The inspiring features of Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft which flew direct from Seattle to the UK for the Farnborough Airshow, the world's largest aerospace event, has received waves of praise from special guests, media and aviation enthusiasts. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said: "Qatar Airways has been highly anticipating the arrival of our Boeing 787 aircraft at the Farnborough Airshow, and are proud to share this milestone with the world during the unveiling of our new Dreamliner." Daily tours during the first three days of the show were conducted on board with guests from the travel trade, aviation industry and media having the opportunity to touch and feel all aspects of the aircraft. Response to the aircraft's unique design, which includes key features proprietary to Qatar Airways, has been extremely positive with many looking forward to the day when it officially enters service. "With the induction of this aircraft into the Qatar Airways fleet, very soon, we are once again pushing the boundaries of service and excellence in the skies," said Al Baker. "Our visitors this week at the Farnborough Airshow are our first critics and we have been touched by the praise and positive response to the interiors of the aircraft," he said. A hallmark of this year's Farnborough Airshow has been Qatar Airways' participation in the traditional flying display program. The aircraft showcased its wings in an impressive seven-minute routine from days one to three of the air show. The aircraft is due to return to Seattle to complete the final retrofitting and entertainment system inputs, before being delivered to Qatar Airways. Once the aircraft joins the airline's fleet, it will begin to be stationed on a number of the airline's key routes, with its first long-haul destination set to be London Heathrow. The airline's new Boeing 787 is the first of 60 to be inducted into the fleet, five of the aircraft type will be delivered this year. Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 15 years of operation, currently operating a modern fleet of 109 aircraft to 117 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. Since the beginning of the year, Qatar Airways has launched flights to Baku (Azerbaijan); Tbilisi (Georgia); Kigali (Rwanda); Zagreb (Croatia), Erbil (Iraq), Baghdad, and most recently, Perth (Australia) with many more destinations planned during 2012. Over the next few months, Qatar Airways launches services to a diverse portfolio of new routes, including Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (July 25); Mombasa, Kenya (August 15); Yangon, Myanmar (October 3); Maputo, Mozambique (October 31) and a date yet-to-be-announced to the Serbian capital Belgrade. – SG
