Qatar Airways’ Dreamliner returns to service
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Qatar’s national carrier Qatar Airways has officially announced the return of its Boeing Dreamlinera to active service on Wednesday (1 May).
The carrier, which owns five of the troubled Boeing aircraft, had been forced to ground the planes as part of safety sanctions forced upon it by global aviation authorities.
The first rescheduled flight took place between Doha and Dubai at 13:15, a route which will now be serviced by one of its Dreamliners.
The flight was joined by both Qatar president Akbar Al Baker, the president of Boeing Middle East Jeffrey Johnson and Boeing’s deputy fleet chief David Silver.
“I always said I would be the first to fly on Qatar Airways’ 787 once it returned to service, and I’m thrilled that our Dreamliner fleet is back in the skies, providing our passengers with an unparalleled level of service and comfort,” said Al Baker.
“After a setback that not only affected our own worldwide operations, but those of many carriers worldwide, we look forward to now deploying the Dreamliner on other key routes over the coming weeks.
“I have always hailed the Dreamliner as the state-of-the-art aircraft destined to change the way people travel and I was delighted to be on board our first 787 to take to the air again.
“Throughout the grounding of our fleet we have worked closely with Boeing to monitor the situation and work towards getting our fleet up and running again.
“Safety has always been the number one priority for Qatar Airways and I have full confidence in the safety and security of this aircraft.”
President Boeing Middle East, Jeffrey Johnson said: “Today’s flight is a tribute to the spirit of partnership, which led to the solution that made it possible.
“It is also testament to Qatar Airways’ continued support for the 787 Dreamliner program and to the strength of its relationship with Boeing.”
