Qatar Airways cancels Boeing 737 MAX 10 order amid shifting fleet strategy

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Qatar Airways cancels Boeing 737 MAX 10 order amid shifting fleet strategy

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Boeing 737 MAX 10 | Official Website

By Sky Industry News

May 31, 2025

Qatar Airways has decided to cancel its order for 25 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft, as confirmed by the airline's Chief Executive Officer, Badr Al-Meer, in an interview with Bloomberg. The decision comes amidst a recent $96 billion order for 160 Boeing 787 and 777X jets.

Initial discussions about the potential cancellation emerged in December. Sources indicated that the aircraft no longer met Qatar Airways' fleet requirements. There was speculation that the airline might switch its order to the Boeing 737 MAX 8, but it ultimately opted for a complete cancellation. The order was initially placed at the Farnborough Air Show in 2022, where Stan Deal, then-President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, described the plane as "ideally suited for Qatar Airways' regional network."

With this cancellation, Qatar Airways is turning back to Airbus for its short-haul strategy. The airline currently has only narrowbody planes from Airbus on order, specifically 50 Airbus A321neos yet to be delivered.

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The backdrop of this decision includes a legal dispute between Qatar Airways and Airbus over paint issues with the A350 fleet. This led to grounding several aircraft and seeking damages from Airbus. However, both parties reached an agreement in early-2023 and reinstated previous orders.

Al-Meer noted improved relations with Airbus since resolving their dispute: "We have a very good relationship with Airbus," he stated during a media roundtable last year.

Despite focusing on finalizing agreements with Boeing following their recent large order, Al-Meer clarified that this does not exclude future deals with Airbus: "However, it doesn't mean that Airbus is out of the game." He mentioned ongoing deliveries of A321neos starting next year and hinted at possible additional orders for A350s.

Qatar Airways' latest strategic decisions highlight its commitment to maintaining flexibility and adaptability within its fleet management plans while continuing partnerships with major aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus.