The chief govt of Qatar Airways has warned that disruption throughout the aviation business will final for years as corporations get well from the consequences of the pandemic.
“Covid has broken the availability chain of the business . . . I believe that it will final for a couple of years — it’s not going to go away tomorrow,” Akbar Al Baker advised the Monetary Instances in an interview.
Labour shortages in Europe, delays in plane deliveries from producers and an absence of spare elements had all affected Qatar Airways, he added.
Guillaume Faury, chief executive of the world’s largest aircraft maker Airbus, final week stated he anticipated provide chain points to proceed into subsequent yr, with producers dealing with shortages of uncooked supplies, spare elements and digital parts.
Within the case of Qatar Airways, it’s the staff shortages in Europe which are having the best impression, Al Baker stated, due to disruption to flights that’s having knock-on results on the airline’s Doha hub.
This month Heathrow airport imposed an unprecedented passenger cap on airways to attempt to keep away from extra disruption, drawing a furious reaction from Qatar’s regional rival Emirates.
Al Baker sits on the board of London’s Heathrow as a consultant of the Qatari sovereign wealth fund, a shareholder within the airport.
He criticised Heathrow for not giving airways extra warning in regards to the passenger cap, which he stated was “very troublesome to digest”. However he added that the issues have been systemic throughout Europe, and never solely at Heathrow.
Qatar Airways can also be the biggest shareholder in IAG, which owns British Airways, making Al Baker an influential determine in UK aviation.
He has beforehand been outspoken in his criticism of BA, however provided his full help to the airline’s chief govt Sean Doyle. BA has suffered some of the worst disruption this summer time.
“IAG has an enormous potential, and I’m certain that in a not too very long time they’ll flip round and be what they have been pre-pandemic,” he stated. “Take into account that they’re doing so much to enhance requirements and companies,” he added.
IAG’s shares are buying and selling at about 70 per cent beneath their pre-pandemic ranges, and BA has been pressured to cancel round 30,000 flights this yr due to its personal staffing issues and disruption at airports.
Al Baker has additionally been concerned in a legal battle with Airbus this yr over an allegation that one in all its best-selling planes, the A350 wide-body, is flawed due to harm to its floor.
He stated the dispute, which is being heard in London’s courts, won’t cease him from shopping for extra Airbus plane sooner or later.
The producer has stated its plane are secure, stating that no different operator of the jets had grounded their planes.
Regardless of the pandemic and provide chain issues, Qatar Airways reported a uncommon business revenue of $1.5bn within the yr to the top of March, boosted by its cargo operations.
The airline continued to fly all through the pandemic and even added routes to many locations.
