Latest news with #QatarAirways'
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Boeing books 303 new orders and hits 737 MAX production target in blockbuster May
Boeing is heading into the Paris Air Show after a blockbuster May that included booking 303 new orders and rolling out 38 new 737 MAX jets, a production rate that it has been working to reach for more than a year. The company also delivered 45 aircraft last month, it said Tuesday. It was the sixth-highest monthly order tally in Boeing's history, according to company data. The orders included the largest widebody jet deal in Boeing's history: Qatar Airways' order for 130 787s and 30 777Xs, plus options for another 50 of the long-haul aircraft. However, only 120 787s were added to Boeing's order backlog, according to the company. It did not clarify the discrepancy. The Qatar deal was announced during President Donald Trump's whirlwind Middle East tour, which included a string of high-profile business deals. One day earlier, Saudi Arabian-owned lessor AviLease ordered 20 737-8 MAX jets. Another Gulf region carrier, Etihad, said it planned to order 28 widebody Boeing jets, but it did not place a firm order, so the aircraft were not included in May's total. Canadian airline WestJet also ordered seven 737 MAX jets. The company also canceled two orders for 737s. Live Events In total, three orders were canceled during the month, making for 300 net new orders in May. Its order backlog rose to 5,943 orders as of May 31. Boeing delivered 45 aircraft in the month, its fifth consecutive month of 40 or more deliveries. The total was nearly twice as many deliveries as the 24 aircraft the company handed over to customers during the same month one year earlier. Aircraft deliveries are closely watched by Wall Street because planemakers are able to collect the majority of their payment when they hand over jets to customers. The company handed over 31 737 MAX jets, including seven to United Airlines and four to Alaska Airlines, and seven 787s, including three to Qatar Airways from earlier orders. It also delivered five 777 freighters, one 767 freighter and one 737 NG to be converted into a P-8 Poseidon for the U.S. Navy. None of the deliveries were to Chinese airlines, which stopped taking new Boeing aircraft in April as the two countries clashed over tariffs. China removed the ban after the Washington and Beijing agreed to temporarily cut tariffs. A new 737 MAX landed in China on Monday, according to flight tracking data, the first to arrive since the ban was removed. So far in 2025, Boeing has delivered 220 aircraft: 164 737 MAXes, three 737 NGs for conversion into P-8s, 28 787s, 16 777s and nine 767s. European rival Airbus has delivered 243 aircraft so far this year, including 51 deliveries in May. The company did not announce any new orders last month. However, Airbus is expected to announce several deals during the Paris Air Show, which starts Monday. Boeing said on Tuesday that it rolled out 38 new 737 MAX aircraft in May, hitting a production target that it has been working to reach for more than a year. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration capped output at 38 airplanes a month due to quality concerns exposed by a mid-air panel blowout in a nearly new 737 in January 2024. Monthly production of its best-selling 737 MAX has varied up and down in recent years as the company grappled with internal and external production problems and constraints. A strike last year at its plants in Washington and Oregon shut down production of the popular single-aisle airplane. Since production resumed in December, the company has taken a slow and deliberate approach to increasing the rate. Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg has said the company has to stabilize production at 38 per month for several months before asking the FAA to increase output. All six production quality and safety metrics created by the company and U.S. regulators are green, according to the company.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boeing secures landmark deal with Qatar Airways as Trump deepens Gulf ties
Boeing has secured a historic deal with Qatar Airways, as part of US President Donald Trump's regional trade drive. Shares in the largest US aerospace manufacturer rose 2% to a 52-week high on Wednesday following the announcement. During Trump's visit to Qatar, the White House revealed that the US president had reached agreements totalling $243.5 billion (€209 bn) with the Gulf state. 