The CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, is known for being vocal about the company's decisions and opinions. One topic that has garnered a lot of attention is the Airbus A380 series, which the airline reluctantly continues to operate.
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In a recent interview with Forbes, Al Baker discussed the future of the Airbus A380 and other important business decisions. He confirmed that the carrier only uses the aircraft because it is necessary due to current market conditions. However, with supply chain issues and delivery delays, it is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain the next-generation high-capacity planes in a timely manner.
The Airbus A380 is the world's largest passenger plane, making it an ideal choice for airlines using the hub and spoke model. However, Qatar Airways' CEO has consistently expressed his dislike for the aircraft, citing inefficiencies and other drawbacks. Al Baker even went on to the extent that he described the decision to buy the A380 as "The Biggest Mistake". During the pandemic, the airline grounded the Airbus A380 but eventually brought it back into service due to a lack of high-capacity alternatives.
Al Baker stated that the Airbus A380s will remain in the fleet until they can be replaced with additional A350-1000s and the upcoming Boeing 777X series. However, the continued use of the Airbus A380 is not preferred by higher-ups at the airline, and its reintroduction was only a temporary solution to meet demand levels.