A $4.8 billion firm order for 10 Boeing 777-8Xs and four 777 Freighters gave Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker yet another chance to take a swipe at American critics, who say that it, along with other Middle East carriers, benefit unfairly from government subsidies. During a Paris Air Show press conference, he also repeated his threat to leave the OneWorld Alliance in protest of the role fellow member American Airlines has played in lobbying U.S. legislators to exclude Gulf carriers from the Open Skies route access policy.

Singling out Delta Airlines, Al Baker inferred that Qatar has done more for the American aerospace sector than its own carriers. “Of course, no announcement is without controversy with Qatar Airways, so I would like to make a statement,” he told reporters. “I hope that the gentleman at Delta knows that we are creating even more jobs in the United States by ordering more airplanes.”

In fact, just last week Delta announced plans to buy 40 Boeing 737-900ERs. However, in its previous most significant fleet renewal move, in November 2014, the U.S. carrier dealt a blow to the airframer by choosing Airbus A350-900s and A330-900s over the 787-9.

On his recent comments about the apparently precarious nature of his airline’s membership in the OneWorld alliance, the outspoken Al Baker again made his intentions clear. “We are only committed to OneWorld provided the spirit in which we joined OneWorld exists,” he said. “If we are being cornered by an airline that invited us to be part of the alliance [American Airlines] and is now acting against our interests…blocking inventory, blocking gates at JFK [Airport], of course we have no [reason] to be in the alliance…If we find that we cannot have a settlement to this very contentious issue, then we will exit from OneWorld.”

According to Al Baker, Qatar will deploy the new 777Xs on “ultra-long-haul” routes after deliveries start in 2022. For Boeing, the June 15 order from Qatar means its 777X orderbook now shows orders and commitments for 320 airplanes, the first of which it plans to deliver in 2020.

Separately, Taiwan’s EVA Airways announced its intention to purchase five 777 Freighters. The commitment is valued at $1.5 billion and covers what will be the first of the aircraft type to join the Asian carrier’s fleet.

Meanwhile, Air Lease Corporation announced new long-term lease agreements with Vietnam Airlines under which eight 787-9 widebodies previously under order will be upgauged to the larger -10 models.