Yesterday, I noted a report suggesting composite cracks had been discovered on a Qatar Airways A350. Now Airbus has refuted that report and claimed the A350 fuselage cracking was “superficial” and “cosmetic” in nature. Airbus: No Composite Cracks On...
Qatar Airways A Big Winner As Gulf Blockade Ends

The 2017 Gulf Blockade is over, with Qatar Airways a huge beneficiary of this diplomatic breakthrough. Gulf Blockade Over, A Win For Qatar Airways Raising alarm over an increasingly cozy relationship between Qatar and Iran, several Gulf nations enacted...
Uh-Oh: Qatar Airways Reportedly Finds Cracks On A350 Composite Fuselage

Composite cracks were reportedly found on the fuselage of a four-year old Qatar Airways Airbus A350-900 undergoing a new paint job in Ireland. A stabilizer issue was also discovered. It will now be ferried to Airbus headquarters for further...
Qatar Airways Teases New First Class Suites On 777-9

Qatar Airways has hinted that its new Boeing 777-9 aircraft may have an exclusive four-seat first class cabin. As more carriers move away from first class, will Qatar Airways invest in a luxurious new product? Qatar Airways 777-9 First...
Qatar Apologizes For Illegal Airport Searches After Initial Non-Apology

After initially defending its actions, Qatar has apologized for subjecting women from at least 10 flights to deeply invasive physical exams in search of evidence surrounding the attempted murder of a baby girl. How should we weigh the apology...
Was Qatar Justified In Strip Searching Female Passengers After After Baby Found Abandoned In Airport Bathroom?

An airport cleaning crew found a premature baby abandoned in a bathroom at Doha’s Hamad International Airport. Acting quickly, authorities attempted to locate the mother. The result: international outrage over an invasive strip search of at least 13 female...
Qatar Airways CEO: “The Worst Is Not Behind Any Airline”

The ever-animated CEO of Qatar Airways is back, this time with a dire warning for the airline industry. Qatar Airways CEO Warns Of Grim Future For Worldwide Airline Industry Speaking on CNBC, Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker warned:...
Is Qatar Airways Forcing People To Buy Business Class Seats If They Want To Travel To Australia?

Australia currently caps international arrivals at 50 passengers per flight, no matter how large the aircraft is. This has created a potential business opportunity for Qatar Airways (and every other airline serving Australia): buy business class or stay behind…...
Qatar Airways CEO Attacks British Prime Minister, Denounces Onboard Social Distancing

Akbar Al Baker, CEO of Qatar Airways, has a problem with social distancing and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The eccentric CEO is never one to mince words… Qatar Airways’ Al Baker on Prime Minster Johnson Speaking to Sky...
Qatar Airways Threatens To Sever Business With Airbus And Boeing

Qatar Airways’ Chief Akbar Al Baker has a warning for Airbus and Boeing: allow us to defer orders or we will never do business with you again. Qatar Airways Has Many Aircraft On Orders Despite a young fleet, COVID-19,...
Anywhere In The World In Business Class For $1639? Of Course It Was Too Good To Be True…

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. The bottom line is this: I am not making any speculative Qatar Airways bookings after Qatar changed the terms of its very lucrative flexible ticket policy. An...
A Lovely Dinner In Qatar Airways Business Class

Each week, my Meal of the Week feature examines an airline meal from my travels over the years. This may be a meal from earlier in the week or it may be a meal served over a decade ago. My favorite...