'The landmark deals celebrated today will drive innovation and prosperity for generations, bolster American manufacturing and technological leadership, and put America on the path to a new Golden Age,' stated the White House. The deals include a $96bn (€85.8 bn) Boeing aircraft order from Qatar Airways, a record order for the US's largest exporter. Following a $600bn (€535bn) investment plan made with Saudi Arabia earlier this week, the US-Qatar agreements further strengthen Washington's ties with the wealthy Gulf nations. President Trump is set to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later today, with speculation that further Boeing deals may be signed with Emirates, Qatar Airways' larger regional competitor. Boeing announced that Qatar Airways would purchase 130 787 Dreamliners and 30 777X aircraft, calling the order 'a record as the largest widebody order for Boeing, the largest order for 787 Dreamliners, and Qatar Airways' largest-ever order.' The company claims the deal will support nearly 400,000 jobs in the US. President Trump attended the signing ceremony. "After two consecutive years of record-breaking commercial performance, and with this historic Boeing aircraft order, we're not simply chasing scale — we're building strength that will allow us to continue delivering unmatched products and customer experiences,' said Qatar Airways CEO Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. 'We thank our Boeing partners for answering the call and look forward to a future of continued smart growth together. Our team is excited to build 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade, as they connect more people and businesses around the world with unmatched efficiency and comfort." The deal is a major win for Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who accompanied Trump on the Middle East trip. On Tuesday, Boeing also secured a $4.8bn (€4.3 bn) agreement for 737-8 MAX jets with AviLease, a Saudi Arabia-based aircraft lessor. Boeing's 737 MAX passenger airliner had been grounded between 2019 and 2020, and again in 2024, due to ongoing safety and production concerns. The company has remained unprofitable since 2018, with its shares falling to a multi-year low in early April following Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs. China halted orders from Boeing in late April in response to Trump's tariffs. During an interview with CNBC last month, Ortberg indicated that aircraft initially built for Chinese buyers may be redirected to other customers later this year. On Tuesday, Trump also finalised an $80bn (€71 bn) artificial intelligence investment plan with Saudi Arabia, which helped fuel rallies in Nvidia and other major tech stocks. Previously, US semiconductor shares had come under pressure amid the escalating US-China trade tensions. The Trump administration rescinded the AI diffusion rule introduced by former President Joe Biden, which would have taken effect today. However, the Department of Justice said it would rewrite the export curbs on AI chip exports to China. On Wednesday, China's Ministry of Commerce announced a 90-day suspension on export restrictions targeting 28 US companies, including rare earths and other critical materials, as part of a bilateral agreement reached after trade talks over the weekend.
Daily News Egypt
21-05-2025
- Business
- Daily News Egypt
Trump's Gulf Gambit: Economic Pacts, Strategic Realignments, and the Battle for the Middle East's Future
US President Donald Trump's May 2025 Gulf tour was far more than a ceremonial visit; it marked a decisive reassertion of American influence in Middle Eastern affairs. Marrying economic ambitions with strategic recalibrations, the visit came as the United States faced growing competition from China's Belt and Road Initiative. The administration's aim was clear: to reconfigure economic alliances and neutralize regional threats from both Beijing and Tehran. The scope and substance of the agreements reached during the visit signalled a new chapter of US assertiveness designed to restore its economic and security presence across the region. Qatar: Aviation Deals as a Tool of Influence In Doha, an unprecedented agreement was announced: Qatar Airways' order of 210 Boeing aircraft, valued at $96bn. This deal transcended a simple economic transaction; it was a strategic alignment in which the aviation industry served as an instrument of soft power. The agreement ensured continued US aerospace dominance in Gulf markets, while denying China's COMAC, and Europe's Airbus, further opportunities. Positioning Qatar as a pivotal ally in America's strategy to counter Chinese economic encroachment, this transaction also intertwined with American employment and technological sectors. It embodied a fusion of foreign policy and domestic industrial revival. United Arab Emirates: AI, Semiconductors, and the Tech War Perhaps even more strategically significant was the UAE's preliminary agreement to annually import 500,000 advanced semiconductor units from US firm NVIDIA. In the broader context of the US-China tech war, semiconductors had emerged as critical geopolitical assets. Through this agreement, Abu Dhabi not only secured access to cutting-edge American technology but also solidified its role as a regional hub for AI development and data infrastructure. This