QATAR AIRWAYS FIRST B787 NOW ON PRODUCTION LINE
Ahead of the inauguration of Qatar Airways latest route into Africa on the 21st of March to Kigali, via an extension from their daily Doha Entebbe flight, has news emerged that the airlines first B787 Dreamliner 5 of a total order of 60 such aircraft (firm orders and options combined) are to be delivered this year is now on the production line.
The forthcoming ITB in Berlin will be the launchpad to present the layout of the cabin to the assembled world of tourism and aviation through a specially designed stand, while the aircraft itself is due to be showcased in July at the Farnborough Air Show in the UK.
When the 5 new aircraft are integrated into the QR fleet from midyear onwards, the airlines passengers from Eastern Africa will be able to fly on the Dreamliner for the first time, depending on the destination they are travelling to beyond Doha. By then it is expected that Mombasa and Zanzibar flights will have commenced, as these two are amongst the additional destinations Qatar Airways has planned for 2012, making it 6 destinations in the wider region after Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Entebbe and Kigali.
Qatar Airways, the worlds only 5 star airline and winner of the Airline of the Year 2011 Skytrax award, has about 250 aircraft on order, worth some 50 billion US Dollars and the new mega airport in Doha is due to open either late this year or early next year, providing one of the most exciting transit experiences for modern day travelers, as the airline seeks to extend the 5 star service from the air to the ground in Doha too.
Watch this space and in particular for reports from the inaugural flight in just over 2 weeks to Kigali.
