Qatar Airways prepares for tariff challenges with robust spare parts inventory

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 these 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 said, adding “of course it will have an impact on our supply chain, on our cargo operation.”

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The CEO comments underpin the tough situation that airlines and planemakers face after President Donald Trump unveiled tariffs with most US trading partners. Airlines are already grappling with higher prices for spare parts and face the spectre of tariffs on new aircraft. Travel demand is meanwhile weakening in the US and elsewhere, as passengers absorb the financial hit in the form of rising consumer prices and slumping stock portfolios.