Qatar Airways expects to receive its first four Boeing 787 Dreamliners by the end of 2011 and its entire order of 30 planes by 2015, CEO Akbar Al Baker said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a media lunch in New York, Al Baker said he received the outlook from Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Scott Carson in June, shortly after the world's largest air show in Paris.
A Boeing spokesman said the company does not comment on talks with customers.
Al Baker said he was told Qatar would get all 30 of its firm orders delivered by 2015 and that if other customers cancel their 787 orders then Qatar's options for 30 more aircraft could be filled quicker.
He said he believes the first test flight of the carbon-composite aircraft will occur by the end of 2009.
"I quite frankly have faith now in Boeing in the sense of delivery because regardless of (what) the certification outcome will be, by the time they have to deliver my airplanes, I'm sure they will catch up with the backlog," Al Baker said.
"And if they cannot sort it out at this time then Boeing has forgotten how to make airplanes."
Al Baker made waves in June at the Paris Air Show when he said Qatar was strongly considering cancelling its orders for the long-delayed 787.
Later that month, Boeing delayed for the fifth time its first 787 test flight due to a structural problem. The delays have been a blow to the company's credibility.
Boeing has not given a new target date for the first test flight and has said it would also reschedule the first delivery.
The aircraft, already two years behind its original schedule, was set to fly in the second quarter of 2009. Boeing data shows more than 850 orders for the 787.
Qatar Airways, which has a fleet of almost 70 planes, has been expanding rapidly. The carrier hopes to add 42 planes in four years and has orders for more than 220 planes, worth USD$40 billion.
The Gulf carrier recently ordered 24 A320s from Airbus during the Paris Air Show, saying deliveries would begin at the end of 2009 and be completed by 2012.
Al Baker said during the media lunch that the airline expected to receive its first three Airbus A350s during the last quarter of 2013. The airline has 80 of these planes on order, including options.
"This is very clearly mentioned in our contract that we will be the first airline to fly the Airbus A350," he said.
Qatar Airways has asked for delivery of the Airbus A380 by 2012, he added. The Gulf carrier has orders for five of those planes.