We want to showcase the latest addition to our fleet to the discerning visitors to the air show which is one of the most important fairs for the aviation industry, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker said.
Qatar Airways, as part of its ambitious growth plan, is to raise an exclusive fleet of eight Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Also on display at the Farnborough show was Qatar Airways` Airbus Corporate Jetliner (ACJ) A319, for which the airline was the launch customer. Qatar Airways, Qatar`s national carrier, is also a launch customer for the Airbus super jumbo A380. Qatar Airways had taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200 in May this year and the aircraft is being successfully operated on regional routes as well as the London-Doha sector. Designed to provide the best in comfort and safety, the A330-200 aircraft has found wide acceptance among passengers, travelling in both the economy as well as the upper classes.
The new aircraft will be operated on the European destinations including Frankfurt and Milan. The A330 seats 235 passengers in a first, business and economy class configuration. Qatar Airways has charted an ambitious growth plan to double its fleet strength from the current 16 to 30 and to raise the number of destinations from 35 to over 60 by the end of 2004. Qatar Airways, which started operations in 1994, was re-launched in 1997 with a new corporate identity. Since then, the airline has crossed one milestone after another, creating many records and setting new standards in the air travel industry.
Today, the airline has diversified to own and operate divisions like the Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Duty Free, Qatar Distribution Company, Qatar Holidays and the newly-formed Qatar Catering Company. Qatar Airways had successfully executed a project last year to expand facilities at the Doha International Airport. Work on revamping the arrival terminal is currently underway at a cost of $20 m. Qatar Airways will be building the new Doha International Airport, located to the east of the present airport, at a cost of $1 billion. The new airport will be ready before 2006, in time for the Asian Games that Qatar will be hosting.
Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, has the distinction of operating an all-Airbus fleet. Currently the airline has a fleet of 16 aircraft including 7 Airbus A300-600R, 7 Airbus A320, one A330-200 and one Airbus Corporate jetliner ACJ319.
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