Have you been inside an A340-500? No difference than an A330 or an A300. The B777 has the advantage of cabin size where the Airline will place additional goodies for the pax.
Actually the A340-500/-600 have new interiors with new overhead bins and side panels with higher ceilings.
Do you know the timeframe for the orders?
Anyway here is the aritlce from Gulf News. "Rasha Owais" was also one of the 5 or so journalists that were brought by QR to attend Farnborough.
Qatar Airways, with an Airbus-dominated fleet, yesterday took delivery of its second Airbus A330-200 at the Farnborough Air Show.
It is also said to have order-ed for a long-haul A340-500.
The delivery of the plane was announced by Akbar Al Baker, Qatar Airways chief executive, and Noel Forgeard, Airbus president and chief executive.
As part of a long-term growth plan, Qatar Airways will raise its fleet of eight A330-200 and is also a launch customer of the A380.
Growth plans mean increasing the fleet from 16 to 30 and raising destinations from 35 to over 60 by end-2004.
It also added that the new A330-200 was flown from Airbus Industries' Toulouse plant to Farnborough where it was displayed along with the airliner's corporate jetliner, A319, for which Qatar Airways was the launch customer.
The new aircraft will be operated on European routes, including Frankfurt and Milan. It has a configuration of 12 first class, 18 business class and 208 economy class seats.
"Qatar Airways is a growing airline, averaging a growth of almost 30 per cent a year,' said Forgeard.
"Our growth is averaging around 35 per cent. In 2002, growth in the first quarter was as high as 60 per cent," said Al Baker.
"With the introduction of A330 as the new flagship of our fleet, we are boosting growth, adding new destinations and more capacity."
The GCC carrier was delivered its first A330-200 in May this year which flies on regional routes and the London-Doha sector.
Starting operations in 1994 and re-launched in 1997, Qatar Airways is building a new Doha International Airport for $1 billion. The $20 million revamping of the arrival terminal is under way.
The new airport will be ready by 2006, in time for the Asian Games which Qatar is hosting.
The current Qatar Airways fleet includes seven Airbus A300-600R, seven Airbus A320, an Airbus corporate jet, AC319, and an Airbus A330-200.
Aircraft on order include four Airbus A330-200, two Airbus A380 and ten Airbus A320.
Fleet options are on five aircraft including three Airbus A330-200 and two Airbus A380.
Qatar Airways has also diversified operations into Qatar Aviation Services, Qatar Duty Free, Qatar Distribution Co, Qatar Holidays and the newly-formed Qatar Catering Co.