Qatar Airways issues RFP for new aircraft

In an interview with CNBC, the CEO of Qatar Airways announced on 14 March 2024, that the airline has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to both Airbus and Boeing in which the airline is seeking new aircraft.

The CEO was vague about what kind of aircraft, and how many he was planning to order, but did emphasized the order would be "big" and used to renew and expand its fleet. A timeline for the order also wasn't provided by the CEO and that an order this "big" will take time to go through all the motions.

However, according to Reuters, the order would be for up to 150 aircraft and that the airline will be deciding on ordering additional Airbus A350s and/or Boeing B777Xs.

Today, the Qatar Airways-fleet is made-up of 29 Airbus A320s, three A330-200s, seven A330-300s, 34 A350-900s, 24 A350-1000s, eight A380-800s, nine Boeing B737-8s, seven B777-200LRs, 57 B777-300ERs, 27 B777Fs, 30 B787-8s, and seventeen B787-9s.

The airline currently has open orders with Airbus for 50 A321neos and eighteen A350-1000s, and with Boeing for 25 B737-8s, one B777F, 74 B777Xs, and thirteen B787-9s.

Photo by Airbus.