STAMFORD, CONN : GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS) today announced it will lease three Airbus A330-200 aircraft to Qatar Airways. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
The first two aircraft enter service at Qatar Airways in January and February 2004. The third is a new aircraft scheduled for delivery in June 2005.
"We are very pleased to extend our relationship with one of the leading carriers in the Middle East, Qatar Airways," said Norman C.T. Liu, executive vice president, commercial operations for GECAS.
Qatar Airways already leases an A320 from GECAS and will take delivery of two new A330-200 aircraft on lease from GECAS in the summer of 2004.
Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines in the world currently flying to 48 destinations worldwide. Within the coming two years, the number of destinations served by Qatar Airways is projected to rise to 60.
The airline presently operates 29 Airbus aircraft and is one of the launch customers of the A380 'super jumbo'. The airline recently signed a US$ 5.1 billion order for 34 additional Airbus aircraft in a deal that will increase the fleet to 52 by 2008.
GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS), a unit of GE Commercial Finance, is a leading provider of fleet, financing and productivity solutions to the global aviation industry. With three decades of expertise and long-standing customer relationships with more than 200 airlines in some 60 countries, GECAS has a fleet of some 1,200 owned aircraft and manages nearly 300 for others. GECAS offers a full range of aircraft fleet and financing solutions, including operating leases, finance leases and secured debt financing; engine leasing through GE Engine Leasing; pilot training through GE Capital Aviation Training; and productivity services through its affiliate network.
GECAS is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and has regional offices in New York, Chicago, Miami, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, Tokyo, Dubai, Vienna, Toulouse, Luxembourg and Shannon, Ireland. www.gecas.com
About Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways, the national carrier of the State of Qatar, is proud to be Going Places Together with travellers across its more than 150 business and leisure destinations.
A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways has been awarded World’s Best Airline, World's Best Business Class; Best Business Class Airline Lounge and Best Airline Staff Service in the Middle East by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax.
Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance, oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 150 countries.
Oryx One, Qatar Airways’ in-flight entertainment system offers passengers up to 3,000 entertainment options from the latest blockbuster movies, TV box sets, music, games and much more. Passengers flying on Qatar Airways flights served by its B787, A350, A380, A319 and select A320 and A330 aircraft can also stay in touch with their friends and family around the world by using the award-winning airline’s on-board Wi-Fi and GSM service.
Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways sponsors world-leading sports teams including FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli Saudi Arabia FC reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message – Going Places Together.
Qatar Airways Cargo, the world’s third largest international cargo carrier, serves more than 50 exclusive freighter destinations worldwide via its Doha hub and also delivers freight to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations globally