According to a court document published on Thursday by Boeing rival Airbus, Qatar Airways
has indicated that a provisional agreement to purchase up to 50 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft
has expired. The agreement, which was signed in Washington in January, is one of several
related contracts that are currently the subject of litigation in London between Airbus and
the Gulf carrier over a larger plane. In today's video, we are going to talk about “BIGGEST
QATAR NEWS!” So without any further ado, Let's begin.
The Gulf airline became the launch customer for Boeing’s 777-8F freighter. This 34-aircraft
order was key for Boeing, as the company countered Airbus’ launch of the A350F, months earlier.
But in an odd twist, the announcement also included an order for Boeing’s 737-10, the
longest of the MAX variants. Launched in 2017, the Boeing 737 MAX 10 is currently under development.
The aircraft type must be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration in order to
enter commercial service. However, the deadline for getting the authority’s approval is
set for the end of 2022. If the aircraft is not certified by then, only the US Congress
can extend the deadline. Airbus requested a copy of the Boeing 737 MAX agreement after
the airline brought it up as part of its bid for compensation for damage to the A350, now
worth $1.4 billion. Qatar has refused to take delivery of more
Airbus A350s in a dispute over damage beneath their painted skin, prompting Airbus to withdraw
a contract to provide it with smaller A321neos. In August 2021, the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority
(QCAA) grounded 13 Qatar Airways Airbus A350 aircraft over the premature deterioration
of the fuselage surface. The airline sued Airbus over the grounding
in December 2021, seeking more than $600 million in compensation. In February 2022, Airbus
also filed a claim at the Technology and Construction Court of the British High Court of Justice. Qatar
Airways welcomed the decision to hold a swift legal process.
The European manufacturer also approved the short procedure. “The case can now move
quickly to focus on the main issue: these are false statements made by Qatar Airways
about the safety and airworthiness of the A350, which we will continue to defend,”
Airbus said. Originally, it was speculated that the desert
heat in Qatar caused the degrading paint surface, however, since then, at least five other
airlines have raised concerns. Citing messages from Finnair, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Lufthansa,
and Air France (on behalf of Air Caraibes) on a private maintenance message board used
by Airbus and A350 operators, the earliest reports of paint problems date back to 2016.
While Airbus and the airlines describe the issue as “cosmetic” and not a matter of
safety, witnesses also reported that the coating issues with the Qatar jets have led to the
exposed mesh developing its own gaps, exposing the carbon-fiber fuselage to possible damage.
The 737 MAX agreement between Boeing and Qatar was a provisional contract, that the two sides
had to finalize. That announcement described it as a firm order for 25 737-10s, with another
25 options. And even as a provisional order, it was potentially the fastest aircraft contract
in history! In January 2022, Airbus terminated a separate contract with the airline for 50
Airbus A321neo aircraft. The court initially ordered the plane maker
to halt “practical implementation” of the contract termination, preventing it from
allocating delivery slots to other customers. However, in April 2022 it gave Airbus the
green light to cancel both the A321neo contract as well as to sell A350s that Qatar Airways
rejected after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency had established that they were
safe to operate. A redacted model of the Boeing settlement
is prone to be shared with Airbus, individuals accustomed to the case stated following a
procedural listening on Thursday. There was no impartial affirmation of the standing of
the contract, which entails a kind of 737 MAX that’s itself unsure over regulatory
points in America. A British judge was hearing arguments over the disclosure of documents
ahead of a full trial due in mid-2023. Walsh, the former chief executive of the British
Airways owner IAG, said in January: “I would hate to think that one of the suppliers is
taking advantage of their current market strength to exploit their position, and that is something
we are watching very closely.” Now that we've come to the end of this video,
I want to thank you for sticking with me, and I'd love to know what you think of it.
Just comment down below. Also, If you like this video, make sure you like it, and stay
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