Qatar Airways' CEO Sees No Long Term Future For His Airbus A380s

Qatar Airways is keen to retire its Airbus A380 aircraft as soon as feasible. While the airline cannot ground its fleet due to capacity needs, Group CEO Akbar Al Baker made it clear to Simple Flying that there is no long-term future for the giant of the skies in his fleet. Let’s examine these comments in today’s video…

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[cskvision]

With Al Bakar’s hissy fit with Airbus and the incessant delays of the 777X, he’ll be keeping his A380s until 2025, at least imo

[ekuche]

The ceo talks about airbus like a scorn lover…. Just puts things out there as fact when it’s not… I’m over Qatar complaining… next subject please.

[johnmarkmallare]

I think it is just a domino effect from the feud.

[Cajaimex]

I'm due to fly on Qatar's A380 from Doha to London early September, sad to say that this may be one of the last times I get to fly on a Qatar A380. 😢

[louiem]

Then why buy it? Because every Gulf carrier wanted one and it was FOMO?

[splkzyy]

my dad is still flying it on Qatar airways

[danharold]

Wrote a few paragraphs about the spares situation. In the end I had more questions than answers. So best of luck to everyone involved with keeping the A380 in the air.

[stevehenrys]

Given the enmity between Qatar Airways and Airbus because of the A350 situation, it's hardly surprising that al Bakr would say something like this. He will take every opportunity to criticise or otherwise demean Airbus. I would find it very surprising if Airbus stopped supplying spares for the A380 given the number still in service.

[well-blazeredman]

Are other A380 operators having problems securing spare parts? Haven't seen any news coverage suggesting that they are.

[kevinmic]

Ya, he should keep the a380 flying until he gets his 777x planes in 2033.

[hoof]

It is highly improbable that Airbus are going to cease production and supply of spares for the A380. Their neighbouring airline Emirates would not take kindly to that and must have high level assurances from Airbus of the continuing availability of spares. Perhaps HE Al-Bakar is annoyed about his A350 difficulties, his court action being stalled and the ongoing dispute with Airbus over that including Airbus daring to cancel an order for narrow bodies: which after all they have plenty of demand for.

[jackelofnar]

Can you really believe anything Qatar Ceo says about aircraft? After all they are in major legal action.

[stickynorth]

Swap them to Emirates for whatever leftover Boeing 777 junk they've got! Problem solved! ;-)

[ant]

Karen Al Baker just says anything for the sake of it

[olezhastanislavich]

Al Baker make a lot of noise of nothing!!! I flew finnair A 350 - no visible surface degradation and I doubt that EASA would allow dangerous plane type to fly in Europe!

[evansoul]

No. I don't agree with his decision. The A380 is a fantastic plane.

[christopherwolner-hanssen]

In a passenger’s perspective the A380 is the best airplane to travel with. And I will always choose the airline that operates the most comfortable airplane, so I guess I just won’t be flying with Qatar when they don’t operate it anymore.

[smoketinytom]

Plenty of spare parts are available thanks to aircraft being sold for scrap.

[todortodorov]

The problem is not the A380, but Al Baker's incompetence and inability to make the aircraft a success in his company. If he looks not to far away, in his own neighborhood, he will find Emirates, a good example of a company that made this exact airplane their flagship product and were able to make it a commercial success as well.

[andiscott]

Al Baker, as usual, bumping his gums to keep himself "relevant"...