Qatar Airways orders 5 Boeing 777's

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Business & Investment in Qatar Forum held in New York in the presence of the State of Qatar’s Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani; US Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood; and US Ambassador to Qatar, His Excellency Joseph LeBaron.

The agreement was signed in America’s financial capital by Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker and Boeing sales director Tony Valentine.

The forum was held under the patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Hamad to promote Qatar's emerging role as a political, economic and cultural hub in the Middle East.

Qatar Airways currently operates eight long-range Boeing 777-200LRs, 15 777-300ERs and two 777 freighters. The airline’s 25th Boeing 777 was delivered last week.

Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: “Qatar Airways has made a significant commitment to the 777, an airplane which has become the flagship of our fleet.

“The capacity of the Boeing 777 freighter is unrivalled and its economics make it an attractive addition to our fleet. It’s an opportune time to be introducing more cargo capacity to our fleet. As the State of Qatar and other parts of the region are growing at a phenomenal pace, we are well positioned to take advantage of this growth.”

In November 2007, Qatar Airways placed orders for 32 Boeing 777s, comprising passenger and cargo aircraft. Today, it operates 25 Boeing 777s.

Doha-based Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, operating a modern fleet of 97 aircraft to 100 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America.