatar Airways had exaggerated concerns about the issue in an attempt to claim compensation and refuse delivery of aircraft that it didn’t need as the pandemic hit demand for air travel. The plane maker complained in court that the airline and its regulator, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, had failed to provide documentation that showed the technical justifications behind grounding the aircraft.

Qatar Airways has said it provided images of the damage, which it purported showed the scale of the issue and the potential safety risk.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive

Akbar Al Baker

has long had a reputation as a tough customer, publicly lashing out at both Airbus and Boeing when he perceives delivery or quality issues.

Write to Benjamin Katz at ben.katz@wsj.com

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Business

Qatar Airways’ $1 Billion Lawsuit Over Peeling Paint On Planes

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Qatar Airways, Airbus have been fighting in the British courts for months over the issue

Doha:

The head of Qatar Airways on Tuesday accused plane-maker Airbus of acting like a “bully” as their billion-dollar dispute over peeling paint looked no closer to a resolution.

The airline and leading plane-maker have been fighting in the British courts for months over the paint problem that seen Qatar Airways ground 23 A350 jets.

“If things were settled, we wouldn’t be still waiting for the trial to happen next year,” Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker said at the International Air Transport Association annual general meeting in Doha.

“A manufacturer must never be allowed to use their market dominance to bully their long-standing customer.”

Both sides said they hoped to reach a negotiated settlement after their latest hearing in May, when a London high court judge agreed to a speeded-up trial schedule.

Qatar Airways is demanding about $1 billion in damages over the peeling paintwork, which it says is a threat to the A350’s lightning conductor.

Last year, the airline grounded part of its fleet of A350s and demanded $200,000 in damages per day for each plane out of action.

Airbus responded by cancelling an order worth more than $6 billion for 50 A321s from Qatar Airways, the Middle East’s second biggest carrier and one of its biggest clients.

When asked for a reaction to Baker’s comments, Airbus told AFP: “The best solution is a negotiated one and this is what Airbus is seeking.”

Airbus chief executive Guillaume Faury earlier told reporters the French manufacturer was in discussions “all the time” with Qatar Airways.

“We have this situation to resolve and it takes time. It takes time and sweat, and I’m very frustrated to be in this situation,” he said on Sunday.

“I don’t like to be in this situation with customers, that’s very clear, that’s why we’re trying to work out a solution moving forward. But it’s difficult.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Business

Air safety site lists 20 best airlines in the world

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Travelers who are on the fence about flying again may want to check out a new list of the world’s best airlines.

The airline safety website AirlineRatings.com published its list of “Top Airlines in the World,” which traditionally ranks carriers by safety, in-flight service, passenger comfort and flight routes.

But this year, new judging criteria are shaking up the rankings. For the first time, airlines are being judged in part by how they responded to the Covid-19 global pandemic.

“Covid impacted the ratings in two ways,” said AirlineRatings.com Editor-in-Chief Geoffrey Thomas. “Airlines had to be Covid-compliant to our standards to be considered, and we deleted profitability as a criterion this year.”

And the winner is…

Qatar Airways took the No. 1 spot this year, named “Airline of the Year” by the website.

The Doha-based carrier was awarded the top prize due to its cabin innovation, in-flight service and “dedication and commitment to continue to operate throughout the Covid pandemic,” according to the site’s announcement on July 20.

Doha-based Qatar Airways was launched in the mid-1990s and currently flies to more than 140 destinations.

Courtesy of Qatar Airways

Qatar Airways also introduced industry firsts, AirlineRatings.com said, such as being the first to complete the International Air Transport Association’s safety audit and among the first to trial its Covid Safe Travel Pass.

Qatar Airways also has one of the world’s youngest fleets, the announcement said.

The rest of the list

Here’s the full list, following by each airline’s position last year:

1. Qatar Airways (9)

2. Air New Zealand (1)

3. Singapore Airlines (2)

4. Qantas (4)

5. Emirates (6)

6. Cathay Pacific (5)

7. Virgin Atlantic (7)

8. United Airlines (N/A)

9. EVA Air (8)

10. British Airways (17)

11. Lufthansa (11)

12. ANA, or All Nippon Airways (3)

13. Finnair (12)

14. Japan Airlines (13)

15. KLM (14)

16. Hawaiian Airlines (16)

17. Alaska Airlines (18)

18. Virgin Australia (10)

19. Delta Air Lines (19)

20. Etihad Airways (20)

Most carriers maintained a similar position as they did in the 2020 list. Still, Qatar Airways jumped eight places to clinch the top spot, a position typically dominated by Air New Zealand.

“Air New Zealand has been our ‘Airline of the Year’ in six of the last eight years because of its outstanding innovation and cabin service,” Thomas said.

Qatar Airways’ much-lauded Qsuites, which feature double beds and privacy panels to create a private room, have earned the airline “Best Business Class” accolades for three years in a row.

Courtesy of Qatar Airways

British Airways jumped seven places in the rankings to No. 10, while United leaped to No. 8, after not making the 2020 list at all.

Only airlines with seven safety stars are considered for the annual list. That rating is based on crash history, pilot-related incidents, government audits — and now Covid protocols, such as social distancing, aircraft cleaning and masked cabin crew.

Fewer than 150 of the 350-some airlines evaluated by AirlineRatings.com have seven stars. Eight airlines have just one star, according to the website.

The company said rankings, which are judged by the website’s editors, also consider airline service, staff engagement and passenger feedback.

Excellence Awards

Individual carriers are also singled out for “Airline Excellence Awards” for superior service and products. This year’s awards went to:

Best first class: Singapore Airlines

Best business class: Qatar Airways

Best premium economy class: Air New Zealand

Best economy class: Air New Zealand

Best low-cost airline in Asia-Pacific: Jetstar

Best low-cost airline in Europe: EasyJet

Best low-cost airline in the Americas: Southwest

Best ultra-low-cost airline: Vietjet Air          

Best regional airline: Qantas

Best cabin crew: Virgin Australia

Best lounges: Qantas

In-flight catering award: Qatar

In-flight entertainment award: Emirates

Separately, AirlineRatings.com issues an annual “Top Twenty Safest Airlines” list that analyzes crash records and safety compliance. Next year, it too will factor in Covid compliance measures by the airlines, said Thomas.

That list is expected in January 2022.  

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Business

Ticket? Passport? Add a Covid Vaccination Card to the List of Must-Have Travel Documents

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LONDON—The world’s airlines are betting on vaccinations to restart international travel.

Two of Europe’s biggest airlines, British Airways and budget carrier Ryanair Holdings PLC, have started allowing fliers to provide Covid-19 vaccination and test-result details alongside personal data, like passport numbers and visa information, during bookings. The airlines say the move will eventually help passengers show they have been inoculated when landing at destinations that have started to welcome vaccinated travelers.

Across the U.S., domestic travel is picking up amid stabilizing or falling Covid-19 cases and a relatively quick vaccination drive. That rebound isn’t yet happening with international traffic, where a patchwork of travel bans, quarantine rules and testing requirements have stymied cross-border flights.

U.S. domestic carriers have increased scheduled capacity by more than 50% between September and March, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Global capacity across all international routes, meanwhile, has increased just a little over 7%.

British Airways, Ryanair and other airlines dependent on international travel are hoping to boost ticket sales by capitalizing on nascent optimism over vaccinations. Their move isn’t quite the sort of vaccination passport that some governments and international agencies are exploring to help unlock pandemic-stricken economies. Countries have considered documents that would allow vaccinated residents to visit bars and restaurants, or go to the office or a sporting event.

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