Qatar Airways is considering canceling an order for twenty-five B737-10 aircraft, according to Bloomberg. This order was placed in mid-2022, amid a conflict between the airline and Airbus.
However, since then, the relationship between Qatar Airways and Airbus has improved, and the 737 MAX 10 variant is no longer considered necessary. Currently, the 737-10 is expected to enter service only by the end of 2025, as its certification has been delayed for several years.
Instead, the airline might opt to exchange the B737-10s for B737-8s, which could be delivered to RwandAir, a company in which Qatar Airways recently acquired a 49% stake, and Virgin Australia, in which Qatar Airways seeks to acquire a 25% stake. Both airlines currently operate B737-8 aircraft.
The order for the B737-10s, as reported by our partner outlet AEROIN, was placed amid a dispute between Qatar Airways and Airbus over peeling paint issues on the A350. At that time, the airline’s refusal to accept deliveries led the manufacturer to cancel an order for fifty A321neos and twenty-three A350-900s. Later, both parties resolved the disagreement, and the order was reinstated.
In addition to the B737-10s, Qatar Airways currently has 175 aircraft on order. These include fifty A321neos, eighteen A350-1000s, one 777-300ER, one 777-8F, sixty 777-9s, and twelve B787-9s.
Qatar Airways primarily operates wide-body aircraft. Its narrow-body fleet is limited to twenty-nine A320s used on regional routes. The airline also has nine B737-8s, introduced in mid-2023. However, none of these operate directly for Qatar Airways: six are leased to IndiGo Airlines, while the other three are in storage.
