QATAR AIRWAYS WELCOMES FIRST A350 ARRIVAL IN DOHA
(Posted 06th February 2014)
Qatar Airways, the launch customer for the world’s latest high performance wide bodied plane, yesterday welcomed the first ever arrival of this aircraft type at their new hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport, where it was showcased to Qatari government officials, management, staff and invited guests before flying on to Singapore where the aircraft, pained in Qatar Airways livery, will be on display.
The arrival of the A350 XWB to Doha from its Airbus base in Toulouse was a unique opportunity for both Airbus’ flight crew as well as HIA air traffic control and ground officials to experience the landing of the new mid-sized wide-body jet on HIA’s 4,850-metre eastern runway engineered to meet the requirements of the world’s biggest and most advanced aircraft. HIA’s dual runway system comprises a 4,850-metre eastern runway and a 4,250-metre western runway that are two kilometers apart. Designed for superior runway efficiency, it will be able to handle an incredible 100 aircraft every hour. Representing one third the size of the city of Doha, HIA spans 22 square km’s and is one of the most elaborate Greenfield airport projects in the world today. Its state-of-the-art design aims to set a new global standard in commercial aviation. Upon initial opening, it will accommodate up to 24 million passengers, and up to 50 million by 2015. With its dual runway system, it will have the capacity to handle up to 360,000 aircraft annually, approximately 2.5 times more than the current airport.
Commenting on the occasion, Qatar Airways’ CEO Akbar Al Baker said: ‘This is yet another key milestone in Qatar’s aviation progress. We have been steadily investing in our infrastructure to enable us to stay ahead of the latest developments in the global aviation sector. Hamad International Airport, which was built for advanced aircraft such as the Airbus A350 XWB, is our flagship asset and will soon be the new home of Qatar Airways and our modern fleet of aircraft, including the A350 XWB family. It was certainly a proud and symbolic occasion for Qatar Airways and our team of air traffic and ground control crew at HIA to experience landing the new A350 at our new airport, as it gave us a unique glimpse into the exciting developments around the corner’.
(To mark the arrival of the Airbus A350 aircraft in Doha, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker jointly hosts a press conference in Doha with Airbus Executive Vice President A350 XWB Programme Didier Evrard and Rolls Royce Senior Vice President Phil Harris)
(Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker (centre) and His Excellency Mr. Issa Al Mohannadi Chairman of Qatar Tourism Authority and Board Member of Qatar Airways (left) in the cockpit of the Airbus A350 aircraft during its visit to Doha)
Now in its advanced flight test program phase, the A350 XWB airliners are scheduled to enter into commercial service in the fourth quarter of 2014. Qatar Airways has ordered 80 aircraft to date, leaning towards the larger A350-900 and A350-1000 models, which better suit its business model and passenger requirements.
The A350 XWB is a family of mid-sized wide-body airliners designed to enhance fuel, operating costs and environmental efficiencies during medium-to-long haul airline operations. Featuring the very latest in aerodynamics, design and advanced technologies, these highly efficient aircraft provide better fuel efficiency of up to 25 percent compared to existing similar aircraft types. Over 70 percent of the A350 XWB’s weight-efficient airframe is made from advanced materials combining composites (53 percent), titanium and advanced aluminum alloys. The aircraft’s innovative all-new Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) fuselage results in lower fuel burn as well as easier maintenance.
When entering service with Qatar Airways, travellers from across East Africa will be the first to sample this aircraft when connecting via Doha to the first A350 destination, soon to be announced.
Qatar Airways flies to all key airports in Eastern Africa, to Entebbe and Kigali, to Kilimanjaro and Dar es Salaam and 18 times a week to Nairobi. Watch this space for regular and breaking aviation news from Eastern Africa.
