19 September 2014 12:00 am Views - 5750
The A350, for which Qatar Airways is the global launch customer, will make its debut alongside two other major aircraft in the fleet. It is scheduled to join the airline’s fleet at the end of this year.
Overall, Qatar Airways will have on display at Farnborough an Airbus A350, A320 and a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The A350 will feature in the flying display, while the latter two will be on static display.
Commenting on the three aircraft on display at Farnborough, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways is determined to bring the best quality flying experience to its passengers and those at the 2014 Farnborough Air Show will get a flavour of what is to come. These aircraft symbolise our dynamic growth and our constant focus on world-class quality.
“The Farnborough Air Show has been a long-standing, key event on Qatar Airways’ calendar, and we look forward to a highly successful week.”
Static displays of military and civilian aircraft will be a key feature of the show as well as the hallmark afternoon flying programme in which the A350 is scheduled to participate.
Now in its advanced flight test programme phase, the efficient A350 XWB airliners are scheduled to enter into commercial service in the fourth quarter of 2014. Qatar Airways has ordered 80 aircraft to date, leaning towards the larger A350-900 and A350-1000 models, which better suit its business model and passenger requirements.
The A350 XWB is a family of mid-sized wide-body airliners designed to enhance fuel, operating costs and environmental efficiencies during medium-to-long haul airline operations. Featuring the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies, these highly efficient aircraft provide better fuel efficiency of up to 25 percent. Over 70 percent of the A350 XWB’s weight-efficient airframe is made from advanced materials combining composites (53 percent), titanium and advanced aluminium alloys. The aircraft’s innovative all-new Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) fuselage results in lower fuel burn as well as easier maintenance.
The 787 Dreamliner at the Show has a two-cabin configuration, comprising of 22 seats in Business Class and 232 Economy Class seats with a high standard of comfort on board, including individual 10.5 inch television screens for all Economy Class seats and a full complimentary food and beverage service.
The A320-200 has 12 Business Class seats, 132 Economy Class seats and on-demand audio video at every seat. Qatar Airways is in the middle of a major investment programme upgrading its A320 aircraft to include a 180-degree lie flat-bed, new 15.4 inch smart monitors and touch-screen remote control handsets as well as power, USB ports and connectivity for smart devices. The enhanced A320 aircraft will operate on the Vienna, Tunis, Milan, Rome, Geneva and Maldives routes.
Qatar Airways, the State of Qatar’s national airline, has seen rapid growth in just 17 years of operation, to the point where today it is flying a modern fleet of 134 aircraft to 144 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.