Summary
- Qatar Airways received two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners last week.
- The planes traveled from Boeing’s Everett Factory to Doha within hours of each other.
- Qatar Airways’ 787-9s feature luxurious business class suites with direct aisle access and fully flat beds.
Doha-based Qatar Airways added two more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners to its fleet late last week. The two planes were delivered from Boeing’s Everett Factory at Paine Field (PAE).
The carrier welcomed the new planes on Saturday, arriving just under two hours apart at its home airport. With the additions, the carrier now has 13 active 787-9s, with over 15 more yet to be delivered.
Not one, but two
The first 787, A7-BHM, departed for its nearly 14-hour ferry flight on Friday at 09:40 (PST) as QR3180, according to Flightradar24.com. The aircraft took off from PAE to the north on Runway 34L and climbed to around 3,200 feet before turning slightly northeast. About 23 minutes later, the plane reached an initial cruising altitude of 37,000 feet and traveled nearly 600 miles per hour (mph). It remained at that altitude for just under two hours and then climbed higher to 41,000 feet over the Nunavut territory in northern Canada.
Photo: Flightradar24.com
Flight data shows that the aircraft maintained its cruising altitude for nearly 11 hours, passing over Greenland, north of Iceland, east of the North Sea, and then over Europe. Around 13 hours into its journey and over the Persian Gulf, just past Kuwait, A7-BHM initiated its descent. About 20 minutes later, the aircraft descended through 18,000 feet and turned slightly west to position itself for its approach. Under 10,000 feet, the plane was headed south, passing Hamad International Airport (DOH). At 3,800 feet, it then turned to line up for its final approach and landed at approximately 09:22 local time on Saturday on Runway 34R at DOH.
The other aircraft, A7-BHP, took off from PAE at 11:35 PST as QR3204 and flew a similar flight path to its sister plane, A7-BHM. However, its altitudes during the flight varied slightly. 28 minutes into its flight, the 787 reached an altitude of 37,000 feet but climbed to 39,000 feet five minutes later.
After passing over Greenland, about five hours into the journey, the aircraft had jumped to 41,000 feet for the remainder of its cruise. Once over the Persian Gulf, the plane descended and followed the same approach, flying past DOH and turning to line up with Runway 34R. A7-BHP landed at 11:12, exactly one hour and 50 minutes after A7-BHM arrived.
New & luxurious aircraft
According to flight data, both aircraft remain on the ground at DOH as the airline is likely preparing them to formally enter service. Qatar Airways introduced its first 787-9 in 2021, featuring stunning business class suites onboard that have direct aisle access with sliding doors to ensure privacy and comfort for passengers.
Photo: Qatar Airways
Additionally, the suites transform into fully flat beds, which are undoubtedly useful on long-haul flights.
Commitment to sustainability
A7-BHM and A7-BHP put Qatar Airways’ fleet of 787-9s to 13 active aircraft, according to ch-aviation, which currently lists 11 active planes with an average age of 3.3 years. The airline awaits 16 additional jets that have not been delivered yet.
As the launch customer of the 787 in the Middle East, the carrier operates 30 of the slightly smaller 787-8 variant. The airline said its investment in the 787-9 underscores its commitment to sustainability and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Source: Flightradar24.com (1,2)