Qatar Airways announced an order for 18 Gulfstream aircraft during a meeting at the White House, with Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of Qatar, and Donald Trump both present.
The $1 billion order includes 14 Gulfstream G650ER and four Gulfstream G500, adding to the six G650ER and four G500 already owned by the airline.
“Qatar Airways is very pleased to confirm this landmark deal with Gulfstream,” said Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Akbar Al Baker.
“Our corporate jet division, Qatar Executive, goes from strength to strength and this commitment to new orders will allow us to offer our bespoke luxury service to even more passengers.”
Qatar Executive’s relationship with Gulfstream dates back to October 2014, when the Gulf airline became the first customer for the new G500, in an agreement that also included the G650ER.
“They’re investing very heavily in our country,” Trump told reporters at the White House, speaking about Qatar’s relationship with the U.S. “They’re creating a lot of jobs.”
The agreement made between the two countries also included the purchase of Boeing Co. 777 freighters and investment in a petrochemical complex.
The U.S. had been supporting the two-year economic boycott of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia and backed by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, although this deal appears to be a softening of Trump’s stance.