At the Farnborough International Airshow, Qatar Airways finally made official an order for 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft. The Qatari airline’s top management announced the order yesterday at a signing ceremony.
“We are honored that Qatar Airways has decided to add Boeing’s single-aisle family to its fleet, deepening our relationship with this world-class airline”, said Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “The 737-10 is ideally suited for Qatar Airways’ regional network and will provide the carrier with the most capable, most fuel-efficient airplane in its class”, he added.
The model, the largest of the latest 737 family of aircraft, can carry up to 230 passengers with a range of up to 3.300 nautical miles (6.110 kilometers). It also offers improved efficiency in terms of cost per seat and fuel consumption.
However, the 737 MAX 10 has yet to obtain its type certificate before it can begin scheduled operations. The delay, caused by the problems of the 737 MAX 8 and the extended scrutiny of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is a major stumbling block in its commercialization.
In this context, the American manufacturer is under pressure to achieve certification before the end of 2022. If it is not granted, Boeing will have to begin a process of structural modification of the cockpit and some of the aircraft’s main systems.
However, in a segment already dominated by the new narrow-body, longer-range aircraft of its main competitor, Airbus, the company will maintain its efforts to obtain it. Large orders, such as the one confirmed by Delta Air Lines at the start of the airshow or the one placed by Qatar Airways, are a boost on this path.
