Chief Executive Akbar Al-Baker noted, however, that there are no current plans to amend Qatar Airways’ orders for 30 787s and options for 30 more.

“If there is another slip, yes we will have no alternative” but to consider canceling orders, he said.

“But as of today, I still have confidence in Boeing.” Al-Baker has been one of the most vocal critics of 787 delays.

He made the comments Saturday as he opened a new arrivals terminal at Doha International Airport to accommodate the airline’s rapid growth. The facility, part of a $1 billion revamp of the airport, is meant to provide additional space until a new airport opens in 2012.

Test flights on the 787, also known as the Dreamliner, were halted last month because of an electrical fire, adding another wrinkle to a development program that is running well behind schedule.

Boeing is aiming to deliver the first 787 to Japan’s All Nippon Airways early next year — nearly three years later than originally hoped. That target is widely expected to be pushed back further.

The 787 is made mostly of composite materials designed to make it lighter and more fuel-efficient than other planes of the same size.

In Doha, Al-Baker said Qatar Airways is on track to turn a profit for the second straight year in a row this year. He said the airline is generating “a very hefty profit” but didn’t provide specifics.

That has prompted the carrier to begin laying the groundwork for an initial public offering of its shares, he said. He said the IPO could be launched as early as 2012 and involve a sale of as much as a 50 percent stake in the company.

Qatar Airways is growing rapidly, adding 18 new planes and 10 new destinations to its network so far this year. The carrier has ordered five of Airbus’ A380s, with the first expected for delivery in 2013.

Al-Baker said Qatar Airways’ board is mulling further orders for the double-decker planes but didn’t provide details. “You will hear it when we announce” it, he said.