alignment reinforced Washington's effort to exclude Chinese tech giants such as Huawei from vital Gulf networks. The move reshaped the digital power map of the Middle East, positioning the UAE as a counterweight to Chinese-backed technological initiatives across Iran and parts of the Levant. Syria: The End of Isolation and the Limits of Rehabilitation One of the most consequential — and controversial — outcomes of Trump's tour was the decision to lift all US sanctions on Syria. This followed the December 2024 ousting of Bashar al-Assad and the appointment of Ahmed al-Sharaa as interim leader. The conditional removal of sanctions, contingent upon chemical weapons disarmament and counterterrorism cooperation, served multiple US objectives. Strategically, it diminished Iran's military and economic influence in Syria by opening avenues for US and Gulf investment in reconstruction. It also sought to pivot Damascus towards a moderate Gulf bloc, reducing Russian and Iranian leverage in the Levant. However, Syria's fragile stability posed significant risks, with the potential for proxy conflicts and power vacuums looming over reconstruction efforts. Gaza: A Dangerous Vision of Demographic Engineering The most morally contentious and geopolitically destabilizing element of Trump's Middle East policy was his proposal for Gaza. The plan envisioned transforming the territory into a 'freedom zone' for business and leisure, accompanied by the relocation of two million Palestinians to neighbouring states, a proposal that amounted to demographic engineering. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's endorsement of this plan revealed a troubling strategic convergence between Washington and Tel Aviv. International observers widely condemned the proposal as an act of ethnic cleansing, warning of the regional unrest it could spark. Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon — potential hosts for displaced Palestinians — were already grappling with domestic challenges that rendered such a plan politically untenable. Moreover, this initiative reflected a deeper recalibration of US policy: prioritizing economic pacification over genuine political resolution and disengaging from the long-held two-state framework. The implications for regional stability, Palestinian rights, and America's moral standing were deeply concerning. Israel: Fragile Alliances and Shifting Priorities For Netanyahu, Trump's visit presented a double-edged sword. While the Gaza plan aligned with Israel's longstanding security ambitions, other aspects of the US strategy — including rapprochement with Syria and potential direct talks with Iran — complicated Israel's strategic calculus. Netanyahu's cautious optimism about potential ceasefire prospects belied growing unease over Washington's readiness to engage adversaries and recalibrate alliances. The lifting of sanctions on Syria and the intensification of US-Gulf cooperation risked marginalizing Israel's role in shaping regional dynamics. Domestic political turbulence within Israel further undermined Netanyahu's capacity to manage these emerging fault lines. China: The Unspoken Target of Economic Diplomacy While Trump's public rhetoric emphasized regional stability and counterterrorism, the tour's underlying objective was unmistakable: containing China's growing influence in the Middle East. By clinching aerospace, technology, and infrastructure deals worth over $1.8trn, the United States not only revitalized its economic partnerships but also directly challenged Chinese investments in aviation, energy, and digital infrastructure. China's Belt and Road projects in Iraq, Iran, and the Levant now faced the risk of exclusion from key Gulf markets. The semiconductor agreement with the UAE, in particular, struck at the heart of Beijing's ambitions to dominate AI and data infrastructure in the region. President Trump's 2025 Gulf tour marked a watershed moment in the Middle East's geopolitical landscape. Through a calculated mix of colossal economic deals, strategic realignments, and deeply controversial initiatives, the United States sought to reclaim regional dominance while curbing the influence of China and Iran. The ramifications are immense: the potential rehabilitation of Syria, a digitized Gulf, the sidelining of the Palestinian question, and increasingly fragile US-Israel relations. Whether these moves herald a sustainable new order or ignite fresh cycles of instability remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the Middle East stands at the threshold of a new and contested geopolitical era. Dr. Marwa El-Shinawy – Academic and Writer
Skift
20-05-2025
- Business
- Skift
Qatar Airways CEO: Boeing Win Over Airbus was a ‘Very Close Call'
