Qatar Airways has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787 Dreamliner at a special ceremony held at the US aircraft manufacturer’s Seattle headquarters.
The delivery marks a milestone in Middle East aviation with Qatar Airways becoming the first airline from the region to take delivery of the 787. The Doha-based carrier has 60 Dreamliners on order with deliveries planned over the next few weeks, months and years.
Qatar Airways’ new 787s feature a total of 254 seats in a two-class configuration of 22 in Business Class and 232 in Economy.
Upon entering service, Qatar Airways’ first 787 will initially operate with commercial passengers on flights to Dubai to familiarise crew of the aircraft before making its maiden long-haul commercial flight between Doha and London Heathrow next month. As more Dreamliners join the fleet, they will be deployed on other key routes, including Zurich, Delhi and Frankfurt.
Source: Qatar Airways
Photo above: Celebrating the official handover to Qatar Airways of its first 787 Dreamliner in Seattle are, from right: Qatar's Ambassador to the United States, His Excellency Mohammed Bin Abdulla Al-Rumaihi; Qatar Airways CEO HE Akbar Al Baker; and Boeing Commercial President and CEO Ray Conner.