Qatar Airways delays plans for new routes amidst Boeing strike

Global - Qatar Airways will defer the launch of its Doha and Houston service to 30 March next year as the ongoing Boeing strike pushed back aircraft delivery schedules.

The Doha-Houston route is the company's third US route connecting the energy capitals of the Middle East and US. The first of Qatar Airways' Boeing 777-200 Long Range aircraft to be used on the route was due to be delivered in November ahead of the scheduled 8 December launch. However, the company decided to delay the launch due to the uncertainty over future aircraft delivery, it said.

Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways said the strike had severely affected the airline's Houston plans. "There is no possibility of being able to operate the Houston route as planned due to the unfortunate events at Boeing so we decided to shift the launch date to a more reasonable time in March next year. This way, we can be assured of having available the required long-range aircraft to serve Houston."

Since November, the airline has received three of the 32 Boeing 777 variants from Boeing. Two B777-300 Extended Range aircraft are currently deployed on the airline's Doha - Washington DC non-stop route, the company said. A third is operating intra-Gulf services until the arrival of the fourth when it will be shifted to the Doha - New York JFK route.

Qatar Airways remains on schedule to launch daily non-stop flights between Doha and New York on October 26. It has received assurances by Boeing that its fourth Boeing 777-300 Extended Range aircraft to be used on the route will be delivered in time and will not affect the New York operational schedule.