Al-Meer's comments herald a bold new chapter anchored around U.S.-built aircraft, but they're also a reaffirmation of Qatar Airways' pragmatic and often opportunistic fleet strategy. The chief executive of Qatar Airways has shared new insight into the decision-making process behind last week's enormous aircraft order. On May 14, the airline signed a historic deal with Boeing for up to 210 widebody planes. The contract, first announced by the White House during a visit to Doha by President Trump, is one of the largest orders of its type in Boeing's history. Speaking to CNN, Qatar Airways CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer described the decision to select the U.S. manufacturer over its European rival as 'a very, very, very, close call.' Al-Meer said the procurement work for the new aircraft started in early 2024. He highlighted that both companies, plus their associated engine-makers, were in contention until the final stages. 'We started the process almost a year and a half ago when we decided to create a competition through this RFP [request for proposal] between both aircraft manufacturers – Airbus and Boeing – as well as both engine suppliers, GE and Rolls-Royce,' said the Qatar Airways CEO. Despite Boeing ultimately winning the order, Al-Meer suggested that Ai
Euronews
15-05-2025
- Business
- Euronews
Boeing wins major Qatar deal as Donald Trump strengthens Gulf ties
Boeing has secured a historic deal with Qatar Airways, as part of US President Donald Trump's regional trade drive. Shares in the largest US aerospace manufacturer rose 2% to a 52-week high on Wednesday following the announcement. During Trump's visit to Qatar, the White House revealed that the US president had reached agreements totalling $243.5 billion (€209 bn) with the Gulf state. 'The landmark deals celebrated today will drive innovation and prosperity for generations, bolster American manufacturing and technological leadership, and put America on the path to a new Golden Age,' stated the White House. The deals include a $96bn (€85.8 bn) Boeing aircraft order from Qatar Airways, a record order for the US's largest exporter. Following a $600bn (€535bn) investment plan made with Saudi Arabia earlier this week, the US-Qatar agreements further strengthen Washington's ties with the wealthy Gulf nations. President Trump is set to visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later today, with speculation that further Boeing deals may be signed with Emirates, Qatar Airways' larger regional competitor. Boeing announced that Qatar Airways would purchase 130 787 Dreamliners and 30 777X aircraft, calling the order 'a record as the largest widebody order for Boeing, the largest order for 787 Dreamliners, and Qatar Airways' largest-ever order.' The company claims the deal will support nearly 400,000 jobs in the US. President Trump attended the signing ceremony. "After two consecutive years of record-breaking commercial performance, and with this historic Boeing aircraft order, we're not simply chasing scale — we're building strength that will allow us to continue delivering unmatched products and customer experiences,' said Qatar Airways CEO Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer. 'We thank our Boeing partners for answering the call and look forward to a future of continued smart growth together. Our team is excited to build 787s and 777s for Qatar Airways into the next decade, as they connect more people and businesses around the world with unmatched efficiency and comfort." The deal is a major win for Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who accompanied Trump on the Middle East trip. On Tuesday, Boeing also secured a $4.8bn (€4.3 bn) agreement for 737-8 MAX jets with AviLease, a Saudi Arabia-based aircraft lessor. Boeing's 737 MAX passenger airliner had been grounded between 2019 and 2020, and again in 2024, due to ongoing safety and production concerns. The company has remained unprofitable since 2018, with its shares falling to a multi-year low in early April following Trump's announcement of reciprocal tariffs. China halted orders from Boeing in late April in response to Trump's tariffs. During an interview with CNBC last month, Ortberg indicated that aircraft initially built for Chinese buyers may be redirected to other customers later this year. On Tuesday, Trump also finalised an $80bn (€71 bn) artificial intelligence investment plan with Saudi Arabia, which helped fuel rallies in Nvidia and other major tech stocks. Previously, US semiconductor shares had come under pressure amid the escalating US-China trade tensions. The Trump administration rescinded the AI diffusion rule introduced by former President Joe Biden, which would have taken effect today. However, the Department of Justice said it would rewrite the export curbs on AI chip exports to China. On Wednesday, China's Ministry of Commerce announced a 90-day suspension on export restrictions targeting 28 US companies, including rare earths and other critical materials, as part of a bilateral agreement reached after trade talks over the weekend.
