Skift Take

Speaking to Skift, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said supply chain and regulatory hurdles could hinder the speed of the first class roll-out.

A new first class cabin is on the way at Qatar Airways, but it might take a little longer to arrive than expected. Speaking to Skift, Badr Mohammed Al-Meer revealed that he is due to see a prototype of the new top-tier seat on Thursday. 

Al-Meer’s status update builds on comments he shared in a CNBC interview earlier this year. In March, the CEO told the network that the first class project was well-advanced. “We are 70-80% ready – we are only finalizing colors and small touches.”

However, in conversation with Skift on the fringes of the Farnborough Airshow in the U.K, Al-Meer struck a more cautious tone. “There are problems in the supply ch