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Qatar Airways cancels orders for 4 Airbus A350s over slow deliveries

QATAR Airways has cancelled orders for four Airbus SE A350-900s after deliveries were delayed, reports Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Qatar Airways intensified its dispute with American Airlines over the Mideast carrier's plans to take a stake in AA over objections from its CEO Doug Parker, who is said to be wary of such a deal.

Mr Parker has led calls from US carriers to stem the expansion of Qatar, Emirates and Etihad Airways, arguing they have become global players because of illegal state aid.

AA declined to comment, but instead referred enquiries to a June 22 letter to employees, saying the airline wasn't "particularly excited about Qatar's outreach".

The order cancellation was reflected in Toulouse-based Airbus's June order tally. Qatar Air is the biggest buyer of the A350, with 80 orders before the cancellations, as well as the launch customer having taken its first plane in December 2014.

The airline's A350 contract includes a clause allowing it to scrap handovers that are delayed beyond a certain point, Airbus said, adding that the planes will be reallocated to other customers.

Qatar Airways has a history of declining aircraft that fail to meet its exacting standards, having previously turned down deliveries of A380, A320neo and earlier A350 planes.

Qatar Airways has 19 A350-900s in its fleet, including the Latam planes, together with orders for 28 more of the baseline variant plus 37 larger A350-1000s, of which deliveries are due to commence before the end of the year.