DOHA, May 19 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways posted a 28% jump

in annual net profit to a record 7.8 billion Qatari riyals ($2.1

billion), according to a preliminary statement issued by the

airline on Monday.

"We have also successfully implemented strategic

partnerships throughout the industry, in order for the Group to

remain agile in the face of ever-shifting world events, whether

political, economic or environmental," CEO Badr Mohammed Al-Meer

was quoted as saying in a statement from the airline.

The government-owned airline's revenue and passenger data

from the last year were not yet available. The airline's

complete annual report was expected to be published on Monday

morning.

In the last year, Qatar Airways, seeking to boost passenger

numbers and connectivity, bought a 25% stake in Virgin Australia

and a 25% stake in South Africa-based regional carrier Airlink.

The airline placed a firm order last week for 160 Boeing

777X and 787 planes with GE Aerospace engines worth $96 billion,

the largest widebody deal ever for the companies. Qatar Airways

has options to buy 50 more of the Boeing ( BA ) jetliners.

The airline's Chief Commercial Officer Thierry Antinori told

Reuters in March that the Qatari airline had seen above-market

growth in passenger numbers from April 2024 until January this

year, up 9% throughout its network, up 14% in Europe and up 12%

in Germany.