As expected, Emirates has lit-up the Dubai Airshow with the bumper aircraft order on day 1. The value of the deal - $52 billion. On Monday, Emirates made a historic order for 95 additional wide-body aircraft, taking its total order book to 295 aircraft.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, said the flag carrier has committed to additional Boeing 777-9s, 777-8s, and 787s worth US$ 52 billion.
Emirates is already the world’s largest operator of Boeing 777 aircraft. Amid the Airshow, the carrier signed firm orders for 55 additional 777-9s and 35 777-8s.
This takes the airline’s 777-X order book to 205 units. Deliveries for the 777-9s will start from 2025. Moreover, with the latest order, Emirates is set to be one of the launch customers of the 777-8 passenger variant, with first deliveries expected in 2030.
“To power those aircraft, we have ordered 202 additional GE9X engines,” said Sheikh Ahmed. This takes the total order of the GE9X engine order to 460 units.
Emirates is coming off record numbers generated in its half-yearly financials. The Dubai airline had been the pacesetter among global carriers in scripting a post COVID turnaround for the travel industry.
Buzzing market
In the run up to the airshow’s opening, the region’s aviation market had been buzzing about Dubai airlines placing mega sized orders. Now, that has come to pass.
Sheikh Ahmed made the announcements in the presence of Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, who oversaw the signing of Emirates’ deal with Boeing and GE.
Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Mansour bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, were also present.
The deals are vital for Dubai’s D33 economic agenda. “Together, these orders represent a significant investment reflected by our commitment to the future of aviation. It also supports the D33 Economic Agenda,” said Sheikh Ahmed.
Long-term commitment
“This is a long-term commitment that will support hundreds of thousands of jobs not only with Boeing but also the global aviation supply chain,” said Sheikh Ahmed. The Dubai airline had been the pacesetter among global carriers in scripting a post-COVID turnaround for the travel industry.
The Emirates Group Chairman also expressed his confidence that Emirates would remain the biggest operator of the Boeing 777 aircraft family in the years to come. The airline is already the world’s largest operator for Boeing 777 aircraft.
“This order is an incredible vote of confidence in Boeing’s wide-body family and the versatility of our 777X and 787 aeroplanes to meet Emirates’ needs for global long-haul travel,” said Stan Deal, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. He said, “All these products point to a more sustainable future for Emirates, not only with fuel burn but with the combined efforts of GE going together to big an ultra-quiet aeroplane.”
