Business | Aviation
New chief of Dubai airports envisions growth prospects will continue
Emirates, the most profitable Arab carrier, is expected to sign at least two major orders today, the first day of Dubai Airshow.
- By Saifur Rahman, Business News Editor
- Published: 22:52 November 10, 2007
- New chief of Dubai airports envisions growth prospects will continue Paul Griffiths.
- Image Credit: Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
Dubai: Emirates, the most profitable Arab carrier, is expected to sign at least two major orders today, the first day of Dubai Airshow.
The orderbook could see the purchase of more than 100 mid-size aircraft, with a combination of Airbus' A350s and Boeing's B787s - deals with a potential value of roughly $15 billion (Dh55 billion) at list price.
Some sources indicated that the airline might top up its A380 portfolio to a possible double from the existing 55. "There will be more than one announcement, possibly three, but we can't confirm the specific details of the deals at the moment," an aviation official told Gulf News, requesting anonymity. If so, this will be the biggest Emirates order ever.
The deals are crucial for the airline as its remaining orderbook of 111 planes pending, valued at $30 billion, will be delivered by 2011/2012.
Analysts say if Emirates fails to book production slots now, it will slow down its growth after 2012, as major US carriers who have not ordered planes following September 11, will begin making large orders next year - a fact which is prompting some Gulf airlines to book even larger orders: Qatar Airways with orders involving 80 A350s and 30 B787s earlier this year being a case in point.
In 2003, the airline signed firm orders for 71 aircraft, including 45 Airbus A380s and 26 Boeing 777s, a deal worth $19.1 billion at list prices. In 2005, the airline again signed firm orders for 42 Boeing 777s and 20 on options, a deal valued at $9.7 billion at list price.
"Airbus will dominate the announcements, not Boeing," an official source familiar with the orders told Gulf News last night.
Top executives of both the plane manufacturers are arriving in Dubai t
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