Airbus delivers first A350 planes to Qatar Airways

(MENAFN) Airbus announced delivering its first next-generation A350-900 planes to Qatar Airways, kick-starting its bid to erode rival Boeing's dominance in the profitable long-haul market, Arab News reported.

The Doha-based company has placed an order of 80 Airbus planes, making it not only the launch customer but also the largest single customer of the fuel-efficient A350 so far.

Qatar Airway's first A350 should have been delivered on December 13, but the carrier had postponed the handover, citing equipment in the cabin that did not correspond to its requirements.

"You are a demanding customer, particularly demanding and sometimes even a little too demanding, but you are also one of the architects of the A350," Airbus chief told Qatar Airways head.