It's finally happened: Qatar Airways has taken delivery of its first new Airbus aircraft in approximately two and a half years. This notable delivery flight took place on May 12th with an A350-1000 flying from Toulouse to Doha. The aircraft is Qatar Airways' 20th A350-1000 and 54th A350 overall.

Aircraft and delivery flight details

As per FlightRadar24.com data, the aircraft registered A7-ANT departed from Toulouse (TLS) on May 12th at 21:29. An overnight flight designated QR3181, the aircraft landed at Qatar Airways' home base of Doha Hamad International (DOH) at 04:21 on May 13th. The total duration of this delivery flight was five hours and 52 minutes.

Aviation Flights data notes that, prior to delivery, the A350-1000 with manufacturer's serial number (MSN 430) had conducted 11 flights with nearly 16 hours of flight time. Considering the fact that this aircraft was first spotted in March 2020 and had its first test flight in November 2021, it's clear that not all of its pre-delivery flights were actual test flights. Some flights included in the count took the aircraft into (and out of) storage at Châteauroux-Centre "Marcel Dassault" Airport (CHR), while there were other periodic flights conducted just to keep the airframe in good working order.

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A significant step to normalizing relations again

While this could be seen as just one of many aircraft deliveries Airbus conducts throughout the course of any given week, the arrival of MSN 430 in Doha is particularly significant, since the last delivery of a new Airbus jet to the airline took place in December 2020.

Many who follow aviation news will know that throughout 2021 and 2022, Qatar Airways was engaged in a heated legal battle with Airbus over surface degradation experienced on approximately two dozen airframes. While numerous volleys were launched by both sides, of particular note was Airbus' cancelation of outstanding/undelivered Qatar orders, with Qatar signing a significant deal with Boeing in the process.

Ultimately, however, Qatar Airways and Airbus came to an amicable settlement on February 1st, 2023. With the legal action dropped, all Qatar Airways orders were reinstated, including those for A350s.

How Qatar Airways has been coping

While new deliveries will provide the airline with the capacity it needs to handle a post-pandemic travel environment, Qatar Airways has had to find other solutions over the past two years. This has included leasing Boeing 777-300ERs from Cathay Pacific, and Airbus A330-300s from Oman Air.

For Airbus A380 fans, the positive outcome from the dispute was the return of several A380s to Qatar Airways operations. This summer, the airline is deploying the A380 to Heathrow twice daily, while also sending the superjumbo to Sydney and Bangkok. While Qatar Airways' CEO Akbar al Baker has been on the record saying that he sees no long-term future for his A380s, it's clear that the type is proving quite useful for a severely slot-restricted airport like London Heathrow.

Do you think the resumption of A350 deliveries to Qatar Airways will expedite the retirement of the airline's A380 fleet? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment!

Sources: Planespotters.net, FlightRadar24.com, ch-aviation.com, Aviation Flights

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  Qatar Airways

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  QR/QTR

  Airline Type:

  Full Service Carrier

  Hub(s):

  Doha Hamad International Airport

  Year Founded:

  1993

  Alliance:

  oneworld

  CEO:

  Akbar Al Baker

  Country:

  Qatar