DUBAI – Qatar Airways’ CEO has again criticised Boeing over delays to the plane maker’s 787 Dreamliner and threatened to walk away from a 60-aircraft order.

Akbar al-Baker said in comments aired on Thursday that he will “cancel the orders” if deliveries slip any further.

“I am not playing with words … I want my aircraft earlier … We gave them ultimatum to accept the conditions because they have been continuously delaying the delivery,” he told British broadcaster the BBC.

“If this is the way they treat customers they will not only miss me but other countries as well.”

Qatar Airways has firm orders for 30 787s and options for 30 more.

Baker has been an outspoken critic of the delays to the 787, which is already two years behind its original schedule.

The aircraft was set to fly in the second quarter of 2009, but as yet has still to take its first test flight.

Baker in June threatened to become an exclusive Airbus customer and pull its 787 and 777 orders over delivery delays, saying “the writing is in the wall for Boeing and they don’t care”.

Baker said later that month Qatar Airways expects to receive its first four 787s by the end of 2011 and its entire order of 30 planes by 2015.

Sources: business.maktoob.com