Qatar Air CEO calls Dreamliner 'garbage'
Qatar Airways Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al-Baker attacked Boeing Co. over the latest delay to the 787 Dreamliner and said Bombardier Inc. needs to quickly resolve issues with its CSeries jet, while suggesting that his company may be an early buyer for an upgraded Airbus SAS A320.
The Dreamliner program has “very clearly failed,” Al-Baker said today after Chicago-based Boeing announced that it would revise the 787's schedule following a fire on a test-version of the jet that's already almost three years behind plan.
“I was really taken aback by the 787 program,” the CEO said at a press briefing in Paris. “We never expected that a program could be delayed so much by a company like Boeing that prides itself on bringing very high-quality product.”
Qatar Air's talks about an order for the Bombardier CSeries model, which has outline contracts from only three customers, are stalled on “commercially sensitive issues,” Al-Baker said, adding that he expects Airbus to announce a re-engined version of its single-aisle A320, dubbed the Neo, sometime this year.
“We may be one of the launch customers for the Neo,” the executive said. While Qatar might still be interested in the CSeries for “certain destinations,” an order for the Airbus plane “would limit that requirement,” he said.
Montreal-based Bombardier has blamed the sluggish global economy for its CSeries order drought. United Technologies Corp.'s Pratt & Whitney unit, which is providing the plane's engines, said Sept. 17 it aimed to iron out a “misunderstanding” that prompted Qatar to delay an order for as many as 30 planes.
“We have issues with the CSeries and these issues still have not been resolved,” Al-Baker said. “If they do not roll up their sleeves very fast the Neo will eclipse them.”
‘Garbage'
At Boeing, Al-Baker said that the Dreamliner glitches, which have included parts shortages, redesign work, supplier problems and challenges from new materials, result in part from overly stringent cost controls. Qatar has ordered 30 787s.
“When you put a company in the hands of accountants you will always get garbage out, because you are always doing sums on how to save money,” the CEO said. A Boeing spokesman in London declined to immediately comment.
Qatar Air is interested in buying more Airbus A380s, according to Al-Baker, but might delay its existing order for five superjumbos if the Toulouse-based company fails to deliver required enhancements in weight, fuel efficiency and range.
“I'm confident Airbus will make the improvements needed,” he said, without elaborating on the required gains. “If they don't then we will ask for another delay.”
Emirates CEO Tim Clark said yesterday he expects Airbus to pare about 2 metric tons a batch of A380s that the Dubai-based carrier is due to receive from September next year. Qatar's first plane isn't scheduled for delivery until 2013.
Al-Baker said Airbus must be “vigilant” in avoiding delays on its A350 program that would allow an upgraded Boeing 777 to steal market share.