Qatar Airways in talks to change Airbus order for A320 planes

Doha : Qatar Airways is renegotiating with Airbus to change an order for up to 80 A320 neo planes to the larger A321 neos, the Gulf carrier’s chief executive said yesterday.

The switch to the larger planes is an option after Qatar Airways refused to accept four A320 neos earlier this year over issues with the aircraft’s engines.

“Yes, we have cancelled a few deliveries,” said the airline’s chief executive, Akbar Al-Baker, speaking in Doha.

Baker said Qatar Airways was “renegotiating” the contract to change the A320s to A321s and for the newly ordered aircraft to have engines from a different manufacturer.

“We are looking at substituting 320s with 321s and substituting those aeroplanes with CFM,” he said.