DOHA: Qatar Airways ordered 10 Boeing 777-8X jetliners at the Paris air show, bringing its total orders for the 777X family of revamped long-range jets to 60.
The airline also said it was ordering four 777 freighters.
The orders, which are all firm contracts, are worth a total of $4.8bn (about QR17.5bn) at list prices.
Announcing the deal at the air show, Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker took a swipe at the head of U.S. carrier Delta Airlines, which has accused Qatar Airways and other major Gulf carriers of receiving huge subsidies — a charge they deny.
“I hope that the gentleman at Delta knows that we are creating even more jobs in the United States by ordering more airplanes,” he said.
Al Baker also reiterated a threat to quit the oneworld airline alliance in a spat with American Airlines, one of three U.S. carriers also involved in the subsidy row. Qatar Airways joined the alliance in 2013.
Its top executive has said American is inhibiting its business by restricting terminal access at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport.
“We are only committed to oneworld provided the spirit in which we joined oneworld exists,” Al Baker said.
“If we are being cornered by an airline that invited us to be part of the alliance and is now acting against our interests … blocking inventory and blocking us gates at JFK, of course we have no purpose to be in an alliance.
“If we find that we cannot have a settlement to this very contentious issue, yes we will exit from oneworld.”
