Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad Int'l) is considering acquiring B737NextGen aircraft from Boeing (BOE, Chicago O'Hare) following persistent delays in the resolution of the A320neo's teething problems.
CEO Akbar al Baker told a news conference in Dubai this week that the Qatari national carrier may refuse delivery of up to six A320neo airframes owing to problems with the aircraft's hydraulics and software. According to Reuters, the problems relate in particular to increased noise created by a hydraulic pump when taxiing on one engine. In addition, 'some' aircraft's hydraulic systems have also experienced overheating.
The woes are the latest in a series of headaches for Airbus Industrie (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) not least of which is the troublesome PW1100G powerplant whose own glitches Pratt & Whitney has now pledged to solve by the end of the year.
But, in the event said deadline is missed, al Baker said that Qatar Airways may have no other option but to switch to the CFM56-powered B737 in order to meet its growth targets. While the A320neo offers a choice of two powerplants, the PW1100G and the CFM Leap-1A, the latter will only be available for commercial use from later next year, too late for Qatar Airways' needs.
Meanwhile, during the same news conference, al Baker also warned that Qatar Airways could back out of a deal to acquire a 49% stake in the Meridiana fly Group should the Sardinian firm fail to lay-off up to half its workforce as required. A decision will be taken by the end of June, he said.
Qatar Airways also has the option of acquiring a 25% stake, scalable to 49%, in Royal Air Maroc (AT, Casablanca Int'l), he added.
(culled from www.ch-aviation.com)
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