Qatar Airways to add 15 freighters

QATAR Airways has hit the headlines again with plans to expand its freighter fleet by a further 15 in the next four years.

“We are planning to convert as many as 15 A330s into freighters, hopefully by 2015 depending on how many slots we get for the conversion from Airbus with their centre in Germany,” chief executive Akbar Al Baker said.

Qatar currently has nearly 30 A330s and said it would consider increasing the number if demand warrants it. The airline is also awaiting orders on 777Fs, as part of its 2004 growth plan.

The news comes less than a week after the Middle East-based carrier confirmed its intentions to take 33 per cent in Cargolux.

“By converting the existing fleet, the airline will phase out these A330s as 787s and A350s start to be inducted,” Saj Ahmad, aerospace and aviation analyst at FBE Aerospace, said. “This allows them to keep many of their older planes in their inventory to grow their non-passenger business — particularly as Qatar will need a lot of logistical investment in the run-up to the Football World Cup in 2022.”