A350 Set To Debut ‘Qsuite Next Gen’ As Boeing 777X Delays Continue

Qatar Airways’ next-generation business class — Qsuite Next Gen — was supposed to make its world debut on the Boeing 777X, the ultra-modern widebody flagship from the American manufacturer that, for years, promised to redefine long-haul travel. But as delays to the 777X programme stretch into their fifth year, Qatar Airways is recalibrating.

The launch of Qsuite Next Gen will now likely take place on the Airbus A350-1000, not the 777X. “Every airline is facing delays—what sets us apart is how we adapt,” Mohammed al-Meer, Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, told Bloomberg in a wide-ranging interview last week. “We’re not simply standing still waiting for deliveries. We recalibrate and keep moving forward.”

It’s a remark that resonates more widely across an aviation industry still recovering from pandemic-era shocks, while now contending with a resurgence in global tariffs, a manufacturing supply chain under strain, and a heightened sensitivity to capital expenditure in an age of rising costs.

Originally launched in 2013, the Boeing 777X programme was envisioned as the natural successor to the long-range 777-300ER, once the backbone of many global fleets. Qatar Airways was among the earliest — and highest-profile — launch customers, placing orders for both the 777-8 and 777-9 variants. The larger of the two, the 777-9, is now expected to enter service in 2026 — six years later than planned.

Qatar Airways isn’t alone in its wait. Other 777X customers include Emirates (the largest order holder by far), Lufthansa (likely to become the launch operator), Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, ANA, British Airways and Etihad. All have faced a cascade of schedule changes. Lufthansa’s CEO Carsten Spohr recently said he hoped the first of the German flag carrier’s 777Xs would arrive “by the second half of next year”—hardly a confident prediction, and a reminder of just how little certainty remains in the widebody delivery space.

The delays stem from a combination of FAA certification issues, GE9X engine adjustments, and Boeing’s well-publicised internal quality control struggles, which have dogged the manufacturer across programmes—including the 787 Dreamliner and 737 Max.

These mounting setbacks have led airlines to either reassign product launches to other aircraft types or delay cabin upgrades altogether. For Qatar Airways, that choice is now made: The A350-1000 will be the launchpad for its most ambitious business class to date.

Unveiled at last year’s Farnborough International Airshow, Qsuite Next Gen builds upon the original Qsuite, widely credited with reshaping business class as a true ‘first-class-lite’ experience. The new generation retains the core values of privacy, customisation, and comfort—but pushes the envelope with new features designed for today’s more discerning and diverse long-haul passengers.

Among the most striking is the Companion Suite, a reconfiguration of the window-side layout allowing two passengers to dine face-to-face or simply enjoy a more interactive journey. Ideal for couples, friends or even colleagues, the Companion Suite balances a shared space with the airline’s commitment to privacy—each seat still includes a sliding door, a design cue that has become the Qsuite’s signature.

For groups, there’s the Quad Plus—a four-seat middle section which currently exists in the Qsuite cabins flying today, but the next-gen will include enhanced social features. While the original Qsuite allowed families or work teams to create a shared space, the new iteration goes further: Full-height privacy partitions, wireless charging pads embedded in the side consoles, and customisable ambient lighting that allows each passenger to tailor their own mood.

Qsuite Next Gen will also introduce 4K OLED screens, biometric ambient lighting linked to time zones, and what Qatar Airways describes as “the widest single business class seat in the sky”—enabled in part by the A350 and 777X generous cabin cross-section.

Aircraft delivery delays are now endemic across the sector. Airbus, too, is delivering aircraft several months behind schedule due to engine supply constraints, raw material shortages, and a slow rebound in skilled labour availability.

Compounding matters is the return of tariffs to global trade flows. Earlier this month, former US President Donald Trump—currently leading polls in his bid to return to office—announced a sweeping tariff proposal that would impose a 10% blanket tariff on all US imports, with far higher rates for specific countries like China. Major US retailers have already warned of price hikes, and the knock-on effects are beginning to ripple through high-value supply chains, including aerospace.

Qatar Airways is not immune. “We operate in a global economy, and tariffs—while not new—are shocks we’re built to absorb,” al-Meer said. He confirmed the airline has been stockpiling key aircraft parts and components, including cabin materials, to hedge against future delays or restrictions. “Trade doesn’t disappear. It evolves. And we evolve with it.”

That evolution is central to the Qatar Airways 2.0 strategy al-Meer has spearheaded since taking over as Group CEO at the end of 2023. It centres on smarter growth, targeted partnerships, and operational agility — traits now baked into the airline’s cabin product roadmap, too.

The Airbus A350-1000 is a technologically advanced and fuel-efficient aircraft already in operation, with Qatar’s national carrier being the launch customer several years ago. With a longer fuselage and greater range than the baseline A350-900, the -1000 offers Qatar Airways flexibility on high-yield trunk routes to North America, Asia, and Australia.

Integrating Qsuite Next Gen into an existing, proven airframe will offer the airline faster time to market and fewer risks than waiting for a yet-to-be-certified 777X.

* The author is an aviation analyst. X handle @AlexInAir