Qatar Airways inaugurates A350, throws down gauntlet to Lufthansa

Frankfurt

QATAR Airways has become the first airline to start regular flights with Airbus's most advanced plane, the A350, throwing down a challenge to Germany's Lufthansa at its home airport.

Lufthansa has been a fierce critic of Middle Eastern airlines including Qatar, Emirates and Etihad, citing competition from them and low-cost carriers, along with economic headwinds, for two cuts to its 2015 profit target last year.