Qatar Airways Upgrades A320neo Order

Airbus announced an upgraded Qatar Airways order, as the Middle East carrier swapped its existing 50-plane A320neo deal for 50 of the larger A321neos.

The A321s, due to be delivered from 2019, are worth USD$6.35 billion at list prices.

Qatar Air said in a tweet that it was “delighted to announce that it has reconfirmed and upsized an order to buy 50 Airbus A321neos.”

As well as the Airbus model switch, Qatar has opted for CFM International LEAP-1A engines rather than the competing Pratt & Whitney PW1100G geared turbofans in its previous order.

The Pratt & Whitney engines have suffered a number of reliability issues which caused significant delivery delays for A320neos, although updated engines are now being supplied to Airbus and deliveries are recovering.

“To answer our need for growth and additional capacity, the A321neo ACF is a world-class choice for our passengers and for our business. Qatar Airways is the fastest growing airline in the world and with this aircraft we will operate the youngest fleet whilst delivering unprecedented comfort and services to our customers,” Qatar chief executive Akbar Al Baker said.

The A321neo ACF (Airbus Cabin Flex configuration) includes door and fuselage changes that allow airlines to make better use of cabin space and provides additional fuel capacity for extended range.