MUSCAT: “As far as I am concerned, I have full confidence in Boeing and their ability to resolve any technical issue.” These are the words of Qatar Airways Chief Executive Akbar Al-Baker.

The U.S. plane-maker faces its biggest crisis in years after two deadly crashes of its flagship 737 MAX jet. Regulators, including Oman grounded the worldwide MAX fleet after an Ethiopian Airlines MAX crash killed all 157 people on board this month, wiping 14 percent off shares in the world’s biggest planemaker.

Qatar Airways, one of the largest Middle East carriers, is a major Boeing customer. It has ordered 20 MAX jets and committed to buying a further 40. It has taken delivery of five of the aircraft, according to Boeing’s website.

“I am sure that the aircraft will get back into the skies soon and that Boeing will get to the bottom of what happened and if there is something technical wrong that they will find a fix for it,” he told reporters in Muscat. 

Qatar Airways will attend a Boeing briefing this week on software and training updates for the MAX, Baker said.

More flights to Oman
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways will operate seven new destinations during 2019, including a direct service to Duqm Airport, Baker said. 

Al Baker added that Qatar Airways is currently operating 70 weekly flights to the Sultanate through 7 daily services to Muscat, 2 daily flights to Salalah and one daily flight to Sohar.

He said that through its services to Oman, Qatar Airways has transported 305,000 passengers during 2018 while the company transports 400 tonnes weekly. – With input from agencies