Qatar Airways signs contract with EADS EFW for conversion of A300-600 Freighter
First all-cargo aircraft to join fleet in May 2003
Doha/Dresden/Farnborough, 24 July 2002
Qatar Airways is to acquire its first freighter aircraft, which will join the fleet in May 2003. The airline has agreed to purchase an A300-600R passenger aircraft which will be converted to freighter configuration in early 2003 at EADS EFW (Elbe Flugzeugwerke GmbH) in Dresden, Germany. EFW is the core conversion facility for Airbus freighter aircraft within EADS.
The airline operates an all-Airbus fleet including seven A300-600 and seven A320 and its first A330-200 entered service on the Doha to Heathrow route in late May. A second A330 joins the fleet in July with three more on order for delivery in 2003 and 2004.
On hand for today's announcement at Farnborough Airshow was Qatar Airways CEO, Akbar Al Baker, his Cargo Manager Systemwide, Rohan Alce, and EFW President and CEO, Dr. Dierk Minke.
Chief Executive Officer, Akbar Al Baker said: "The addition of freighter aircraft to our fleet is a natural step in the development of Qatar Airways as a major Middle East airline with a growing international route structure. Cargo features prominently in Qatar Airways' strategy and we view this freighter as the first of several required to establish Doha as a regional cargo hub. EADS EFW, a sister company of Airbus Industrie, is a natural choice for the conversion of our first freighter aircraft."
Rohan Alce, Cargo Manager Systemwide said: "We conducted an initial study last year which showed that a medium-haul freighter is required by Qatar Airways to complement the hold capacity of our passenger aircraft fleet." Mr Alce added: "This is an exciting development for Qatar Airways and will enable us to offer a major increase in cargo capacity in key markets in Europe, south-west Asia and Africa.
The nine-month project lead time from aircraft purchase to introduction into service will give us an opportunity to optimise the aircraft's operating pattern in order to maximize system benefits. Our new freighter will clearly further enhance the excellent relationship Qatar Airways has with shippers and forwarders."
Dr. Dierk Minke, President & CEO of EADS EFW, welcomed Qatar Airways as EFW's 17th customer and as first customer in the Middle East region: "It is a source of great pride for us that Qatar Aiways, which is an all-Airbus operator, has renewed its confidence in our products and selected our OEM-solution for the conversion of their A300-600R into freighter configuration".
The first flight of the A300-600 was successfully performed in Dresden last December. As of today, EADS EFW already has 19 A300-600 conversions under contract, three have already been delivered. So far, EADS has delivered 95 converted Airbus aircraft with a total of 122 conversions under contract.
Qatar Airways is considered one of the fastest growing airlines in the Middle East. It currently has sixteen aircraft and it flies to thirty five different destinations worldwide.
The national carrier was established in 1994 and has been restructured in 1997 with a whole new corporate identity. The carrier has developed other division to complement its major objectives such as: Qatar Holidays, Qatar Duty Free shops, Qatar Aircraft Catering Company and Qatar Aviation Services, a ground handling Company at Doha International Airport.
Qatar Airways has also managed recent major development of Doha International Airport.
For further information please contact:
Qatar Airways
Salam Al Shawa
Manager Corporate Communications
Tel : +974 4496606
Fax : +974 462 2438
E-Mail : salshawa@qatarairways.com.qa
EADS EFW
Cornelia von Ammon
Head of Marketing & PR
Tel: +49 351 8839 2169
Fax : +49 3518839 2178
Email: Cornelia.von.Ammon@efw.eads.net
Internet: www.efw.eads.net
