Dubai Airshow: Qatar Airways chief says European rivals fear competition

Akbar Al Baker, chief executive of Qatar Airways, said that European rivals ‘don’t want competition because the competition is with higher quality than the product they have’. Christopher Pike / The NShow more

The chief executive of Qatar Airways has launched a fresh attack on European rivals as EU policymakers seek to draw up a new aviation policy.

Akbar Al Baker, the outspoken head of the Doha-based carrier, said rivals such as Germany’s Lufthansa and Air France-KLM feared competition because of their inferior product.

"They don't want competition because the competition is with higher quality than the product they have," he said at the Dubai Airshow yesterday. "You only have to walk into one of my airplanes and you can see why they are making this noise. Walk into one of theirs and see what they give you. Even their seats are no match for the seats that have been flying in Qatar Airways for five years."

He made his remarks as the European transport commissioner Violeta Bulc arrives in the Gulf this week for crunch talks with ministers and top executives from Qatar Airways and its airline neighbours Emirates and Etihad Airways.

Mr Al Baker also took a swipe at the Lufthansa unit Germanwings, which has been hit by a wave of strikes in the recent weeks.

On Saturday, Lufthansa cancelled 520 flights, grounding 58,000 passengers as cabin crew went on a week-long series of walkouts over retirement and pension benefits at its two main brands, Lufthansa and Germanwings.

“Changing names to different kinds of wings will not solve the problem,” Mr Al Baker said.

The rapid growth of Arabian Gulf carriers in the United States and Europe has stoked tension in the global aviation industry and triggered a series of tit-for-tat allegations and veiled threats.

France and Germany have raised concerns about the expansion of Gulf carriers in Europe, while Air France-KLM and Lufthansa last year wrote to the transport commissioner calling for her support in tackling what they claimed was unfair government aid.

Separately, reports emerged last week that EU regulators would consider relaxing rules on foreign ownership of airlines, which is currently capped at 49 per cent.

Mr Al Baker suggested that any such liberalisation would not prompt interest from his airline.

“I don’t want to work in a climate that has so much employee control,” he said.

“We as managers of the company need to have freedom to conduct the business. It is in the interest of the company and not the interest of certain individuals.”

His remarks added some spark to a subdued first day of the biennial aviation industry gathering with most of the big regional carriers having satisfied the bulk of their aircraft requirements through the end of the decade at the 2013 event, when more than US$160 billion in deals were announced.

Like regional competitors, Emirates and Etihad, Qatar Airways has been increasing capacity into key markets such as the US and Europe.

Now it is also looking to tap opportunities in North Africa and is considering boosting its ties with Royal Air Maroc.

“We are working closer and closer with Royal Air Maroc, and we see that there is a huge synergy and they are a very good partner for us to expand in West Africa. We would consider at a certain time to see how we can partner with them,” said Mr Al Baker.

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