Engines Choice Open for Qatar’s Latest A321neo Order

Qatar Airways continues to talk with CFM International about the engine provision for the Airbus A321neos it expects to start taking in 2019 under the terms of a new deal involving 50 of the narrowbodies in the Airbus Cabin Flex configuration. The contract, signed during a ceremony Thursday during a state visit by French president Emmanuel Macron to Doha, replaces a 2011 order covering 34 Pratt & Whitney PW1100G-powered A320neos and 16 A321neos, first delivery of which Qatar refused in 2016 due to what CEO Akbar Al Baker considered unacceptable operational limitations related to extended engine re-start times. Since then the Pratt engines have experienced reliability deficiencies associated with other manufacturing and design problems, generating further public criticism from the outspoken Al Baker. However, Qatar hasn’t yet committed to either engine type for the new batch and, according to CFM, remains in negotiations.

Scheduled to enter service with Qatar in 2019, the A321neo ACF incorporates changes to the exit-door configuration whereby designers replaced two forward exit doors with four overwing exits and shifted the aft exit doors—located behind the wings—four fuselage frames further aft. The arrangement increases capacity from the original limit of some 220 passengers to 240 passengers.