From left: Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker, Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner, and Qatar’s Ambassador to the United States, Mohamed bin Abdulla Al Rumaihi, at Boeing’s Seattle headquarters yesterday. RIGHT: Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker with media personnel on board the 787 Dreamliner.
Seattle, USA: Qatar Airways has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner at a special ceremony held at the US aircraft manufacturer’s Seattle headquarters.
A Boeing hangar was the fitting venue for the official handing over of the aircraft to Qatar Airways, a ceremony watched by scores of airline management, Boeing executives and both local and international media. Guest of honour was Qatar’s Ambassador to the United States, Mohamed bin Abdulla Al Rumaihi.
The event was followed by a celebratory dinner where employees from both Boeing and Qatar Airways were honoured for their dedication and commitment, working together on the 787 project. The airline’s first Dreamliner was scheduled to take off from Seattle for Doha later that evening arriving in Qatar today.
The delivery marks a milestone in Middle East aviation with Qatar Airways becoming the first airline from the region to take delivery of the 787. The Doha-based carrier has 60 Dreamliners on order with deliveries planned over the next few weeks, months and years. Space, comfort and luxury are key features of the aircraft with Qatar Airways having pushed the boundaries in air travel to create a unique onboard 787 travel experience. The seat design is revolutionary and proprietary to Qatar Airways, which worked closely with the manufacturer to have custom-made seats fitted on the aircraft.
The aircraft is also the world’s first 787 to be fully connected with wireless facilities enabling all passengers in both business and economy cabins to remain connected with the ground through Wi-Fi and GSM telephony options. The fully interactive in-flight entertainment system offers more than 1,000 video and audio options to every passenger.
Addressing guests at the Seattle ceremony, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said the newest aircraft type to join the airline’s fleet since 2007 represented a momentous occasion as the company entered a new chapter in its remarkable history.
Boeing Commercial Airplanes President and CEO Ray Conner said: “There is no doubt in my mind that Qatar Airways is one of the most remarkable airline success stories of our time and it is only fitting that it has taken delivery of the most technologically advanced jetliner of our time.
Made from composite materials, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is the first mid-size airplane capable of flying long-range routes.
Qatar Airways’ customers will experience cabin environment improvements such as improved lighting, bigger windows, larger overhead bins, lower cabin altitude and enhanced ventilation systems, among other features.
Qatar Airways’ new 787s feature a total of 254 seats in a two-class configuration of 22 in Business Class and 232 in Economy.
The Peninsula
