Qatar Airways (QR, Doha Hamad International) will incorporate long-range variants into its existing order with Airbus (AIB, Toulouse Blagnac) for fifty A321neo.

Chief executive Akbar al-Baker told Switzerland's aeroTELEGRAPH in an interview that the Qatari carrier would take between "10 and 15 aircraft" of the type.

Although he did not disclose when he expects to take delivery of the LR variants, the first delivery of Qatar Airways' standard-type A321neo is expected to take place before year-end.

Given repeated problems with the Pratt & Whitney 1100 GTF powerplant, Qatar Airways abandoned its previous order for thirty-four A320neo in December last year later converting them to A321neo.

"I think the problems are now solved," al-Baker added.