Akbar Al Baker, CEO of the Qatari national carrier Qatar Airways, has threatened to turn his back to France-based plane maker Airbus over an outstanding issue that he has refused to reveal.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Al Baker said the airline has an issue with Airbus that needs to be sorted out.
“If we are not able to settle that serious issue we have with them, we will refuse to take any aircraft from them,” he said. The subject of the spat? “I unfortunately cannot tell you what that issue is,” he added.
The planner also refused to comment. A spokesperson for the company said it’s in constant discussions with customers about their requirements, and that details on those discussions “remain confidential”, Arab News reports.
Al Baker’s attack on Airbus is the second in kind in less than a week. In May he said the airline’s biggest mistake was the acquisition of the A380, citing operational costs and inefficiency.
However, Al Baker stressed that the A380 is not the source of the current issue adding that the matter is “water under the bridge”. The airline is due to take delivery of 50 Airbus A321neos and 32 A350s.
Qatar airways threatens to turn down aircraft delivery from Airbus over “secret” spat
