(MENAFN- Gulf Times)

* On Monday, Qatar Airways ordered up to 50 777-8 Freighters, expanding its commitment to the Boeing 777X family; first delivery of new freighter expected in 2027 Qatar Airways’ new $20 billion freighter contract will help the national carrier capitalize on the dynamic air cargo market and cement its position as one of the largest freight carriers in the world.
On Monday, Qatar Airways ordered up to 50 777-8 Freighters, expanding its commitment to the Boeing 777X family.
Qatar Airways will be the launch customer for the 777-8 Freighter with a firm order for 34 jets and options for 16 more.
The first delivery of the new freighter is scheduled for 2027, Qatar Airways said.
The Boeing 777-8 Freighter will be the world’s largest freighter jet with the largest payload capacity and a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency, emissions and operating costs.
Featuring the advanced technology of the new 777X family and the proven performance of the market-leading 777 Freighter, the 777-8 Freighter will be the largest, longest and most capable twin-engine freighter in the industry.
With nearly the same payload capacity as the 747-400 Freighter and a 25% improvement in fuel efficiency, emissions and operating costs, the 777-8 Freighter will enable a more sustainable and profitable business for the operators.
About half of the world’s freight by value travels by air, and in turn half of that typically goes in the belly of passenger planes.
During the pandemic, many airlines have been forced to park idle passenger planes, driving up demand for cargo space at a time when e-commerce was a lifeline for many.
Qatar Airways Cargo is the world’s leading cargo air carrier, playing a pivotal role throughout the pandemic in supporting the continuity of global trade and the movement of essential supplies.
From April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021, the carrier helped transport more than 500,000 tonnes of medical equipment, PPE and aid, according to Qatar Airways’ annual report.
While global air cargo capacity dropped significantly at the start of the pandemic, Qatar Airways Cargo continued to operate its entire freighter fleet, as well as hold flights and passenger freighters to maintain global supply chains.
With the pandemic leading to a substantial drop in demand for international passengers, the airline’s cargo business has contributed significantly to Qatar Airways Group’s revenue streams, maintaining the commercial viability of many of the airline’s global passenger routes. .
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, HE Akbar al-Baker, said: “Boeing has a long history of building market-leading cargo aircraft and Qatar Airways is honored to have the opportunity to be the customer. launch of the 777-8 Freighter, an aircraft that not only allow us to further improve our product offering for our customers, but also help us achieve our goals to deliver a sustainable future for our business.
“Today marks a great day in the ever closer and stronger relationship between Qatar Airways and Boeing. We certainly push Boeing to meet our expectations, and the Boeing team is constantly striving to meet and exceed our expectations, which gives us the opportunity to be here today to launch the most important new cargo aircraft in a generation.

Last update: February 03, 2022 22:56

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