Qatar Airways said today that it intended to seek compensation from Boeing over delays in delivering its first 787 Dreamliner aircraft, part of a $13.5 billion order.

The Middle East airline has 12 of the new aircraft on order but was told earlier this year, along with other airlines, that the planes have been delayed.

"Of course we will seek compensation — we always build a very solid compensation clause into our orders," Akbar al Baker, the chief executive officer of Qatar Airways, said.

"It is not only Qatar — everyone will be affected by delays. I imagine Boeing is looking at the supply chain that has let them down."

Qatar has 200 planes on order for delivery by 2017 as it looks to expand aggresively out of its Doha hub airport.

They include orders from Airbus for the A380, plus 32 of Boeing's 777 aircraft. "The A380s are due for delivery over the next four or five years — Airbus assures us they are on schedule," said Baker.

The new planes are needed to fulfil expansion plans — Qatar currently operates 82 routes and has averaged growth of 35 per cent for each of the last four years.

The latest route is into Guangzhou, the airline's fourth into China. Houston follows in November, and Qatar is to fly into Australia and South America.

Baker said that Boeing had agreed to firm up delivery dates on some 777s currently on option as part of Boeing's recompense for the delays to the 787.

Speaking at Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, he also revealed that Qatar may buy a further five A380s from Airbus to cover shortfalls in delivery of the 787. But he said the airline was still considering its options. "I don't want to get Airbus too excited at this stage," he told Times Online.

In France, rival aircraft manufacturer EADS has pulled out of negotiations to sell two Airbus sites in France to aerostructures manufacturer Latecoere. “A viable solution could not be finalised within the required time frame, in particular due to the current difficult financial environment”, the Airbus maker said.

EADS had chosen Toulouse-based Latecoere in December as preferred bidder for the Meaulte and St Nazaire-Ville sites it planned to sell as part of its Power8 restructuring plan.

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