DOHA — Qatar Airways, which had threatened to walk away from its 787 order with U.S. planemaker Boeing because of extensive delays to the program, Sunday said it expects to receive the first of the aircraft next September as planned.

“We are going to get our first 787 in the third quarter of next year as scheduled,” Qatar Airways’ Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Doha.

“We’re happy that we’re receiving the airplanes and hope we can receive more.”

Al Baker said the carrier, which has placed a firm order for 30 of the Dreamliners with an option for a further 30, expects to receive three of the aircraft in 2011, but is pushing Boeing to accelerate the delivery schedule for the rest of the airplanes.

Speaking to Dow Jones Newswires last June, Al Baker said Qatar Airways could pull its orders for 787 and 777 aircraft and become an exclusive Airbus customer if Boeing failed to move ahead with the much-delayed Dreamliner program.

“There was a deadline and Boeing are working to meet it,” Al Baker said Sunday. “We are happy now we’re going to receive our airplanes.”

Al Baker declined to comment on whether the airline has received any compensation for the delay.

“That’s an issue between Qatar Airways and Boeing,” he said.

Al Baker was speaking to reporters after a press conference to announce that Qatar Airways plans to develop bio jet fuel for commercial use in partnership with Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Science & Technology Park and Airbus.

“Qatar will be the gas-to-liquid (GTL) capital of the world and hopefully we’ll also be the bio fuel capital of the world,” said Al Baker. “What we’re doing now is independent from the GTL program.”

Al Baker declined to say when the airline plans to use bio fuel to power its aircraft but said the study will be done “with great hurry”.

Qatar Airways in October last year completed the world’s first commercial passenger flight powered by fuel made from natural gas.

Source: business.maktoob.com