Qatar Airways is stockpiling aircraft parts to ease tariff pain

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airwayssaid it can withstand the shocks from higher tariffs thanks to its stockpile of aircraft spares that might otherwise be hard...

Doha, Qatar: Qatar Airways said it can withstand the shocks from higher tariffs thanks to its stockpile of aircraft spares that might otherwise be harder to source.

The company has built up sufficient inventory, and while there will likely be an impact on air-freight goods stemming from higher import charges, Qatar Airways will “absorb and adapt with any changes,” Chief Executive Officer Badr Al-Meer said in an interview in Doha.

Passenger demand is also sufficiently robust to keep ticket prices steady, he said.

“If I tell you tariffs are not impacting us, I will not be honest with you,” Al-Meer told Bloomberg TV. “Of course, it will have an impact on our supply chain, on our cargo operation.”

The CEO’s comments underpin the tough situation that airlines and planemakers face after President Donald Trump unveiled tariffs with most US trading partners.