Boeing to deliver first 747-8 in mid-Oct, says Al-Baker

Boeing plans to deliver the newest version of its 747 jumbo jet to initial customer Cargolux International in mid-October, about a month after a dispute over fuel consumption prompted the carrier to refuse the first two planes, Akbar Al-Baker, the CEO of Cargolux investor Qatar Airways said.

Cargolux declined to take the 747-8 because its fuel burn fell 2.7 percent below guarantees, said Al-Baker.

Cargolux made the decision September 16, three days before it was to accept the planes and about three months after Qatar took a 35 percent stake.

“Unfortunately, the management of Cargolux did not take the action they should have taken” during the acceptance process, Al-Baker said as he prepared to pick up a 777 at the planemaker’s wide-body jet plant in Everett, Washington.

The new delivery date of October 12 was set pending Cargolux’s board meeting on October 7, Al-Baker said.

Boeing will handle delivery planning “once the Cargolux board has approved” the plane’s handover, said Jim Proulx, a spokesman for Boeing. He declined to comment on the plane’s performance guarantees or on contractual agreements with customers.

Cargolux’s issue was with General Electric Co, maker of the GEnx engine, rather than Boeing, Al-Baker said.

A GE Aviation spokeswoman, Deborah Case, declined to comment on Al-Baker’s remarks.

GE Aviation reiterated in August that it was developing a performance improvement package, first discussed in April, for the GEnx-2B engine used on the 747-8. The PIP, as it is known, should be ready in mid-to 2013, Case said.

Qatar has three representatives on Cargolux’s board, including Al-Baker, who has criticized Boeing for delays on the 787s he has ordered.

Qatar now expects the first 787 delivery by mid-2012, not February as planned, Al-Baker said. The delay is because of certification needed for special equipment Qatar wants to add rather than the plane itself, he said.

Al-Baker in 2009 threatened to cancel his order of the plastic composite 787 if there were any further delays, saying the Chicago-based planemaker was being run by “bean-counters.” The 787 was delivered to its first customer this week, three years behind schedule.

Al-Baker described his relationship with Boeing as strong, “despite a few hiccups along the way.”