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Qatar Airways inducts the first of Boeing 777

— Photo: AFP

The first-ever Boeing aircraft 777 delivered to the state-owned Qatar Airways at the Doha airport on Friday.

DOHA: Qatar Airways, with a fleet of 59 aircraft and coverage of 79 global destinations, views India as an important hub in view of the long historical and economic ties between the two countries, its Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said here on Thursday.

Addressing an international delegation of mediapersons, invited by the airlines to witness the ‘water salute’ and induction of new Boeing 777 aircraft, Mr. Al Baker said he would talk to the Indian authorities about expanding flight operations.

One of the youngest and fastest-growing airlines in the world, Qatar Airways operates 44 flights to seven destinations in India. Ahmedabad, its eighth destination, will be connected on December 12. Operations to Chennai were launched on March 24.

The airline came into existence in 1994, and Mr. Al Baker was appointed CEO by the Emir of Qatar in 1996 with a mandate to focus on service and take the airlines to the major league.

The growth rate of the airlines was unprecedented in world aviation history. From being a regional airline in 1994, with four planes and a handful of routes, Qatar Airways now owns 59 aircraft, including the elite Boeing 777 inducted on Thursday.

By 2015, the airline will have a fleet of 110 aircraft, almost double its existing size. It has placed orders for 80 Airbus A350s, 60 Boeing 787s and 32 Boeing 777s.

Boeing’s senior vice-president for Middle East and Africa sales, Lee D. Monson, said India and China accounted for a big chunk of its orders, with the latter accounting for a slightly higher number of aircraft.

Reiterating that Boeing was not interested in the small aircraft segment, he said that with demand increasing there was pressure on the company’s ability to build the required numbers.

Describing the under-research gas-to-liquid technology as a “radical shift” from the existing aviation turbine fuel-based technology, Mr. Monson said he expected results in three to five years.

Updesh Kapur, Senior Media Relations Officer, said Qatar Airlines was considered a national asset and a national icon by the government, and that Mr. Al Baker was chosen to “lead the airlines into a new era.”

Aiming to position Doha as the Middle East region’s aviation hub, the Emirate of Qatar has taken up an ambitious $5.5 billion New Doha International Airport project. Also, Qatar wants to host the Olympics in 2016.

The first phase of the new facility, work on which was commenced in June 2005, aims at handling 12 million passengers annually. While this phase is expected to be ready by 2009, the airport would become fully operational by 2015.

An important feature of the ongoing project was the “reclamation” of land from the Arabian Gulf. About 60 per cent of the 2,200-hectare land had been reclaimed, said Mr. Kapur.

The new facility is situated about 4 km from the existing airport. The five-star airline boasts of a $100 million premium terminal at Doha.

Scheduled to be dismantled or put to other uses by 2009, the facility offers spa, jacuzzi, sauna, lounge and business centre to business and first class passengers.

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Qatar Airways inducts the first of Boeing 777

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