Airbus cancels $6bn contract with Qatar Airways after paint fight

Time for Boeing to swoop in and get some big orders! Oh, wait. The 787 line ain't doin' too well. Scratch that idea, I guess. What amissed opportunity!

Now we know why Airbus had the balls to do this. Qatar Airways seems to now be in a bit of a pickle. Some lessor with a bunch of mothballed triple 7's is going to be sitting pretty, it appears!


What is wrong with the 787? They did have some early issues but there are a ton of them out there not counting the problems of the past two years.


I have not flown on Qatar but from those I have spoken to who have say they were pleased with the service and flight. The new airport at Doha is huge and luxurious. The perception is that the Middle East spends money like no tomorrow and that is true. A lot of ego going on there as well. The CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Bakar is well known for that.
 
What is wrong with the 787? They did have some early issues but there are a ton of them out there not counting the problems of the past two years.


I have not flown on Qatar but from those I have spoken to who have say they were pleased with the service and flight. The new airport at Doha is huge and luxurious. The perception is that the Middle East spends money like no tomorrow and that is true. A lot of ego going on there as well. The CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Bakar is well known for that.
They are having all kinds of trouble getting the production line back up to speed. I don't think they could fill the orders Qatar would need quickly enough. And I've read that they are still having other problems, too. Either way, their production rate is just too slow to take advantage. The 777X is behind schedule, too. So Boeing just isn't positioned well unless Qatar orders a bunch of 737 Max jets.
 
That I couldn't either confirm or deny..... Because I've never been in one. You can call me crazy, but I just can't bring myself to spend $5+ for a cup of sugar laced, frothy coffee. Let alone wait in line to do it.
If you buy coffee, it doesn't cost that much. If you buy a caffeinated adult milkshake, yes $5+

I'm glad folks do go as they paid for my daughter's undergrad degree.
 
qatar needs to hire better extortionists

even an untrained monkey could read right through their BS and come to the same decision airbus made
 
Airbus has a nearly 6,000 plane backlog on their 320/321neo series production, and they’ll probably never “catch up”. I doubt there’s much of a difference to them on a single lost 320 order.
 
Last edited:
They are having all kinds of trouble getting the production line back up to speed. I don't think they could fill the orders Qatar would need quickly enough. And I've read that they are still having other problems, too. Either way, their production rate is just too slow to take advantage. The 777X is behind schedule, too. So Boeing just isn't positioned well unless Qatar orders a bunch of 737 Max jets.
They moved all 787 production to Charleston, SC. And last time I read on this, SQ and EK aren’t happy with the quality of the planes from Charleston vs. the Everett produced models. This was with the 787-10. Which was the Charleston-exclusive model.

I wonder if Boeing is having the same paint issue as Airbus is with carbon fiber and the grounding system. PPG and AkzoNobel are the main players for aircraft paint - maybe Axalta. Given that the airlines do work with the paint makers, I also wonder if one of them will step in. PPG also supplies sealants and sundries for aircraft too.
 
Neither Airbus or Boeing tested paint for UV protection of substrate. Assuming both companies thought the paint would protect the substrate.
 
Amazing what you can do with billions of government cash funneled into your company every year...

I meant Qatar Airways, don't get me started on Airbus...
Seems without emirates they’d have dumped the A380 sooner and used more resources on the A350 …
 
Seems without emirates they’d have dumped the A380 sooner and used more resources on the A350 …
In the end, the A380 was a giant loser in every sense of the word.

It lost money as a program for Airbus, and no airline has wanted to keep it.

They're all turning them in sooner than planned, replacing them with 777, 787 or A350.

The only airlines that bought them in quantity were the ME3 - all heavily subsidized by their countries. It's easy to make big financial mistakes when the cash rolls in regardless of your ineptitude.
 
In the end, the A380 was a giant loser in every sense of the word.

It lost money as a program for Airbus, and no airline has wanted to keep it.

They're all turning them in sooner than planned, replacing them with 777, 787 or A350.

The only airlines that bought them in quantity were the ME3 - all heavily subsidized by their countries. It's easy to make big financial mistakes when the cash rolls in regardless of your ineptitude.
Yep - and as a Business Class passenger I don’t like them because they tend to fly routes I don’t like - or the cabin can be butchered too many ways. For example your Polaris or AA’s BC fits other airframes very well. love them …
But, anyone ever see what BA managed to cram in an A380 ? I have one booked from LHR to MIA and could not find a decent seat weeks in advance … Horrible seat layout
 
Seems without emirates they’d have dumped the A380 sooner and used more resources on the A350 …
QR tried to copy the big boys and predictably failed

380 made sense as doomsday scenario plane to transport people in sardine class to overcrowded major hubs. that narrative started to collapse only as it entered service
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 4WD
If you buy coffee, it doesn't cost that much. If you buy a caffeinated adult milkshake, yes $5+

I'm glad folks do go as they paid for my daughter's undergrad degree.
I had to buy coffee at Starbucks in Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. I was there for an income tax seminar. Coffee with cream and sugar was $ 8.00. I also had to wait in a long line. I hated Starbucks before, that did not help any. Not too thrilled with Little Caesar's* brand casinos either.

*Not a typo
 
  • Wow
Reactions: GON
I had to buy coffee at Starbucks in Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. I was there for an income tax seminar. Coffee with cream and sugar was $ 8.00. I also had to wait in a long line. I hated Starbucks before, that did not help any. Not too thrilled with Little Caesar's* brand casinos either.

*Not a typo
Yes, captive locations like that and airports are a different animal for sure. Most of them are NOT company owned stores, but licensed outlets. My daughter called the ones in Target stores "Tarbucks."
 
Yes, captive locations like that and airports are a different animal for sure. Most of them are NOT company owned stores, but licensed outlets. My daughter called the ones in Target stores "Tarbucks."
Albertsons does the same thing with Starbucks at Safeway/Vons/Pavillions stores. So does Vail ski resorts. Yep, nothing like a $10 latte to go with your $140 lift ticket at Heavenly/Northstar in Tahoe.
 
Showing up at the customs counter and baggage area with 500 other people is absolutely the pits.

The 747 was bad enough in this regard, the 380 was ridiculous.

Did it once to see what it was like - no thanks- I'd rather fly direct to my destination on a smaller plane that a 2 hop 380 deal.

Astro is right on the money this thing was a loser, wrong plane at the wrong time.
 
I had to buy coffee at Starbucks in Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas. I was there for an income tax seminar. Coffee with cream and sugar was $ 8.00. I also had to wait in a long line. I hated Starbucks before, that did not help any. Not too thrilled with Little Caesar's* brand casinos either.

*Not a typo
Planet Hollywood
Las Vegas
Starbucks

The trifecta of overpricing...
 
Back
Top Bottom