Qatar Airways delays longest direct flight on Airbus delivery issues

Doha - 17.5-hour service to be pushed back two months

Qatar Airways has delayed the launch of the world's longest direct flight - from Doha to Auckland, New Zealand - by two months because of the late delivery of Airbus A350s, an airline spokeswoman told Reuters.
"I can confirm we are looking at February. It is due to aircraft availability, specifically the delay of delivery of A350s," the spokeswoman said.
The airline's 17.5 hour service to Auckland had been due to start on December 3.
Qatar Airways increased pressure on Europe's Airbus over aircraft reliability last month, saying it had some "issues" with the A350 passenger jet barely a year after it entered service.

• Qatar