Emirates will not reconsider A380 order

London: Emirates airline will not reconsider its Airbus A380 order, according to a top company executive.

"Compensation is not our target, what we really seek is to give a chance for Airbus to deliver what they promised so that we can assess, because we need that aircraft," Tim Clark, president of Emirates told Gulf News at the World Travel Market in London yesterday.

"We do not seek to strike a balance between aircraft manufacturers, we only need to get what we want, and when we place an order we seek that the manufacturer succeeds because at the end of the day this comes in our interest."

"What induces us to wait for the A380 is that we want it to be a top-rated aircraft, and two years is not a long time in this industry," he said.

Clark added that the airline's development is tied to Dubai's future, and that what is apparent now constitutes only 20 per cent of what will be happening in 2015 or 2020.

"The transport sector is growing by 15 per cent annually, and with such rate, it is not difficult to imagine 70 million passengers by that time," he added.

Clark declared that Emirates won't bid for a stake in any carrier, citing names such as Alitalia, Olympus, and others.

"Though some are attractive our hands are busy, and we are not considering any such move in the near future, as we need to expand our presence in Africa and Asia," he said.

Clark believes the new carriers, such as Etihad and RAK Airways do not pose a threat to Emirates.

"I believe that there is enough room for everyone, and we encourage these companies to grow, and cater for their respective targets," he said, adding that Emirates had urged the government for the establishment of a low-cost terminal at the new airport.