The 335-seat aircraft features 42 seats in Business Class in a 2–2–2 configuration, each offering pitch of 78 inches and individual TV screens measuring 15.4 inches. Economy Class has 293 seats in a 3–3–3 configuration with a 32-inch pitch and 10.6- inch TV screens, designed to offer optimum viewing. Both Business and Economy class cabins offer in-seat PC power supply.

The aircraft also features a revamped inflight entertainment system, Oryx Entertainment, offering each passenger more than 700 entertainment options.

Qatar Airways has confirmed orders for fourteen Boeing 777-300ERs, six 777-200LRs and seven 777-200Fs, with deliveries running until mid-2010. There are options for a further five Boeing 777 aircraft. The two passenger Boeing 777 variants will facilitate a major expansion in the airline’s long haul passenger network.

The Boeing 777-200 freighters, which will be delivered from 2009, will enable Qatar Airways to build up an efficient cargo hub linking Europe and Asia, supplemented by its regional wide-body freighters.

Earlier this month, Qatar Airways strengthened its relationship with Boeing by confirming orders for 30 of the company’s next generation Boeing 787 aircraft with options for a further 30. The airline will become the first Middle East carrier to operate both Boeing 777s and Boeing 787s.

Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said the arrival of the first Boeing 777 in Qatar Airways’ colours marked the start of what promised to be a long and fruitful relationship with one of the world’s leading aircraft manufacturers.

The first Boeing 777 will be deployed on the Doha – Washington route from January 2008, by which time the airline takes delivery of its second Boeing 777. Until then, the aircraft will fly selected regional routes across the Middle East.

Doha-based Qatar Airways currently operates a fleet of 59 aircraft to 80 destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Indian Subcontinent, Far East and North America.

Qatar Airways is one of only five airlines in the world with a Five Star ranking for service and excellence awarded by Skytrax, the independent aviation industry monitoring agency. Skytrax also named Qatar Airways’ cabin crew as Best in the Middle East for the fifth year running in 2007 following a survey of more than 12 million passengers. During the 2006/07 financial year, Qatar Airways carried more than 8 million passengers worldwide. For more information, log onto www.qatarairways.com

The launch of the US flights was the highlight of Qatar Airways’ route expansion programme during 2007, which has already seen Dar es Salaam, Lagos, Bali, Ho Chi Minh City, Chennai, Geneva, Nagpur and Stockholm added to the carrier’s burgeoning network.